#+. / perhaps in another life we can make things happier ( verse: modern. )

[surveys-at-your-service]

Survey #306

i’m v talkative today so pardon my jabbering below.

What is the strangest type of candy you have eaten? I think I've had one of those lollipops with a bug in it before as a kid? I don't remember. What would be your most ideal profession? A freelance photographer. But I'm honestly starting to lose hope. Have you tried those coloring books for adults? Yeah; it's funny you mention 'em, 'cuz a family friend got me one for my birthday earlier this month. What is a topic you definitely don't want to talk about with anyone? I don't like talking about my sexual history, doesn't matter who you are. It's just uncomfortable. What was your first gaming console? An Atari. Is there something you're eagerly waiting for? What is it? *SLAMS FISTS ON TABLE* MAY NEEDS TO FUCKIN' HURRY. My tattoo appointment is set then. :''') Do you/have you ever belonged to an organization? If so, which one? I was a Girl Scout when I was young. What is something you're very passionate about? Nature conservation, gay rights (equal rights in general, really), the pro-choice movement, and then there are less "important" things like certain hobbies interests and such. I'm sure there are more big ones that are just slipping my mind right now, considering I feel passionately for a shitload of stuff. What are you studying or what was the last thing you studied? I majored in Art & Design with a focus on Photography in college. But guess who dropped out. What was the last present you gave someone? I don't know... I mention enough that I don't have a source of income where I can really buy anything. I think the last thing I did was a Christmas gift for Mom a year or two back of a drawing I did of our late dog Cali, whom she absolutely adored. Do you enjoy plays? If so, what was the latest one you saw? Not really, no. What was the last thing you achieved? PHP has helped me focus on little victories, so prepare for an underwhelming answer haha, but it's something. I Facebook messaged an old friend I really wanted to catch up with, and everyone in group cheered for me. :') It was really heartwarming. What a shocker that this program is really helping me once again. What is something you would like to achieve at some point in your life? I would love love love to take at least one "famous" or award-winning photograph. It'd be such amazing validation that I'm talented at something I love so much. What is one philosophy you have regarding life/living/purpose? That's... difficult to answer seeing as I'm trying desperately to find my purpose. I do try to live by this old quote a therapist said once: "Deal with life, or life deals with you." I think it holds an incredible amount of depth and meaning in such a short phrase. How would you design the inside of your own home? I don't know the details of it, really, besides that shit is gonna look like a Halloween house year-round. I can imagine wanting black furniture, too, and having loooots of decor expressive of what I love and find comfort in. Gotta make a house feel like a home just for me. What is a band you remember liking from your childhood? Backstreet Boys, duh. Do you ever get mad at people for not having the same opinion as you (i.e. abortion being wrong/right, meat-eating being wrong/right)? Two things: it depends on the topic, and "get mad" is the wrong term for what I feel. It's more disgust; ex., I'm repulsed by anti-gay rights people and want absolutely nothing to do with 'em, but I'm not like, mad at them. Do you edit any of your pictures? In what ways? Oh yeah, and it definitely depends on the raw photograph. I edit depending on the mood it emanates; like if you've seen my roadkill photography versus nature shots, there is an extremely distinct difference in editing style and vibe. I'd say in general though, I tend to like to brighten my photographs and add more vibrance. If you like to take pictures, what is your motivation? God, I could write an essay on this. I just love and am so thankful for the fact we can literally freeze time forever with the click of a button and look back on fantastic sights, beautiful moments, memories... It's just magical to me, and I adore contributing to that art. Would you ever consider living anywhere cold? Well yeah, that's my preference, actually. What is your absolute favorite food? The spicy shrimp fritas from Olive Garden, jfc. Would you ever wear snake-skin pants, or other animal clothing? Fuck to the absolute hell no. What foreign country would you like to go to for a shopping spree? Idk, considering I'm not well-versed in the artistic creations of other countries. Perhaps India? Japan? I dunno. If you met your favorite musician, what would you ask him/her? I'm asking for his fucking autograph and a hug while I smile my face in two AND cry lmao. What do you spend most of your day thinking about? I ain't gonna bullshit nobody, my PTSD. In some way or another, he's lurking in that head of mine through memories, flashbacks, wonders of what could have gone differently... but thank God it's no longer in the forefront of my mind after my first PHP. I've come very, very far, but especially when trying to blank out my mind to fall asleep, parts of PTSD strangle my brain until I'm just finally out. I really hope that changes someday. Where is a busy place you would like to go to? Yikes, nowhere, really. I like to avoid busy locations. Do you think video games cause people to become violent? Absolutely not. You are responsible for the decisions you make; music, games, movies, etc. have no deciding voice in stupid shit you do, and it's bullshit that people blame art and entertainment for such things. Vocabulary: What was the last word you learned? I'm unsure. Have you or could you build your own site? Absolutely not from scratch. The closest I've gotten to that is my photography website, but it was through the assistance of Wix. What's the best thing you can cook yourself? Scrambled eggs, haha. I do make some bomb eggs at least. Are there a lot of graffiti around your neighborhood? No. Do you have a hobby that forces you out of the house? If so, what is it? Nature photography. Would you stop eating meat, if you had to raise and slaughter it yourself? Absolutely. God, I want to go vegetarian again... Besides English, what other languages can you speak? I can speak a very little bit of German. Took four semesters of it in high school and became very good at it, but lack of practice has pretty much ruined that. Besides English, what other languages can you read? I can read German well; as in, I can pronounce most words I see, but that doesn't mean I understand what is written. Do you think you could make it as a chef? Gordon Ramsey would deadass kick me off his show on day one, lmao. What's your favorite kind of tea? It marvels me JUST how many tea and coffee questions are in surveys. Anyway, I don't like tea. I am an embarrassment to NC culture. What thing/person/happening has made you the happiest you've been? lask;dfjal;wekrjwe What's the most freeing thing you've ever done? Stealing my happiness back from someone who had no right to hold it all in its entirety. That shit's mine. Do you think today's kids are really impatient? Most, probably, but in some ways I can understand it - at least, in the sense that with the assistance of modern technology and advancements in satiating our wants so quickly, kids just expect it. I definitely believe that patience is something to try to be deeply instilled in everyone, though. I don't have an ounce of it (in most situations) and wish I did. Have you ever tasted birch sap? No. How about the young buds/shoots of spruce trees? No. Which edible flowers have you tasted? One of my favorite Southern experiences is finding a bunch of honeysuckles and tasting the honey (is it technically even honey??). Tastes amazing. My family's hairdresser lives down a beautiful path that sprouts a massive amount of them, and as kids, my sisters and her two boys would go tasting them while our parents talked for so long, or if we were waiting our turn. Good memories. What has been your worst restaurant experience? I'm not sure, really. What's the most immature, adolescent thing that still makes you laugh? "Inappropriate humor type jokes." <<<< They can get me sometimes, too. Have you ever had a life-threatening condition? If so, what was it? No, thankfully. Have you ever had a custom print done on a shirt? If so, what was it? I don't believe so, no. Besides making a tye-dye one in HS with our school colors. Wasn't my idea and never wore it, haha. Do you ever read other people's survey answers? It depends on the person. If it's a friend, absolutely, because I love learning usually obscure things about them I wouldn't have known otherwise. If it's a user I don't know from wherever I got the survey, sometimes, depending on how short the answer is and my eyes kinda just scroll over it. Do you like daytime or night time better? Why? Daytime, especially mornings. I'm generally happier when there's light around. What's your highest level of education so far? Some college. Describe your ordinary day: My average day is embarrassingly uneventful. It's sitting on the laptop doing shit on various sites, none of which are actually important, and playing WoW, which is also without true substance, save for social interactions with my friends on there. I spray Venus' terrarium everyday multiple times as well to keep the humidity up, and obviously eat and handle that kinda bodily needs stuff. Would you ever have a UV tattoo? Ugh, that'd be so dope. I've seen some awesome ones, but idk if I'd get one, considering when am I actually going to be under UV light?? Like I wanna be able to see my tat. What is the brand and color name of your favorite lipstick? I have one black lipstick, but it comes right off so I don't even like it. I only ever put it on to take pictures. What do you like on your tortilla? Just ham and cheese. How about inside your pita bread? I've never had pita bread, actually. What do you like in your burger? It depends on where I'm getting the burger. My basic is cheese, ketchup, mustard, a bit of mayo, pickles, and a light sprinkle of diced onion, but sometimes I add bacon and take away the onions. How about on your pizza? I have three I tend to pick from: pepperoni, jalapeno, or meat lovers. Do you work better alone or in a group? Alone, definitely. Which body part would you not mind losing? I'ma be extremely honest, with just how horribly weak my legs are, I could live without them, I guess. Not saying I want to by any means, it's just exhausting using them. Ideally, I'd take away something minor, like a finger or something. What common saying people use is absolute BS to you? “'Everything happens for a reason.'” <<<< Fuckin' colossal "same." I won't rag on people who believe it, especially if it gives you courage to keep moving forward, but I don't believe it in the slightest. If it were so, I'd like to talk to whoever is in control of those "reasons," please. What is the most interesting thing you’ve read or seen this week? I had no idea elephants were pregnant for two years, like holy shit, can you imagine. It was in an article I saw on Facebook about a mother and daughter elephant who are both expecting and doing well. Wonderful to hear. What’s the most useless talent you have? Ha, I'm a master in the arts of catastrophizing and jumping to conclusions involving people hating me in one way or another. What’s something everyone looks stupid doing? I'm one of those people who hate dabbing done by anybody, like you look like you're just smelling your armpit. Which kids’ movie scarred you for life? I wouldn't say "scarred me for life" by any means, but when I was little, I was terrified of the Wicked Witch from The Wizard of Oz and even had nightmares about her. It sucked because my little sister was obsessed with that movie, haha. In one sentence, how would you sum up the Internet? A source of incredible knowledge but also hate and misinformation. What would be the most ridiculous thing for the government to make illegal? I literally dread the idea of Roe vs. Wade being reversed. Banning abortion would kill so many people with operational uteruses and cause absolute pandemonium. How many friends do you have on social media and how many of them do you know for real? On Facebook, I have 124 friends, and I'd say I know most of them "in real life." However, having been on the Internet since I was so young and befriending loads of incredible people, a good chunk are "online friends." Hell, I'm more interested in their lives than most "real" ones. Long-distance friendships are so valid. What fact amazes you every time you think of it? Lots of things, generally regarding the stupidity of humanity. What’s the most spontaneous thing you’ve ever done? Probably going to the beach w/ my old friend Colleen. We had zero plans of doing it, but she just called me one morning and asked if I wanted to go, and off we went. It was a fun day. What has taken up too much of your life? I'ma be real, WoW. I don't think I'm addicted to it like I once was seeing as I go through spans where I barely want to play it at all and don't, so I truly am capable of not playing it, but rather it's just the most entertaining way to kill time in my life. I just don't like how much time I've invested into a game over six or seven years regardless. Where do you not mind waiting? Uh, nowhere lmao. Is there an app you hate to use, but still use every day? No; why would I use it if that was the case? Who is the funniest person you know? My friend Girt is fucking hysterical. What three words describe you best? Complex, passionate, and creative. What makes you think you’re smart? Lol who says I think I'm smart? Who inspires you? Korean Jesus. Okay on a serious note, not just him, of course, but he's #1 in an entire universe of ways. Do you aspire to be like somebody else? If so, who? No; I want to be my own authentic self. How did you meet your best friend? YouTube, back when it had more social aspects. Which one of your accomplishments are you the most proud of? I want to say my recovery, but like... I wonder a lot if it's "enough" to be proud of with how scarred I still am? I still struggle with a lot and feel like I could be so much better by now if I tried harder. If I'm completely honest with myself, I think it's finishing high school in the top percentile of my graduating class. There was a ceremony for the handful of us and all, and I cherish my plaque probably too much. Reminds me of a time when I knew what the fuck I was doing. What's the strangest thing you ever did as a child? Thinking I had "animal powers" where I could invoke the traits of certain animals at will, like what the actual fuck, Brittany. What did your mother teach you? Christ, a lot. Dad didn't do a lot of the raising, honestly, so much of my core values and whatnot were instilled by my mother. She taught me to care for and be nice to others, respect myself, try my best in everything, and most importantly that she is always there for me and my sisters no matter what and can tell her absolutely anything. She was very serious about us going to college and saving sex for marriage when we were younger, but she diverged from those ideas as absolutely necessary with experience. I'm extremely lucky with who I call my mom, overall. What did your father teach you? Eek... Read above. Not a lot as a kid (save for riding a bike and playing softball); most he's taught me has come following reuniting with him after my parents' divorce. I remember we went to lunch once and talked about my breakup, and he talked to me about sometimes, you just have to let people go in order to be happy, like with him and Mom. He's very serious now about ensuring us girls know that he is always there for us and will help us in any way he's capable. What makes you feel powerful? "Powerful" isn't something I really feel, if I'm being real. What are you ready to let go? It would be inexplicably fantastic if I could let every speck of Jason go in both my head and heart. What is your most bizarre deal-breaker? I don't really find any of my expectations and limits as "bizarre?" They're all valid to me. Well wait, idk if you'd find it strange that I absofuckinglutely would not date someone who hunts, but it's not to me. That's a difference in a very serious value to me. Would you rather be hated or forgotten? Hated. God, I don't want to leave this earth having given just nothing. I can live with some people hating me for whatever reason. What’s the biggest personal change you’ve made? Accepting my bisexuality, probably. That's something that I consider pretty big for two reasons: 1.) I could end up with a woman forever, and especially 2.) I was originally homophobic. I still have difficulty in fathoming how I ever was. What are some of your short-term goals? PHP is finally starting to make me build these again. I want to get better at selfcare, draw, write, and read more, I want to drink a lot more water, exercise way more... Lots of things, really. What is the weirdest thing about you? Uh. I dunno. Probably that I RP meerkats, which is a very obscure RP niche for sure.

[surendrasahara]

Obedience is Rewarded

Exegetical exposition of a text from Malachi 3:13-18

Malachi, in this text, tried to awaken Israel from carelessness in relating to God. Cyrus the king of Persia who allows Jews to return to Palestine, and rebuilds the temple (2Chronicle 36:22, 23; Ezra1:3; 6:3-12). People come to Jerusalem from Babylon with high hopes, because the prophets in exile prophesied about the restoration of Israel. They come to Jerusalem thinking that the messianic age will dawn immediately. And there will be peace and joy. Not only that Haggai and Zachariah also added to their hopes by assuring the people, that if they will rebuild the temple the glory of the Lord would come with unprecedented blessings. Therefore they built the temple and waited, but there was no glory, no prosperity. People were so depressed and disappoint. Because they were aroused to expect plenty but there was nothing.

In this situation, Jews in Palestine lost their Theocentric consciousness. They fail to acknowledge that they are the special possession of the Lord. “They fail to acknowledge God as their father and Lord” (Pieter A.Verhoef 160). And they opened themselves to the Persian Empire. Many Ammonite and Moabites started mingling and submit into the community life of covenant people. “The priest Eliashib fitted out a room for his relative, Ammonite Tobiah (Nehemiah 2:10), in the court of the house of God (Nehemiah 13:7-9) (161). They began to have marriages with heathen people. As a result, there were divorces and unfaithfulness. There was a desecration of Sabbath; there was the carelessness of temple offerings. They became disobedient. They profaned the covenantal relationship with God. They opened their mouth to speak harshly against God. They became a community of murmuring and complaining. A nation that was chosen by God to become his people turned their back to God. In this situation, Malachi a messenger of God called to fulfil his prophetic ministry and brings the message for them.

Verses 13 to 15 Murmuring Israel

V.13, who are these people who are speaking against God?  “Scholars differ in their opinion” (312), some say that they are pious people; some say that they are a priest. But when we read we will find that they are the people who once were serving and obeying God but they have stopped now. In 2:17-3:5 the speakers are the covenant people without any distinction. In this verse, God is accusing these people of murmuring against him. He says that “you have spoken harsh words against me” (3:13a NRSV: Catholic Edition). According to George Coats, “these words were words of open rebellion. The act of murmuring poses a challenge to the object of murmuring is sometimes Moses and Aaron and other leaders of people and sometimes it is Yahweh (Exodus 16:7, 8; Number 14:27, 29, and 35: 16:11; 17:20).” Their words are so harsh and strong that is unbearable to God. What is that so harsh so strong words which unbearable to God? Let’s see v.14.

That harsh word which people were saying is that “it is vain to serve God” (3:14a NRSV). According to Verhef, “serving the Lord does not make sense. It is futile, in vain. The Hebrew word ‘saw’ denotes that which is without substance or content, which is in itself worthless. The notion that is vain to serve God is expounded in (v.14b) notably.” The Hebrew word ‘saw’ of the first phrase is similar to the Hebrew verb ‘besa’ which means gain or profit. “In this text very idea of profit in connection with the service of the Lord is harshly questioned: what do we profit by keeping his command? What benefit do we derive from it? What does it benefit to keep his commandments, to walk in his way” (315)? In this verse profit in connection with the service of the Lord. People wanted material blessings for their service and obedience. According to the Malachi between these periods when Nehemiah visits Palestine, these harsh words reveal the mind of covenant people that they are not happier to serving the Lord. The renewal of the covenant with God accepted with joyfully of its obligation as history as far as their concerned (Nehemiah 8-10), and not as mandatory because as per their experiences there was no benefit in serving the Lord. And when they saw no material blessings they murmured. And they were saying, what do we gain by observing his charges? And they were saying, “what have we gained by keeping His requirements and walking mournfully before the LORD of Hosts?” (The Apologetics Study Bible). The specific form of the Hebrew words for mourning is ‘qedorannit’ which is used only here but similar to another Hebrew word ‘qadar’ meaning to darken, to be dart, unattended and in mourning attire. Sometimes its use as synonyms of grieve or mourn (Jer.4:28; 14:2; Ezek.31:15; Isa.50:3). As well as both meaning and expression are found in the psalmist's words in (Ps.38:5) and in (Job 30:28). Verify says, perhaps to please God and to become righteous before God, these people became religious persons (316-17). They show themselves as mourners. But they said that is also vain.

In verse 15, these people are comparing themselves with wicked. And they say that “So now we consider to arrogant to be fortunate. Not only do those who commit wickedness prosper, they even test God and escape” (The Apologetics Study Bible). The experienced promised people is to serve God does not benefit or prosper to righteous (3:10-12), and think that in this situation wicked is better seems to be blessed. Because arrogant and evildoers prosper and escape though they don’t obey and serve God. They are asking God, what you have given us as the reward of our obedience and the service.

As we know murmuring as an act of disobedient. Laetsch rightly calls this “a blasphemous perversion of God’s challenge. Their testing of God is arrogant and does not evolve from the fear of the Lord. Despite their arrogant words and behaviour, the assumption is that they will escape the judgement of God.” God does not like murmuring. Murmuring hides blessings and it brings punishment instead of blessings. Israel is a good example before us. Whenever they murmur God punished them.

Verse 16, God-fearers

Who these God-fearers? According to Joyce Baldwin, “those who feared Yahweh are not necessarily a different group from those who had been complaining, but they are those who have taken the rebuke, and they begin to encourage each other to renewed faith”(338).  But then, Eiselen wrote, “it is not possible to identify the God-fearing persons of (v16) with the persons who gave expression to their doubt in the language of (v14-15); two distinct classes are meant” (38). We accept that God-fearers are a separate group. What they are speaking to each other is unknown here. But God listened to them. Two verbs are used for listening; in NRSV Lord Look note and listened. It means that God listens carefully to the talk of the people both obedient and disobedient. He listened to the talk of obedient because their talk pleases him for their praise and thanks to him for everything whereas disobedient makes him angry. Because they always murmur and speak filthy words, further it says that there is a book of remembrance before God. The expression of the book of remembrance is found only here. But the idea that God having a book is found in the Bible. Like, the book of life, Exodus 32. It was a custom of ancient Asian kings to have a record written of the most important events at their courts and their kingdom. This expression shows that God is present everywhere. The idea can be drawn here that God is not certainly an observer of the things, but he takes note of everything. God knows every action and word, whether it is good or bad. He knows every person both good and bad.

Verses 17-18, the distinction between righteous and wicked

In these verses, we will see a reward for obedient and punishment for disobedient. Let’s see the first reward. V.17, tells on the day of God, the God-fearers will be his treasured possession. The term treasure possession usually applied to Israel as people of God. And this term here shows “pious remnant” (22). Every God-fearer who obeys and serves him is his property. “I will spare them as parents spare their children who serve them” (3:17b NRSV). The Hebrew word for a spare is ‘hamal’ meaning have compassion on. On the day of judgement, when there will be tribulation and sorrows, God will have compassion on those who do not murmur, obey and serve him without question.

V18, Then the verse starts with “then once more” (3:18b NRSV). Smith suggests that “the precise meaning of ‘return’ here is not clear. Does it mean ‘repent’ as it often does? You will return from your present mind and see.” However, most modern translations read it in an adverbial sense ‘again’ (KJV, NAB, RSV and JB). “The verb ‘sub’ is used in the sense of an adverb” (23). “I will make the distinction between the righteous and the wicked” (v.18a Net Bible: First edition). There are two Hebrew words for righteous and wicked are ‘Sadiq’ and ‘rasa’. Both words are used in the plural form and described as those who serve God and those who do not. One should look at with a religious and spiritual perspective because it does not merely mean serving the Lord but a covenantal relationship with God and his pious remnant people. God had tried throughout history in various ways to impress the distinction between the righteous and the wicked. But people could not see that. But on the day of judgement people will see a clear distinction between righteous and wicked.

Application

We know that the day of God is coming soon when he will judge everyone. He will punish all wicked and evildoers. He will punish everyone who murmurs and complains against him. But he will reward all obedient who trust in his promises and serve him. We should not compare the evil one with us. They look prosper and well. But they have nothing in reality. But the one who obey and trust God will enjoy all prosperity one day. Though there are troubles and problems it will be over soon. As Jesus answers to Peter in (Mark10:29-30).

God was always faithful towards Israelites. But when a Persian king allows them to return their homeland and build a temple, they build with a high expectation of worldly pleasures as they look at others. And in this course of time, they fail to wait, obey and faithful to his covenant. Instead of waiting upon Yahweh they opened themselves to heathen people and started those entire things which were not pleasing to him. They started comparing with mourners and expecting profit with the serving of Lord. In this situation Malachi a messenger of God comes and rebukes them. Those who listen to rebuke and stops murmuring, God addressed them as special possession in his sight and will reward them but those who do not listen to rebuke to them God will punish. Malachi says you will see the difference between righteous and wicked on the day of God.

Cited Work

Smith, Ralph. “32 Word Biblical Commentary: Micah-Malachi.” Word Books: Waco, Texas, 1984.

Verhoef, Pieter A. “The New International Commentary on the Old Testament: The book of Haggai and Malachi.” William B.Eerdmans Publishing Company: Grand Rapids, Michigan, 1987.

Clark.T.T. “The International Critical Commentary: On Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi and Jonah.” T.andT.Clark LTD, 36 George roads Street: Edinburg, 1980.

[joanprimmer6]

Find Out About Texture Finger Painting Classes

If female or man you're dating loves art, impress them by suggesting one of this following activities for another option for protecting date. This opportunity notice them in an environment that brings them joy. Who knows - you might even learn a specific thing or two about paintings!

Whether searching at a masterpiece by Rembrandt, an Emily Carr, or activity of a nearby artist; art can be deemed as a natural conversation starter. To those not versed in Hobart paint n sip or painting, don't what to see happy using the proper language or terminology. In case a date is actually definitely an art lover they can instruct you. If you want to save some money, make sure if the gallery has any free viewing periods of time.

Tempera is an affordable, non-toxic paint that kids could making use of. In fact this is usually the first kind of paint they go to easy use in school as well as other classes when figure out how incorporated with this brushes. May a messy paint so make sure you cover the floor and wear a costume your kids in clothes which end up being covered in paint. Tempera paint is messy simply because is a skinny paint which drips and runs hence be sure you give your kid a modest amount of paint. As an example if they have to have more, refill their containers in moderateness. Once again, due to the fact type of paint is thin, more affordable a tendency to blend together with other colors on your surface area of your child's paper.

Take a peek around you - what are the sculptures scattered throughout your city? If so, possess a sculpture hunt and consult a handful professionals. Many cities have a sculpture garden or park with a selection of pieces in an area. It is a great chance walk around and take some pictures of individuals next to art pieces to document your encounter.

'Genre' a honest, old-fashioned term, gone missing of a directory contact list. The reason for its loss was the involving Modern Art in the hundred years from the 1860s into the 1970s. This alteration began with the emergence of Impressionism in 19th century France.

The Law of Opposites has several of interpretations and may be the foundation clever ideas life communication. In simple terms, we go through the law when we try to have a certain goal, but get the opposite end product. We can use the overall game of opposites to our advantage a consistent the art of surrendering. Surrendering is not giving up on your goal; surrendering takes courage, patience, and humility. A person have surrender, will not need necessarily change the goal nevertheless the way you view that goal any kind of it matches the totality of your lifetime. In her way, Beth nonetheless seeking her future husband; she actually spotted Carl before he noticed the woman's. But instead of when you focus on her goal as the problem to be fixed, she focused on making herself happier and healthier to be certain she could attract most likely of partner she longed.

Keep lots of action from your own paintings. It's also realism in tradition to color objects in still their lives. This is because realism in painting mainly existed before capacity. The idea was to be as faithful as easy to the truth of the subject looked so perhaps preserved for time immemorial. However today's realist painters will often try to create work of realism employing a photo? Discovered them take full advantage of capture every one of the detail of their image's scenario which consequently makes the painting look more realistic and plausible. However before using a photograph in doing this make sure you offer the copyright or you may get in trouble.

An oil painting reproduction can add new life several room. New colors could be introduced to a setting without you opening a single can of paint. Explore among different art vendors to find new art that can figure for your own.

[reconditarmonia]

NPM: April 9, A New Canto

Caro being Byron! I'd never read this before finding it for this National Poetry Month, and I'd recommend reading the whole thing under the cut. It's great - snarky, specific, and some GREAT rhymes.

Caroline Lamb: A New Canto, 1819

I'm sick of fame—I'm gorged with it—so full I almost could regret the happier hour When northern oracles proclaimed me dull, Grieving my Lord should so mistake his power— E'en they, who now my consequence would lull, And vaunt they hail'd and nurs'd the opening flower. Vile cheats! He knew not, impudent Reviewer, Clear spring of Helicon from common sewer.

'Tis said, they killed the gentle soul'd Montgomery— I'll swear, they did not shed for him a tear! He had not spirit to revenge their mummery, Nor lordly purse to print and persevere: I measured stings with 'em—a method summary— Not that I doubt their penitence sincere; And I've a fancy running in my head They'll like; or so by some it will be said.

When doomsday comes, St. Paul's will be on fire— I should not wonder if we live to see it— Of us, proof pickles, Heaven must rather tire— And want a reckoning—if so, so be it— Only about the Cupola, or higher, If there's a place unoccupied, give me it— To catch, before I touch my sinner's salary, The first grand crackle in the whispering gallery.

The ball comes tumbling with a lively crash, And splits the pavement up, and shakes the shops, Teeth chatter, china dances, spreads the flash, The omnium falls, the Bank of England stops; Loyal and radical, discreet and rash, Each on his knees in tribulation flops; The Regent raves (Moore chuckling at his pain) And sends about for ministers in vain.

The roaring streamers flap, red flakes are shot This way and that, the town is a volcano— And yells are heard, like those provoked by Lot, Some, of the Smithfield sort, and some soprano; Some holy water seek, the font is hot, And fizzing in a tea-kettle piano. Now bring your magistrates, with yeomen back'd, Bawls Belial, and read the Riot-act!—

The Peak of Derbyshire goes to and fro; Like drunken sot the Monument is reeling: Now fierce and fiercer comes the furious glow, The planets, like a juggler's ball, are wheeling: I am a graceless poet, as you know, Yet would not wish to wound a proper feeling, Nor hint you'd hear, from saints in agitation, The lapsus linguæ of an execration.

Mark yon bright beauty, in her tragic airs, How her clear white the mighty smother tinges! Delicious chaos! that such beauty bares!— And now those eyes outstretch their silken fringes, Staring bewildered—and anon she tears Her raven tresses ere the wide flame singes— Oh! would she feel as I could do, and cherish One wild forgetful rapture, ere all perish!—

Who would be vain? Fair maids and ugly men Together rush, the dainty and the shabby, (No gallantry will soothe ye, ladies, then) High dames, the wandering beggar and her babby, In motley agony, a desperate train, Flocking to holy places like the Abbey, Till the black volumes, closing o'er them, scowl, Muffling for ever curse, and shriek, and howl.

A woman then may rail, nor would I stint her; Her griefs, poor soul, are past redress in law— And if this matter happen in the winter, There'll be at Petersburgh a sudden thaw, And Alexander's palace, every splinter Burn, Christmas like and merry, though the jaw Of its imperial master take to trembling, As when the French were quartered in the Cremlin.

Rare doings in the North! as trickle down Primeval snows, and white bears swash and caper, And Bernadotte, that swaggerer of renown, To Bonaparte again might hold a taper, Ay, truckle to him, cap in hand or crown, To save his distance from the sturdy vapour. Napoleon, too, will he look blank and paly? He hung the citizens of Moscow gaily—

He made a gallant youth his darkling prey, Nor e'er would massacre or murder mince, And yet I fear, on this important day To see the hero pitifully wince: Go, yield him up to Belzebub, and say, Pray treat him like a gentleman and prince. I doubt him thorough-bred, he's not a true one, A bloodhound spaniel-crossed and no Don Juan.

Death-watches now, in every baking wall, tick Faster and faster, till they tick no more, And Norway's copper-mines about the Baltic Swell, heave, and rumble with their boiling ore, Like some griped giant's motion peristaltic, Then burst, and to the sea vast gutters pour; And as the waters with the fire stream curl, Zooks! what a whizzing, roaring, sweltering whirl!

Lo! the great deep laid bare, tremendous yawning, Its scalding waves retiring from the shore, Affrighted whales on dry land sudden spawning, And small fish fry where fish ne'er fried before. No Christian eye shall see another dawning— The Turkish infidel may now restore His wives to liberty, and, ere to Hell he go, Roll to the bottom of the Archipelago!

And now, ye coward sinners! (I'm a bold one, Scorning all here, nor caring for hereafter, A radical, a stubborn, and an old one) Behold! each riding on a burning rafter, The devils (in my arms I long to fold one) Splitting their blue and brazen sides with laughter, Play at snapdragon, in their merry fits, O'er some conventicle for hypocrites.

Ay, serve the skulkers, with their looks so meek, As they've, no doubt, served lobsters in their time, (Poor blacks! no Wilberforce for them can speak, Pleading their colour is their only crime,) Trundle them all to bubble and to squeak— No doubt they shut their ears against my rhyme, Yet sneak, rank elders, fearful of denials, To pick Susannahs up in Seven-Dials.

Brave fiends! for usurers and misers melt And make a hell broth of their cursed gold: On all who mock at want they never felt, On all whose consciences are bought and sold, E'en as on me, be stern damnation dealt, And lawyers, damn them all—the blood runs cold, That man should deal with misery, to mock it, And filch an only shilling from its pocket.

Ay, damn them all, a deep damnation wait On all such callous, crooked, hopeless souls! Ne'er mince the matter to discriminate, But let the devil strike them from the Rolls: 'Twill cheer their clients to behold their fate, And round their bonfires dance in merry shoals. Some poor men's tales I've heard upon my journies, Would make a bishop long to roast attornies.

Perhaps the thing may take another turn, And one smart shock may split the world in two, And I in Italy, you soon may learn, On t'other half am reeling far from you. No doubt 'twould split, where first it ought to burn, Across some city, that its sins should rue, Some wicked capital, for instance, Paris, And stop the melodrames from Mr. Harris.

Save London, none is wickeder, or bigger, An odious place too, in these modern times, Small incomes, runaways, and swindlers eager To fleece and dash; and then their quacks and mimes, Their morals lax, and literary rigour, Their prim cesuras, and their gendered rhymes,— Mine never could abide their statutes critical, They'd call them neutral or hermaphroditical.

True, their poor Play-wrights (truth, I speak with pain) Yield ours a picking, and I beg their pardon— 'Tis needless—down must come poor Drury Lane, And, scarcely less poor, down come Covent Garden: If we must blaze, no squabbles will remain That Actor's hearts against each other harden— Committees, creditors, all wrapped in flames, That leave no joke for Horace Smith or James.

In rebus modus est: whene'er I write I mean to rhapsodize, and nothing more— If some poor nervous souls my Muse affright, I might a strain of consolation pour,— Talk of the spotless spirits, snowy white, Which, newly clad, refreshing graves restore, And silvery wreaths of glory round them curl'd, Serenely rise above the blazing world.

Free, bursting from his mound of lively green, Wing'd light as zephyr of the rosy morn, The poor man smiling on the proud is seen, With something of a mild, forgiving scorn— The marbled proud one, haply with the mean, Sole on his prayer of intercession borne: Upward in peal harmonious they move, Soft as the midnight tide of hallow'd love.

The rich humane, who with their common clay Divided graciously, distinguished few; Good Christians, who had slept their wrongs away, In peace with this life, and the next in view; Strugglers with tyrant passion and its prey, Love's single hearted victims, sacred, true, Who, when dishonour's path alone could save, Bore a pure pang to an untimely grave—

Blest they, who wear the vital spirit out, Even thus, degrading not the holy fire, Nor bear a prostituted sense about, The misery of never quench'd desire, Still quench'd, still kindling, every thought devout Lost in the changeful torment—portion dire!— Return we to our heaven, our fire and smoke, Though now you may begin to take the joke!

What joke?—My verses—mine, and all beside, Wild, foolish tales of Italy and Spain, The gushing shrieks, the bubbling squeaks, the bride Of nature, blue-eyed, black-eyed, and her swain, Kissing in grottoes, near the moon-lit tide, Though to all men of common sense 'tis plain, Except for rampant and amphibious brute, Such damp and drizzly places would not suit.

Mad world! for fame we rant, call names, and fight— I scorn it heartily, yet love to dazzle it, Dark intellects by day, as shops by night, All with a bright, new, speculative gas lit, Wars the blue vapour with the oil-fed light, Hot sputter Blackwood, Jeffrey, Giffard, Hazlitt— The Muse runs madder, and, as mine may tell, Like a loose comet, mingles Heaven and Hell.

You shall have more of her another time, Since gulled you will be with our flights poetic, Our eight, and ten, and twenty feet sublime, Our maudlin, hey-down-derrified pathetic: For my part, though I'm doom'd to write in rhyme, To read it would be worse than an emetic— But something must be done to cure the spleen, And keep my name in capitals, like Kean.

[victoriagloverstuff]

Edmund White: Reading is a Passport to the World

When I was a little child, my sister, who was nearly four years older, was astonished that I couldn’t read. We were in my mother’s old Ford, driving around the main square of Hyde Park, and my sister pointed to a sign and said, “You honestly can’t read that?”

“No,” I said sullenly. “What does it say?”

“Graeter’s,” she announced triumphantly, the name of Cincinnati’s premier ice cream maker. “Can’t you see that? What does it say to you?” She wasn’t being mean; she was genuinely puzzled. Reading was a magical portal—once you passed through it, you couldn’t even imagine going back.

I must have been four. Two years later I could read, or at least “sound out” syllables (that was the method then). When I realized that I could interpret these hieroglyphics, I felt so free, as if a whole new world had been opened to me. Now I could herar a chorus of voices, even those coming from other centuries and cultures. I was no longer bound to the squalid here and now, to my mother’s web-spinning of agreeable fantasies or my father’s sudden eruptions of rage, to the sweating summers of that age before air conditioning.

I remember toddling into my mother’s room, where she was taking a perfumed bubble bath in the late afternoon. I announced (or maybe thought), “I’m free. I can read.”

Could I really have had such an improbable thought at age six? Or have I just told myself that that thought occurred to me then? And yet I remember my mother’s sweetness, the good smell, the afternoon sunlight, and my very real feeling of joyful liberation. And, quite concretely, reading has always struck me as a passport to the world, one in which characters are more real than actual people, where values are more intense than in the dim light of reality, where characters fly up into destinies rather than paddle around in ambiguity.

I felt like a blind person who’d just regained his sight. I was no longer a Cincinnatian but rather an earthling. If things were clearly written in English, there was no text that was off-limits. I never read the standard children’s classics. No Wind in the Willows. Only recently did I get around to Treasure Island.

In my twenties and thirties no book was too ambitious for me; I worked my way through Theodor Adorno and Heinrich von Kleist, Roland Barthes and Michel Foucault, though I was drunk most of the time and often had to hold one eye shut. I suppose I was hanging out with a pretty brainy crowd back then, and I felt I had to keep up. I doubt I retained much, though in my thirties and forties I reviewed several books by Barthes and Foucault.

I was so driven back then, it never would have occurred to me to reread a book! My goal was to have read everything, or at least the major works that appealed to me, that seemed essential. Perhaps because I’d never done any graduate work, I felt inferior. I’d never read The Faerie Queene. Worse, I’d been a writer for eight years for Time-Life Books, the ultimate home of the middle-brow. Although I invariably said defensively, “I’m not an intellectual,” I wanted to be one—or at least to be able to refuse demurely that title. Sometimes I took comfort in the idea I was an artist, not an intellectual. I even resorted to the ridiculously snobbish notion I was a “gentleman amateur” and not an intellectual. But I’ve always wanted to have the choice to join any club, especially one that might reject me. For instance, I made a major effort to join the Century Club, for which one had to be sponsored by 11 or 12 current members. Two years after I was accepted, I resigned. Too many lawyers.

Now I do reread at least two books every year—Anna Karenina and Henry Green’s Nothing. Although these two novels are so different one from the other, they both reward closer scrutiny, so much so they scarcely resemble the same book one remembers having read the year before. People complain about the Kitty and Lvov parts of Anna Karenina, but that’s a frivolous charge. Their love stands in dramatic contrast to Anna’s and Vronsky’s passion and is the necessary counterweight to that tragic tale. In the same way, some readers treat Nothing the way they regard all comedy—as lightweight. Actually it is a profound study of the generations and social classes—and unexpectedly it sides with the older, richer people.

“Perhaps some prose is enough like a taut play script that it profits from being read aloud, but almost always a live reading of prose is an exercise in vanity.”

The other book I’ve reread five times in my life is Proust’s. When I was a teenager I read it as the bible of snobbism; it gave me a whole vocabulary to describe this vice that Proust calls “narrow but deep.” Now I read it as the definitive condemnation of snobbism.

For my memoir, I’ve reread a few favorites by Colette, Nabokov, and Tolstoy and read for the first time novels by Guyotat, Giono, and Malaparte. Do we prefer to revisit books we love or to explore the unknown? Are we happier to find new things in the old or to detect familiar themes and strategies in the utterly new and startling? The brilliant novelist of modern manners Alison Lurie once explained to me why she was more popular in England than in America. “For the English I’m writing about an unfamiliar subject [American academic and artistic life] in a familiar style of social satire, whereas for Americans I’m writing in an unusual style about familiar subjects.” Has she touched on an explanation of why we like certain books and not others?

*

Joe Brainard reportedly said on his deathbed, “The best thing about dying is that you never have to go to another poetry reading.” How many times I’ve had to sit through poetry readings in a stuffy room with subaqueous light at the end of a long day and fight against falling asleep! The mind loves a narrative, and in my half sleep my poor brain has spun cartoons made up of chance words, my embarrassment, trace memories (what Freudians call dismissively “the daily residue”), and my shipwrecked will to wake up, or at least not snore.

Everyone says poetry is an oral art, and perhaps some of it is meant to be read out loud. Good actors can make us understand passages in Shakespeare that use obsolete language, though I hate it when pedants hope to indicate the line break or the caesura. I could never make sense of The Tempest until I saw it onstage. On the page I could never keep track of all the characters. Charles Lamb argued in an essay that reading Shakespeare is preferable to seeing him produced, and maybe hammy acting and garish sets and thundering exits and entrances do topple certain of Shakespeare’s cloud castles, but great performances can dial into sharp focus even the vaguest verse.

But does modern poetry gain from being recited out loud? James Merrill was a smooth, trained reader and the smile in his voice could give the reader permission to laugh at his improbable mixture of metaphysics and gossip. His light social tone so often gives way to the sublime that a reader less civilized than he scarcely knows what is funny and what is serious (sometimes both at once, since he thought wisdom was expressed in puns and that the language itself is the collective unconscious).

Percussive poetry like Pound’s translation of the Anglo-Saxon The Seafarer as read by the author himself to the beat of drums can be riveting; a casual scanning of the page would never render the granitic, prehistoric force of this masterpiece. In his recitation (now on YouTube) Pound rolls his r’s, thuds the final d’s, and maintains a shaman’s monotone. Maybe Paul Verlaine’s musical verse (or John Keats’s) is improved by being read out loud, but most 20th- or 21st-century verse is too abstract or too dense to be understood on a single hearing. The mise-en-page, the line breaks, the Latinate or Anglo-Saxon origins of the words, as in tomb and grave (“The tomb in Palestine / Is not the porch of spirits lingering. / It is the grave of Jesus, where he lay”)—these are all elements that surrender themselves only to close reading.

With prose the problem is the speed. Everyone reads at a different pace, and some texts are not interesting or intricate enough to be dosed out at conversational speed. We get it; we want to scan it. Perhaps some prose is enough like a taut play script that it profits from being read aloud, but almost always a live reading of prose is an exercise in vanity. It may be valuable for the fiction writer to gauge the response of his audience, to listen for contradictions or unintended echoes, to detect where people’s attention wanders. But do these practical benefits for the writer outweigh the torture undergone by the public?

Silent, solitary reading (if the book is good) is the best conversation, with all the uhs and ahs edited out, the dead metaphors buried, the dialogue sharpened, the descriptions vivid, the suspense rising, the characters hovering between the unique and the representative. In the great Italian and French guides to good conversation during the Renaissance and 17th century, conversation must avoid pedantry and cruelty and seek above all to please and to entertain. Finally it must be natural; affectation is the worst sin, far worse than flattery, which may even be desirable. In her definitive study The Age of Conversation, Benedetta Craveri (granddaughter to the philosopher Benedetto Croce) argues that good conversation should not make anyone feel inferior or ill at ease but rather the object of a total consideration. And Simone Weil, the French religious philosopher, thought paying attention was a form of prayer.

The novelist or essayist should never mystify for no good reason. We should know why the marquise goes out at five o’clock (if it’s relevant). In an essay we should not be thrown off by academese. An idea may be difficult, but not its expression, as I learned from my beloved Marilyn; the words should be as lucid as possible. The assumption should be that the reader is intelligent but not necessarily informed.

__________________________________

Good read found on the Lithub

[elusionramblebamble]

It’s that time of year again, aren’t you excited? Team oMG is!

You can find team oMG on Twitter at @C_B_Catalano and @shaunaholyoak

Before we dive into our wishlist *rubs hands together* we’d like to tell you a little about ourselves, and why we can’t wait to pay it forward, and help a fellow writer out.

So, I’m Cass *wave* and this is, oh, possibly my 4th time revising this bio post. Revisions are crucial in all aspects of life, and most definitely in this contest, keeping this in mind, if you’re willing to get down and dirty with us, like kill your darlings –even the one you swore you never would– read on!

This is my first year as a Pitch Wars mentor. I am thrilled to be entering this new world with the most amazing, absolutely awesome, co-mentor Shauna Holyoak! We met a few years ago during another Twitter pitch event, and joined a group of similar contest hopefuls. And thank the stars I did because they are some of the most supportive, caring writers and CPs I’ve ever met in this journey!

PCC for life!

Let me say, (and I cannot stress how important this is), the friends you find in the writing community, especially from events like Pitch Wars, are worth their weight in gold.

If you manage to make even one friend during Pitch Wars, trust me when I say you are the ultimate winner already. Now, back to business 😉

Meet Shauna:

My name is Shauna Holyoak, and I expend roughly 25% of my energy writing and 50% of my energy resisting the urge to hunt down and consume all the frosted sugar cookies. I made a chart.

Writing MG is my favorite. My debut novel MY PAPER ROUTE AND OTHER DEADLY THINGS will be published in spring 2019 by Disney-Hyperion. Half of my writing time is currently spent pinching myself about that last part (please don’t turn that into a story problem for me to solve—it will break my brain).

I live in Idaho Falls, Idaho with my game-board designing husband, six of our children and two naughty dogs. Amy Poehler makes me happy, and Leslie Knope makes me happier.

I grew up on Ramona and Fudge books, which instilled a love for spunky, strong characters (also, see above).

And then Roll of Thunder Hear My Cry taught me just how powerful middle-grade fiction could be. So I tend toward contemporary, but MG fiction with strong characters and all the feels is ultimately what gets me.

I am so excited to be co-mentoring with Cass (she is AWESOME!) for this year’s Pitch Wars. It was my entry last year to Brooks Benjamin and Caroline Thompson’s team (spoiler alert: I didn’t make it) that got me the feedback I needed to shine up my manuscript and win a slot in #PitchSlam. That led me to the best agent (shout out to CARRIE PESTRITTO!) and then a pinch-worthy two-book deal!

Pitch Wars is a tremendous opportunity, and I’m so grateful and excited to be a part of it. Also, I can’t wait to fight over entries!

Hi y’all! I’m Cassandra Newbould aka C.B. Catalano, and I cannot wait to read all your words. And fight over entries with Shauna. We will duel to the death for a book we love!

Back in the day I was that girl who enjoyed being sent to their room, because hey! extra reading time! Anything from Little Women, to the Black Stallion. If I could hold it, I was reading it. My lust for all the words continued on through teenage-hood. That’s when I fell in love with all things fantasy, and would dive head-first into the lands of The Tortall Universe, Shannara, and Darkover to name a few. *Sometimes* when my sis and bff would sneak out to go party I’d stay home to read instead. They’d laugh, but there was nothing better than curling up with a good book, a good blanket, and a good dog in my opinion.

*curling up with Jake Gyllenhaal wouldn’t be too shabby either 😉 *

When I had my kiddos, I would spend the evenings telling them the most outrageous stories I could make up in the hopes it would send them to sleep. Eventually, as they grew, they encouraged me to write them down and so my journey as a writer began.

Last year I entered another amazing Twitter pitch event called #DVpit and that is where I met my magnificent and stellar agent, Suzie Townsend of New Leaf Literary & Media inc.

She fell in love with my MG retelling of Treasure Island: THE MISADVENTURES OF JEM HAWKINS: staring Kick-butt hacker girls, and lady pirates, and all the adventure a girl could want.

Before that, I interned for a NY literary agency for 8 months. Also, I know the ways of middle graders well. My middle son is in the 8th grade this year and my daughter made it through without too many battle wounds a few years ago 🙂

Did I mention I love to write and critique queries? Yeah, I know. But I do, I swear, and I’m happy to say my #NoQS mentee went on to get an agent 🙂 GOOO VALARIE!! so, if you have any questions about how I work as a mentor ask @ValBodden on Twitter.

My husband, a computer engineer who has run the gamut: from MySpace and creating its Open Social platform to autonomous cars for Ford, and I met as teenagers, and had our daughter when I was 22. We have been married 17 years, moved over 21 times together in over 7 states, and have 3 lovely children, 2 awesome cats, and 2 Muppet puppies, otherwise known as Newfypoos.

Seriously, Muppets.

When I’m not writing, I’m probably playing with my children, playing poker (I want to be a professional poker player when I grow up) cooking with the hubs, painting, drawing, and/or drinking wine. I love everything Baz Luhrmann (he can seriously do no wrong) and am a die-hard *end of world genre* movie buff. For TV, I adore Outlander, Black Sails, Shameless and any and every cooking/baking show known to man. Also, I cannot stop watching the tiny houses shows. I’d love to, but I can’t bring myself to.

Now to the exciting part. DUN  DUN DUNNNN

What we’re looking for in a nutshell.

Middle Grade.

Give us all the feels, all of them! While Shauna leans more towards contemporary and I, fantasy we both agree we’re down for either, and welcome them with open arms –with a few minor exceptions–

If your manuscript contains any of the following we’re probably not the best mentors for you:

Younger MG, sorry but upper MG is our jam

Sports

Horror

Hard Sci-fi

Novels in verse

Now, while we aren’t the best for these stories, as we wouldn’t be able to do them the justice they deserve, we are certain you and your amazing manuscript will be able to find another mentor who will help you achieve that next level of fantastic, and we wish you the best of luck!

So what else are we looking for? Well, if any of your books have the feel of these below send them our way. Please. Pretty please with a query on top?

A Snicker of Magic

The Girl Who Drank The Moon

A Wrinkle In Time

Monstrous

Counting By Sevens

The Thing About Jellyfish

When You Reach Me

Mockingbird

Holes

Percy Jackson

Wonder

Lemony Snicket’s A Series Of Unfortunate Events

The Gauntlet

Rules For Thieves

We joyously welcome diverse and own voices stories with open arms. *grabby hands*

Give us your girl mcs that aren’t afraid of what the world thinks of them. Both likable and unlikable. Give us Hermione Grangers stuck at sea, or Katniss with an obsession for oil painting. Give us your MG Inej Gahfas, Nina Zeniks, (and we can’t forget your Kaz Brekkers), all tied up in the ultimate group heist, if you please. Give us your STEM stories (please, pretty please?) Sibling stories or complex girl friendship stories are a quick way to our hearts! 🙂

We’re down for quiet stories that tug at your heart, or action packed fantasies where the world-building blows your mind. Re-tellings set in a modern world or contemporary dramas thrown back in time. Make us laugh. Or cry. Just make us feel like we never want to put your story down!

However, having said all that, if you have a story that doesn’t fit anything we’ve said above and you feel like you want us anyway, send your ms our way. We both love surprises and can’t wait to find out what we end up falling in love with!

What we can bring to the table for you:

Helping you find a killer voice, pointing out areas that could use work without taking over your story, tackling pacing issues, building complex and believable characters, DIALOGUE! and attention to detail, or lack thereof.

*warning* If you aren’t able to attack your ms with an open mind and willingness to rip it apart and build it back even stronger, perhaps we aren’t the right mentors for you. We will never demand that something be changed, it’s your story after all and you know it best, but you entered Pitch Wars for a reason and hopefully we can help you polish your shiny jewel even farther than it is now.

Good luck fellow writers, may the odds be ever in your favor!

Have you been sitting here wondering where you can find out more about Shauna? Well, here is the link to Shauna’s blog

Shauna’s amazingly awesome blog

Shout out to Brenda Drake for this opportunity for all of us, may your reign be long and fruitful!

Main Blog Link

Links to the other spectacular mentors below:

1.

Shari Schwarz

2.

Shari Green

3.

Gail Villanueva and Isabelle Adrid

4.

Niki Lenz

5.

Melyssa Mercado

6.

Erin Latimer

7.

Hannah Karena Jones

8.

Mae Respicio

Powered by… Mister Linky’s Magical Widgets.

Pitch Wars Mentor Wishlist 2017 It's that time of year again, aren't you excited? Team oMG is! You can find team oMG on Twitter at @C_B_Catalano and @shaunaholyoak…