Mommie Daze has just started holding giveaways with her weekly feature "Girl Talk Thursday".  To kick things off, she is giving away a $25 Gift Certificate to Soothing Rituals.

Curly Wurly Gurly is encouraging us all to do Breakfast in Bed.  Win some scrumptious goodies for enjoying breakfast in bed and a Wolfgang Puck reversible griddle/grill.

Free samples of Skin MD or Gloves in a Bottle for bloggers.

Harper Collins and THE SAK are teaming up each month to bring you the chance to win a Book(s) in a Bag.

My Wooden Spoon is one of my favorite blogs.  Yummy recipes and fun giveaways.  Enter by July 31 to win a Pace Fiesta Pack.

The first Friday of the month, Uniquely Yours is giving away free fiber.  The next giveaway is scheduled for August 1st.

{sweeter than me} designs is giving away one pair of Clarity bridal earrings.  These are beautiful!

Hurry over to The Downtown Boutique today to win a cool clock for your home...ends today!

Looking for a fabulous tank to wear this summer?  I found one I hope to win.  Marvelous Mouse Designs is giving away a "Fabulous" tank or tee.

Are you a Scrapbook Junkie?  Heather's Creations is giving away some blog candy just for you!

Love to travel...or love to look like you travel?  Day to Day Miracles is hosting a From Thailand with Love giveaway.

Visit the contest page for ongoing monthly giveaways.

Have a contest or giveaway happening at your blog?

Leave details in a comment and I will post your giveaway here for you.

Alright, admit it, you missed me... you missed the chance to spout funnies at the expense of some unfortunate piece of comic art... well, here's another one! As usual, entries go in the comments!

And, just to keep everything above board, the winner of Caption Contest #10, as determined by one of my neighbours, is....

SAVANT!

Gratz, dude, email me your address at gdaybloke@losthemisphere.com and I'll get some prize cards on the way to you!

2. Perform a text search (Ctrl+F) for triple. Note in whose comment this word belongs.

3. Check out the email message I found waiting for me today:
That's right, my sweets -- your next B&J pint is on me.

I have to wait for Ben and/or Jerry to send me the coupons, and then I'll send them along to you, so in the meantime, please send me your mailing addresses (I don't sell them to anyone, don't worry).

If you're not in the U.S., I'm not sure the coupon is valid, so I can send you some stickers or magnets instead.

Thanks for commenting on the thread!

Sarah

PS Just hit reply, not reply-all. Thankee.

4. Pretend you're me.

5. Jump up and down for winning a free pint of ice cream.

1. On a scale of one to ten, rank your current level of insanity–where ten is belongs-in-lunatic-asylum insane–and tell us why.

Oh God. I’d say I’d range from 7 to 15, depending on the day. I’m going through some tough stuff right now that I’d love to blog about but as a favor to the other party involved will keep entirely private unless given a reason not to. Ahem.

2. Lord of Bones is being released almost three years after your debut with Blood Angel. Care to share us the story of what happened during the interim?

This is kind of a two part answer, so first: My husband and I decided to try and give our twin boys a little baby sister. So again we did the IVF route, this time with sex selection, and instead of one girl ended up with triplet boys. I kid you not. It seems the sex-selection process was faulty. Thankfully my husband is one of those visionary genius types whose talents tend to meet with extraordinary financial rewards, so we have all the help we need – like they say, it takes a village, in this case a village of nannies – but I wrote the first two drafts of Lord of Bones in the last trimester of pregnancy and then while recovering from a C-section, which meant I wrote while stoned on painkillers. I was also nursing the triplets, whom the baby nurses would bring me one at a time, during which I would somehow tap away at my laptop with my iPod plugged into my ears. Not surprisingly, the draft turned out to be terrible. Terrible. I had to throw out about three quarters of it and start over – so instead of a final rewrite I was basically writing a whole new book. On top of that, I had surgery to correct the kind of damage that twins and triplets will do to you physically, no matter how fit you are or how successfully you manage to lose the baby weight. I had a massive hernia, so my stomach muscles had to get stitched back together, and recovering from that took the longest of all. And, of course, more painkillers.
The second part is a lot less dramatic – for whatever reason I went through kind of a dry spell. Writing became difficult and the ideas just weren’t there. I hadn’t really thought of the story beyond BLOODANGEL, except for a few things I knew about the characters and their mysterious connections to each other. The sequel just took an extremely long time to come together, possibly because this time I really was thinking in terms of an actual series and how each book could still be a complete saga on its own while still leading into the next one. In sharp contrast to that, I expect to finish the next book in the series – tentatively called SOULSTICE – within a few months. I knew from the beginning where I need to go with this one.
So while wrestling with story ideas for LORD OF BONES, I went ahead and wrote UNINVITED, which became my second published novel with a different publisher. It was an idea I’d been kicking around since high school and really wanted to get out of my head. I also felt the need to write something short and fast-paced – the kind of book you could finish on an airplane ride – after the epic multiple-perspective plot of BLOODANGEL.

3. Last year, you published a young-adult novel with MTV, Uninvited. At least for me, it was very different, and not simply because it’s a young adult novel. If it didn’t say Justine Musk on the cover, I would not have thought you wrote it. It just reads so differently. It doesn’t read like a YA novel for me either, except that Kelly is in the right age group. So what do you think makes a novel a YA novel versus something else?

It’s interesting that you would say that – UNINVITED is in many ways a book I wrote to and for my much younger self, the same self who dreamed up that story in the first place. Although the villain in that book – who became one of my favorite characters, actually, and I plan to use him again at some point – was in some ways a rehearsal for the villain in LORD OF BONES (although he is a much more dangerous piece of work and not someone I’d ever want to encounter in any way under any circumstances whatsoever).

Some readers really love that book and some readers don’t. BLOODANGEL tends to elicit that kind of reaction too – for the most part the response was extremely positive, but there are readers out there who just hated it. I also have a few friends who just couldn’t handle BLOODANGEL because they found the opening chapters too intense and scary. But at the same time they really did want to read something of mine, so they were happy (or maybe relieved) to get UNINVITED, which one of those friends not only whipped through but emailed me an ongoing commentary of the experience. It was worth writing the book just for that.

In my mind UNINVITED was always a young adult novel, maybe because the protagonist is a teenager and it’s a coming-of-age story, as YA novels usually tend to be in one way or another. And YA novels tend to be short and maybe a bit more linear than adult novels, although certainly not always. Other than that, I never saw much of a difference. Especially in this genre. In fact, when I was a teenager there really weren’t any YA supernatural thrillers – it was mostly realist or problem novels or romances – so you had to ‘read up’ into adult fiction if that kind of genre was what you wanted. And I did.

In fact, it turns out there’s so much reader crossover, or at least seems to be – so many adults telling me they enjoyed UNINVITED and so many teens passing around copies of BLOODANGEL– that there doesn’t seem to be much of a point labeling me one thing or the other. Which is one of the things you learn after you publish – who your audience is, which is not always the audience you expected. For example, I was surprised (and delighted) to hear from so many guys who read my first book. I thought my audience would be mostly female, which doesn’t seem to be the case at all. Which maybe shouldn’t have surprised me so much, given that I actually do write from the perspectives of several male characters, but still. I also didn’t realize that Ramsey would be by far the most popular character, or that the demon Del, who appears very briefly, would get such a great response from readers that I actually went out of my way to figure out how to include him in the next books. Which I’m really glad I did, because he brings a neat dimension to the tale.

4. Since you have twin boys of your own, do you have any insight as to why people are often so fascinated by them? It’s such a common trope in fantasy that I swear that every writer must have written about twins or have an idea filed away somewhere starring twins.

Heh. I’m not immune to that – I play a little bit with the twins trope in LORD OF BONES and when I was a teenager I wrote a novel about twins who can communicate telepathically with each other, and then one of them gets kidnapped. As the mother of twins, I can say that it’s just a neat relationship to watch unfold. There was never a time when either twin knew life without the other – I have a photograph of the two of them, 4 years old, watching TV together on the edge of my bed. The photo is of their backs and how their seated bodies just fit so neatly and nonchalantly into each other, like pieces of a jigsaw. I think it’s that idea of closeness, of intimacy, that really fascinates – it seems natural to imagine that that kind of knowledge of each other extends into the preternatural – they know each other’s thoughts, have a mysterious mode of communication, that kind of thing. Or that they come into the world already made complete by each other. We’re kind of a lonely species, when you get down to it – trapped inside ourselves. The idea of twinship opens up this possibility that maybe there’s this alternative way of being. So behind the sheer fun of the idea – the cool image of it – I think there’s some wish-fulfillment involved about being that strongly connected to another person…or even just the narcissistic fantasy of having this other you walking around.

5. One of the reasons why your blog is such a good read because it’s a mix of you and the people you see, meet etc. Do you think the whole ‘writers are boring’ thing is a cliché, or true most of the time?

Thank you! The blog kind of took on a life of its own. I really thought it would be much more of a writer’s journal, talking about craft, etc. , and maybe it will become more that way. But I’ve always enjoyed describing the people and events I see around me – observing, analyzing. When I was an exchange student in Australia or away at college I would write extremely long, detailed letters to a small handful of individuals. Which is probably, I realize now, when I first started to develop what eventually became the voice of the blog -- it’s a very different voice from my novels, influenced by a different group of writers, the sharp-witted social observers like Edith Wharton or F. Scott Fitzgerald or a much more contemporary favorite, Paul Theroux. There’s a part of me that was always drawn to that kind of writing, of bearing witness. So landing in this life in Los Angeles and blogging about the less-private parts of it was inevitable, I think, and took my ‘writer’s journal’ in a completely different direction.

What I want to do at some point is bring both those voices together – the blog voice, the dark-thriller voice – in some fiction. There are a couple of novels I’m planning that are set in an LA milieu based on the one described in my blog and I think those will be a lot of fun. Although I still need to soak up more of LA and the people here and creatively digest my experiences a little more to get some really compelling fiction out of it.

Do I think writers are boring? Not at all. I’d much rather listen to a writer or director talk about a movie than any of the actors who starred in it… a successful writer is someone who spends a lot of time reading and really thinking things through and has the ability to take a personal experience and make it interesting and relevant to other people by finding the universal aspect of it. In contrast, I’ve met people who have lived through experiences that seem so amazing and fascinating…if only they could process, analyze and express those experiences in an interesting way. You can lead an extremely exciting life and still manage to bore the crap out of people…I think the reason why writing about writers has gotten such a bad rap – to the point where one of the ‘rules’ of making fiction is that you’re not, apparently, supposed to write about a character who writes fiction -- is because it’s so easy to do it so badly. When it’s done well, I think it’s great. Stephen King wrote one of his best books, MISERY, about a writer, the process of writing…. Writers are a quirky breed with some truly wild inner lives. There’s nothing boring about that.

6. You are one of the most mysterious authors I’ve ever interviewed who has an online presence. If you had to write your bio in five minutes, what would you write?

Here’s the bio I just wrote – in a hurry – for the San Diego Comic Con:

Justine Musk grew up in Ontario, Canada and started writing at age eight when her parents refused to buy her a dog. She entered her self-conscious and perilous adolescence planning to be either an actress, a vet, or a writer of fine literature like the Sweet Valley High novels.

Then she discovered Stephen King.

Thanks partly to a less-than-stellar social life, Justine wrote her first few novels before graduating high school. She attended Queen's University in Kingston, Ontario, where she was rejected -- twice -- from the school's lone creative-writing workshop, which she didn't want to join anyway. Really. After living abroad in Australia and Japan she made her way west, as a young woman should, to California. She is the author of the dark-fantasy novels Bloodangel and Lord of Bones, about a race of men and women descended from fallen angels who go to war against demons, and sometimes each other, as well as the YA supernatural thriller Uninvited.

Justine lives and writes in Los Angeles, where she blogs about living and writing in Los Angeles. She also likes to Twitter.

I really do recommend reading her blog, and she's quite fun on Twitter too--though I am also a Twitter addict and hence understand the liking Twitter part.

As to the contest, the usual rules apply. Comment to enter. Either way, go buy Lord of Bones! There's going to be a third book!

One of my favorite bloggers recently got a new site up and running and is celebrating by holding a blog header design contest. She will be giving away a free blog header (or other web design if you don't have a blog).

What you need to do:

Visit Average20Something and congratulate her.

Then leave a comment explaining which website has the best design.

Finally, leave a post on your own blog informing your readers about the contest.

All of this must be done by August 1st. She's pretty excited so I would hurry over there. Also be sure to check out her new site: Grunge Geek Design.

So "Crazy" was Gnarls Barkley's ubiquitous and fantastic single from 2006. The rest of St. Elsewhere was nowhere near as catchy, although it was all quite good. It was funny to see the backlash for this record because there was no "Crazy" on it. And yet, the rest of the album is not too different from the rest of St. Elsewhere. The same themes are there: lunacy, insecurity. And the production feels kind of claustrophobic like the first one did.

"Crazy" was a great single because Cee-Lo was able to unleash his mammoth voice. There are a couple of songs on The Odd Couple where Cee-Lo gets to unleash: "Surprise," and "Neighbors." But they've also got some great, subdued songs as well: "Blind Mary," "Who's Gonna Save My Soul."

The music from Danger Mouse seems to be busier and more complex on this one, too. There's all kinds of samples on the record, but they are hard to distinguish from the original music: a true sign of great sampling. There's a background chorus of some sort on "Surprise" that is just fantastic, and I can't tell if it's the sample or not (since I've never heard the original).

Perhaps it's because The Odd Couple is fresher in my mind, by I think I like it better than St. Elsewhere, even without "Crazy."

[READ: July 1, 2008] "The Perfect Game"

As I said, I don't usually review articles in magazines. This one, however, had special resonance. We had recently seen the documentary King of Kong. I really wanted to see it, as I was a Donkey Kong playa back in the day. Sarah wasn't too excited about it when I brought it home. However, we both really enjoyed the film. It was such great drama.

This article is about Billy Mitchell, the focal point of King of Kong. This article talks less about Kong and more about Pac Man (and Ms Pac Man). What was interesting to me about the article is that it didn't mention King of Kong until very near the end. I wasn't sure if we were supposed to know about Billy Mitchell and/or the film. It is later revealed that Bearman is aware of King of Kong and in fact contributed some of his video footage to that movie, but that he is basically independent of that film (there were lots of camera crews at the event in question).

The only real point to make about the article is that Billy Mitchell comes across as less of a megalomaniac in the article than he did in the film. He seems genuinely happy for anyone who may break his records, whereas in the film he came across as fighting tooth and nail.

The article also covers a newcomer to the world of classic video games: Abdner Bancroft Ashman, a Jamaican immigrant who is amazing at Ms Pac Man. The article discusses the main difference between Pac Man and Ms. Pac Man: logic. Pac Man follows the exact pattern every time. Mastering it takes time and determination, logic and strategy. Billy Mitchell was the first person to ever "beat" Pac Man: going through all of the screens that were created and getting to the "kill screen" to earn a perfect score. Ms Pac Man, however, has several variations that it could take.,making it impossible to have a "perfect score." For instance, the bonus fruit is random, sometimes you'll get a 50 point bonus, sometimes a 500 point bonus, so you can never have the perfect score like in Pac Man. Ashman has a great sense of "feel" for the game, and all of its inconsistencies. Mitchell studied Pac Man and learned it perfectly (an amazing feat) and even though he once held the record for Ms Pac Man, Ashman's "feel" game seems to be better suited to it.

An interesting piece, and a nice tie in to a recent movie.

Here's what you do:  Send your friends and story-lovers here to Stories Rule!, and get them to leave a comment.  In that comment, they need to include your name, and that you sent them here.

The catch:  It really sucks, this one:  If your friend's comment is drawn, then your friend AND you win a book each.

The lucky-draw prize will be announced at 2:30pm MST on July 26, 2008.

I had a glorious time at Knit Nouveau picking this out. It was the only Sea Silk left, tucked away near the back of the store. No notes on the tag as to color, but it's a gorgeous brilliant blue with a streak of silverish grey in it. Maybe it's Glacier? I'm not sure. I'll try to get more shots of it another day, so you can see the full effect a little better.

Prize value = $75

Oh, and on the chance that you guys would kick things up another notch by contributing another $500 before the raffle is over, I went ahead and bought the next prize package at Knit Nouveau. No pictures for now, or even clues. Suffice it to say, that if I have to keep this package myself, I won't be tooooo disappointed. But given the current length of my queue, it would be a long time before I could use this. But I'm sure you'd put it to good use. Right?

Song Submissions Accepted August 1^st thru October 31^st

Winning Band Announced on December 1^st

Black Mountain BETA Records is offering a 2 year record deal to the winner of this rare opportunity – A prize worth over $25,000. This is a chance for any unsigned band, group, or artist, who write original material and who have a real desire to establish a long term career in the music industry. Your orginial musical compositions will be used for the sale purpose of marketing and promotion, through licensing, publishing and distribution throughout the U.S., Canada, and Europe. 100% of all costs involved are covered and a major fan base and buzz will be created. To enter the competition, submit at least 1 song – you may submit up to 5 songs for consideration. Each song submission costs only $25 (non-refundable) and guarantees that your songs will be heard by a panel of A&R execs at Block Mountain and BETA Records. The record deal includes (but is not limited to)…

• A recording contract (including studio time, a producer, and sound engineer).

• Major rotation play with college, commercial, satellite radio stations in the U.S., Canada, and Europe

• Paid gigs, performances, and appearances throughout the U.S. (college & university campus events also considered, showcases, special events, and activities.

• Promotions (media, press, newspaper, magazine, internet)

• Merchandise (t-shirts, hats, posters, clothing)

For A Charitable Cause

A portion of the entry fee goes to The Guitar Center Music Foundation. The Guitar Center Music Foundation was created to provide funding and resources for music programs across America so that kids and adults alike will have an opportunity to experience the joys of music. In total Guitar Center Foundation has impacted 23,459 people by donating instruments, equipment and cash grants to 93 organizations.

We understand the impact music has on the livfes of people of all ages, and the tremendous gift it brings to participants and listeners. We understand the power of music on the soul and the vehicle it provides for our sanity, health and creativity. We want to help make that gift available to everyone, with the understanding that the process of participating in music is a means to this end; that people don’t have to be rock stars or professional musicians to enjoy the rewards of music participation, and that age is not a factor in the enjoyment or ability to learn to play music.

Today, let me just reiterate how much I LOVE free stuff. That's why I've started hosting Give-Aways right here. Currently, we are still running the contest for a FABULOUS RECYCLED BACK TO SCHOOL PACKAGE. Click, comment, WIN?!?!?!?! (You must comment on the ACTUAL PRIZE POST to be entered to win.)

Stay tuned for more contests... I am partnering with a wonderful store to bring you the BAG EVERY WOMAN will want. Check back often.

I can't wait to tell you what I just won...  When it's in my hot little hands, I will share. :)

Be Well!

The Great American Book Giveaway - book giveaways

Baker Publishing Group - book giveaway, Dominion Trilogy: Relentless, Fearless, and Merciless by Robin Parrish (the author is my friend's husband, and I really enjoyed his first two books; I will be buying the 3rd book very soon)

In the Shadow of Mt. TBR - book giveaway, deadline 7/31/08

Boston Bibliophile - book giveaway, deadline 7/29/08 (thanks for the link from In the Shadow of Mt. TBR)

Fashion Piranha - book, lotion, donation to charity, deadline 7/31/08 (thanks for the link from In the Shadow of Mt. TBR)

BloggyGiveaways.com - a new giveaway is added daily

American Girl Contest at Borders - set of Kit and Ruthie dolls from American girl, deadline 7/31/08 (thanks for the link from The Centsible Sawyer)

Blueberry Moon - Designer Wipes Travel Case, deadline 8/8/08 (thanks for the link from The Centsible Sawyer)

Giveaway of the Day - daily licensed software

Womans Day - various giveaways

Happily Saving - Enfamil check, deadline 7/28/08

Mommies with Cents - milk giveaway, deadline 7/29/08

Do you like contests? Do you like to win prizes? Would you like to win a fabulous vintage apron? If so, keep reading. I will be hosting a vintage apron giveaway sponsored by The Apron Queen at Rick Rack Attack! Head on over to Rick Rack Attack and check out all of her wonderful vintage aprons! This contest will take place Monday, August 4, 2008-Friday, August 8, 2008. You will have two chances to win a wonderful vintage apron from Rick Rack Attack! Come on back to THIS site on Monday, August 4, 2008 to enter for your chance to win a vintage apron!

]]> http://miladyinsanity.wordpress.com/?p=1681 Thu, 24 Jul 2008 12:51:19 +0000 miladyinsanity http://miladyinsanity.wordpress.com/?p=1681 Eva, email me ( miladyinsanity (at) gmail (dot) com ) so I can put you in touch with Charli!

And if you haven't read her guestblog, go here!

The rest of you should go out and buy the book so you can get Wicked Hot with Charlene Teglia!

This week I want to introduce you to Soothing Rituals. Soothing Rituals offers handcrafted soaps and candles.

I asked owner Michelle a few questions about herself and her creative process. "I absolutely love making soap and have been totally addicted for the last seven years. I strive to make soothing, handcrafted, and fun loving, pampering products. I started out making soap only, but I now offer candles, and plan to include lip balms and scrumptious scrubs by the fall."

One of the benefits of making soap, Michelle says, it that she is in control of the ingredients. She tries to keep the ingredients as natural as possible. "Sometimes I feel like a mad scientist trying to come up with the perfect recipe for my soap. But over the years I feel I have created the perfect recipe. That being said, I am always experimenting, and I have a long list of human guinea pigs of all ages."

Michelle lives in Chicago and draws inspiration from the views of Lake Michigan. "I am inspired by nature. I love living in Chicago, although I hope to someday live where I can plant and grow my own vegetables. (Sorry I digress.) I love Chicago because of the beautiful lake front. I am lucky enough to live a short walk from the lake, and when ever I feel uninspired I go to the lake and just get quiet. By the time I find my way back home I feel inspired and charged."

Following her passion for all-natural products, Michelle is a vegetarian. "I have been a vegetarian for over ten years, but I never preach about it unless you ask," she says.

An animal lover as well, Michelle and her husband share their home with a seven year old cockapoo. "But we still call him a puppy. He was named after the great explorer Jacques Cousteau. He is such a sweet doggie, and he will smell my fresh batch of soap even when long time hubby is sick of sniffing."

Michelle was kind enough to send me some samples of her soap to try, and I agree when she says, "What sets my products apart from the rest would have to be the packaging. I try to make everything I sell gift giving ready. A lot of my products are also very colorful. I love all the beautiful colors found in nature."

My Berry Sage and Lemon Pucker soaps arrived beautifully packaged. They are gorgeous, and smell wonderful.

The soap left my skin feeling clean, soft and lightly scented. I really like that these soaps are all-natural. I have an allergy to some of the harsh chemicals in other soaps. With Soothing Rituals, I don't have to worry about that.

Finally, I want to leave you with a bit of wisdom from Michelle, "I feel God has a plan for everyone, if we can only get quiet and listen."

I think Michelle's been listening, don't you?

Win It!

Michelle is offering a Soothing Rituals $25 dollar gift certificate to one lucky winner to use towards the purchase of any products in the store. To win, visit her store and browse around. Come back here and leave a comment ON THIS POST with which scent of soap or candle you'd most like to try.

Please follow the comment rules. Bloggers and non-bloggers may enter. The contest is open to residents of the U.S. only. Earn an extra entry by posting about this contest on your blog, and linking to this post and Soothing Rituals. If you do the extra credit, leave a separate comment with the link to your post.

The contest is open until midnight July 30th. I'll randomly draw a winner, and announce it on the next edition of Girls Just Wanna Win Swag. The winner will also be contacted by email, and will have three days to reply. If the winner does not reply in three days, another will be chosen.

http://babycheapskate.blogspot.com/2008/07/giveaway-12-bumgenius-30-diapers.html

I entered and I hope I win, which would be the best thing ever. Oh, and not only that but I have convinced my wonderful sister, C- , to cloth diaper her new little one (I can't wait to meet my new niece or nephew!!!!) So I think my eco-karma must have gone up at least a little for that. I am going to make her some diapers to use for the new baby. I have some time so I am still running some ideas through my head. What do you think would be best for cloth diapering a newborn? Because I am lost here!

According to Patrick, he won second prize in the contest, receiving a Twinkie the Kid watch and a billion cases of Twinkies. He has since gone on to even bigger and better things, but I will always be grateful to him for introducing me to Vincent.