S is For....Spunk On A Stick

Spunk On A Stick

L. Diane Wolfe over at Spunk On A Stick won an interview on my blog back during my 200 follower giveaway. Due to time and other stuff life throws at us we both thought posting her interview during the A-Z challenge would be perfect. Ms. Wolfe is a motivational speaker and author and I thoroughly enjoy both her blog and her website.

Known as “Spunk On A Stick,” Wolfe is a member of the National Speakers Association. “Overcoming Obstacles With SPUNK! The Keys to Leadership & Goal-Setting”, ties all of her goal-setting and leadership seminar’s information together into one complete, enthusiastic package. Her YA series, The Circle of Friends, features morally grounded, positive stories that appeal to both teens and concerned parents. Ten years associating with a motivation training system and experience as a foster parent gave her the in-depth knowledge of relationships, personality traits and success principles. Wolfe travels extensively for media interviews and speaking engagements, maintains a dozen websites & blogs, manages an online writer’s group, and contributes to several other sites and newsletters.

Check her full BIO for yourself. Please take the time to go visit. Here is her wonderful answers to my questions.

How does your role as a motivational speaker influence your novel writing?

I write for the same reason I speak - to inspire others to achieve their dreams.

I pour a lot of uplifting inspiration into my writing, including my YA series, The Circle of Friends. More than a positive attitude found its way into those books, too. When I finished the fifth in the series, I realized each book represented one of the Five Keys to success that I teach in my seminars. That was unintentional, but it reflects how strongly I feel about those five aspects.

Of course, my speaking spurred the creation of my non-fiction book, Overcoming Obstacles with SPUNK! With seven other authors contributing, it was a lot of fun to write.

Do you ever succumb to obstacles in your own writing life?

Yes! I recently went through a long writing lull. After completing my last book, I had every intention of writing a teen version of Overcoming Obstacles, but it just didn’t happen. Lost the urge to write for a while. I have a new project now and I’m happy to be writing again!


Do you feel pressure to finish a novel or overcome life's hiccups knowing you’re an accomplished self help author?

Oh, you bet! My life should be perfect, right? I struggle like everyone else. However, I feel I’m better equipped to handle the challenges.


What is your favorite role between professional speaker and novel author?

Speaker! I like the interaction and contact with others. Writing is lonely. Authors tend to be introverted, so it suits them, but I love getting out and meeting people. I feel I can a greater impact on people as a speaker than as a writer.


Do you have any advice for someone to sell themselves to an agent/publisher?

Glad you added publisher - so many writers limit their chances for success by pursuing only agents.

Be multi-facetted and develop a platform. Show that you’re more than just an inexperienced writer. Develop and highlight your skills, credentials, networks, accomplishments, and ability to promote.


Best piece of advice YOU have gotten?

LOL - besides ‘don’t quit?’

Be willing to do whatever it takes.


Best piece of advice you can GIVE?

Study the industry! No matter what publishing path you take, you have to understand the industry if you’re going to succeed. Do your research - read books on the subject, scour the Internet, talk to other writers and authors, get out to book festivals - know what you’re doing before you begin!


Please tell us about any upcoming novels/self help books you have coming out.

I just began working on a new book. I teach seminars on publishing and promoting, and I also offer private consultation. I’m always asked - do I have a book on the topic? So, it’s about time I did!

Thanks so much Diane!! Please drop by her blog and websites for more information and tips!! She is also working the A-Z challenge like crazy!!!!!

F is For.....

Fabliau

Due to Mother Nature taking a pot shot at us with a few tornadoes, our electric and internet has been hazy. So I missed the "D" and "E" posts but I'm back now.

For "D" I wanted to do a lovely piece of my fav Musketeer, D'Artagnan and for "E" I had Epiphany. But that's life and I'm more miffed that I didn't get a chance to see all of your great post. I hope to catch up soon. Onward to "F".

Fabliau is something I knew about but had no idea what it was called.

Fabliaux (plural) are " A medieval tale in eight-syllable verse. Humorous, often bawdy, fabliaux frequently satirized women and the clergy."

HHMMM. Bawdy and humor. My kind of fun.

The fabliau was extremely popular in France during the Middle Ages. Examples of fabliaux can be found in pre-Christian Oriental literature, in Chaucer's Canterbury Tales, and in Boccaccio's Decameron. When the fabliau gradually disappeared, around the turn of the 16th century, it was replaced by the short story.

I was going to put examples of them here but most where a little too raunchy for my PG-13 site so I'll just give you the titles of the lesser naughty ones.

"La vielle qui graissa la patte de chevalier" ("The old woman who paid the knight for favors.")

"Berangier au long Cul" ("Berenger of the long arse")

"Le Pauvre Clerc" ("The poor clerk")

"Le Couverture partagée" ("The shared covering")

"Le Pretre qui mangea les mûres" ("The priest who ate mulberries")

"La crotte" ("The turd")

"Le Chevalier qui fist parler les cons" ("The Knight who made c**ts speak")

C s For....

Curses

More specifically, book Curses.

Long, long ago before printing presses all manuscripts were hand written. Since a book was so rare it was highly susceptible to theft. Scribes would put book curses in the front off books to ward of thieves. It didn't work. According to many places I looked , libraries even went to far as to chain the books to the walls. I'd hate to see their late fees.

Here are some examples of book curses I found:

Thys boke is one And God's curse another;
They that take the one God geve them the other.
He who steals this book
may he die the death
may he be frizzled in a pan...

That one should have been in KFC's original recipe book.

This present book legible in scripture
Here in this place thus tacched with a cheyn
Purposed of entent for to endure
And here perpetuelli stylle to remeyne
Fro eyre to eyre wherfore appone peyn
Of cryst is curs of faders and of moderes
Non of hem hens atempt it to dereyne
Whille ani leef may goodeli hange with oder.

I don't know about you but I think this one should have used spellcheck

Steal not this Book my honest Friend
For fear the Galows should be your hend,
And when you die the Lord will say
And wares the Book you stole away?

A variation on the same theme...
Steal not this book,
my worthy friend
For fear the gallows will be your end;
Up the ladder, and down the rope,
There you'll hang until you choke;
Then I'll come along and say -
"Where's that book you stole away?"

No wonder people stayed illiterate. "Borrow" some knowledge, get your neck snapped in half.

For him that Stealeth a Book from this Library,
Let it change into a Serpent in his hand & rend him.
Let him be struck with Palsy, & all his Members blasted.
Let him languish in Pain crying aloud for Mercy,
Let there be no Surcease to his Agony till he sink to Dissolution.
Let Bookworms gnaw his Entrails in token of the Worm that dieth not,
When at last he goeth to his final Punishment,
Let the flames of hell consume him for ever & aye.

I think "bookworms gnawing his entrails", says it all.

Edited: The book picture is not where I found the curses. I just liked how it looked. These curses are found inside really old texts. I've never read the above pictured book but would like too.heheh

B Is For.....

Bookends

According to my extensive research (five minutes browsing the web) the illustrious but often overlooked bookend was first used about 2500 years ago. Mostly made of wood or brass, they have stood the test of time.

These brave helpers of the literate have done their jobs without fail. Holding the knowledge of galaxies and unknown aliens. Never embarrassed over tawdry company or sweaty loin-clothed natives. Nor flinching from cuddly bears and twirling ballerinas.

So please take the time to thank your bookends today. They do you a honorable service that is not only over looked but very under appreciated.

A is For......

Airport Novels

That's right people. The Airport Novel. Serious stuff.

According to Wikipedia: "An airport novel is typically a fairly long but fast-paced novel of intrigue or adventure that is stereotypically found in the reading fare offered by airport newsstands for travellers to read in the rounds of sitting and waiting that constitute air travel."

I've spent a few hours huffing and puffing in a sad attempt to run from terminal to terminal trying to catch the vomit comets. So I have a total 15 minutes of experience looking in the airport bookstore. All I did was grab a magazine to cut out letters and glue on a ransom note.

But that's a whole other post.

I thought I would put together some titles of airport novels I'd like to see:

1. 1,001 Uses For Your Used Earplugs.

2. Airplane Etiquette: Why Bathing Is NOT A Sin.

3. Airport Recipes: How To Make A Recipe From Peanuts, Stale Coffee and Mint Flavored Toothpicks.

4. Murder In Bathroom Stall 9,804.

5. Deciphering Flight Attendant Lingo: Please Have A Seat = Sit The F*ck Down, I've Got 300 More Idiots To Strap In Like Drunk Three Year Olds On A Merry-Go-Round.

Happy Writing!!!