Friday, September 4, 2015

Celebrate: Organization & Giveaways!

This week I'm celebrating:
1)  Lists!

Seems so simple, right?  A no-brainer.  But I haven't been so busy with different things since I worked in offices in New York City.  For the first time in literally about 20 years, I had to make myself a list so I wouldn't forget anything.  Did I complete all of it?  No.  But with this post, I've completed about 75%, and there's time over the weekend to finish the rest.

This was my list for this week:
1) Write reviews for 1 short story and 3 novellas. Post reviews to Smashwords, Amazon, Goodreads, and Kobo.
2) Don't forget to tweet them and tag the authors!
3) Critique 2 chapters for CPs.
4) Read 4 CP crits of my novel chapters and revise those chapters.
5) Write IWSG post on book marketing.
6) Make return visits to IWSG commenters.
7) Go to grocery story. Buy stuff. COOK IT!!!
8) Make new art for book promo.
9) Check Twitter notifications and send "Thank-yous" to re-tweeters (about 70 of them).
10) Attend webinar on book marketing and blog design.
11) Make new art to fix header on blog. (The L.X.Cain is bigger now. I've been phasing it in so as not to scare anyone. Heh-heh.)
12) Write Celebrate post. OMG! Don't forget to find Freebies!
13) Retweet all retweeters and friends and people on my "special" lists.
14) FB! Post something, you idiot! Everyone will forget you!
15) Write monthly newsletter on writing craft for Writing.Com
16) Get back to work on your WIP, you slacker!


Do you have to make yourself lists or do you remember things?


My kind and wonderful co-hosts of Celebrate the Small Things are:
L.G. Keltner @ Writing Off The Edge
Tonja Drecker @ Kidbits Blog

Celebrate The Small Things Linky:



Grab the Linky html-code here:


** To see who’s posted for the hop look at my Celebrate The Small Things Blog Roll, left sidebar bottom **


 Celebrate the Small ThingsTo be part of this blog hop, all you have to do is visit the Celebrate page on Lexa's Blog for the rules, and then post every Friday about something you're grateful  for that week.  It can be about writing or family or school or general life.  This is the funnest and easiest blog hop ever! (Originated by VikLit)



Foxy's Friday Freebies!

Foxy has been nosing around the net
When she finds great FREE STUFF, she'll feature it on Friday Freebies posts -
  • Free short stories, novellas, and novels
  • Giveaways for books and swag
  • Free services for authors


Here are Foxy's suggestions for Sept 4, 2015:

5 Free Novels - The wonderful TB Markinson has done it again! She’s put together a great giveaway of 5 free novels: Foxwick and Their Neighbors by Cherie Reich, A Change of Mind & Other Stories by Nick Wilford, Avalon by Vanessa Morgan, Dangled Carat by Hilary Grossman, Confessions of a Paris Party Girl by Vicki LeSage.  For the link to the rafflecopter, go to TB Markinson’s blog. (ends Sept 30)

The Ultimate Writer’s Toolkit worth $800 – Bestselling author Jerry Jenkins is giving away a Scrivener 2 and a Kindle reader, along with five ebooks on the craft of writing from bestselling authors. Five lucky people will win these amazing packages. To enter, go to the Jerry Jenkins Contest page. Hurry and enter before the contest ends! (ends Sept 8) (Thanks to Michelle Wallace for info!)

Free Dark Fantasy/Adventure Novella – Don’t be fooled by the zombie-ish cover. The novella Flesh Golem is Epic Fantasy with a dark Superhero on a thrilling adventure. It’s being offered free by author Kev Heritage and is the prequel to his series The Cowl about a lone swordsman in a world where metal is magical, cursed, and forbidden. GET THIS FREE NOVELLA! I was amazed by the great writing. The descriptions are breathtaking—never a cliché, never a wrong word. I rated the book 5 stars! You can’t go wrong on a free book, so if you like Dark Fantasy, download it and see if I’m right about the amazing writing. For more info on the novella, visit the Kev Heritage blog.
Download links for this thrilling, beautifully written novella:
AMAZON US    AMAZON UK    KOBO   SMASHWORDS

Free YA Paranormal Novel – Win an ecopy of The 52nd by Dela about a college girl and immortal guy fighting to end 500 years of secret Aztec sacrifices in the Yucatan. Enter via rafflecopter on My Book Addiction blog. (ends Sept 21)

Free $15 Amazon Gift Card – To celebrate the release of Hypton 14 (Sci-Fi Thriller) by Morgan Hadley, she's giving away a $15 Amazon card via rafflecopter on the My Book Addiction blog. (ends Sept 9)


Free $25 Amazon Gift Card and a Contemporary Romance eBook - Win Better Than Chocolate by J. Lynn Rowan and a $25 Amazon card via rafflecopter on the Romance Novels Giveaway blog. (It's "Giveaway #2" on the page) (ends Sept 10)


Free $25 Amazon Gift Card - To celebrate the release of Diary of a Single Wedding Planner (Romance) by Violet Howe, she's giving away a $25 Amazon card via rafflecopter on Romance Novel Giveaways blog. (ends Sept 26)



For Foxy's other Freebies, go to the Freebie page.

If anyone has a FREE short story (for download or online at a free ezine), novella, novel, special giveaway, or author service, please let Foxy know so she can plug you here!  Write to: laura.6eg(at)gmail.com

42 comments:

L.G. Keltner said...

Lists do make it a lot easier to get things done. Unfortunately for me, I also tend to write multiple lists as a way to avoid doing work. I am a master procrastinator when I want to be.

cheerfuloptimistic said...

I find lists help to store information I'd probably forget or otherwise spend a lot of time looking up.

Flesh Golem sounds interesting.

Michelle Wallace said...

Thanks for the shout out!
I'm looking at your list and I'm now convinced that there's something I've forgotten to do...

I only post my reviews to Goodreads and Amazon. Thanks for the reminder about Smashwords and Kobo.
I don't know anything about Kobo. I'll have to check it out.

Enjoy your weekend, Lexa!

Dixie@dcrelief said...

You know, you make me feel grateful just to be breathing! Go L.X. Go big!

JeffO said...

That's quite the list you've got there. I find lists helpful when I remember to write them and can remember where I put them. Have a great weekend!

Denise Covey said...

Lexa, no I don't keep lists. I make them but never fill them out properly. Even did an excel spreadsheet to keep track of my writing, but I still work best with my head. I've got a memory you wouldn't believe! Your list looks daunting, but isn't it great when it all gets done! Wishing you well on your WIP. Thanks for the book links.I'm going to have a look. My kindle can always squeeze in a few more, lol!

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Number seven made me chuckle.
I sometimes make lists. I try not to dump that much on myself at one time though.
Have a great weekend!

Starting Over, Accepting Changes - Maybe said...

Lists are my best friend. Ideas seem to pop out of my brain as quickly as they pop in. I know that I better scribble them down right away before the thought is deposited in that part of my brain that is a black hole.

stephen Hayes said...

I really should make lists but unfortunately I don't. Truth is I don't have that much to do. Please don't tell my wife that I ever said that.

Mere Joyce said...

Wow, what a list! Good job on the progress so far, and good luck getting the rest completed! I love making lists, although I don't always follow them, =)

Tonja Drecker said...

Lol! My hubs is a list fantatic, and I steer so clear of them. Not because I'm organized...but when I make a list, I forget where I put it or make myself all nervous when I see how much needs to get done.

Nissa Annakindt said...

I don't make lists. Neither do I remember things. My problem is when I make a list, like a grocery list, I'm almost certain to misplace the list before I get to use it.

But congratulations on your own list-using success. I'm glad SOMEONE can do it.

Nissa Annakindt
http://myantimatterlife.wordpress.com

Anonymous said...

Wow, it would take me a month to do everything on that list! I always make lists. It's the only way I can keep track of everything that needs to be done. I just wish I could get things done as quickly as I can make the lists. :)

Dr. Theda said...

We used to make lots of Lists... but Not being able to complete each "task" ... we only look back at these Lists and see that which we did Not accomplish ... not our "achievements" .... So we no longer do "Lists"... And Health issues get in my way these days... just the dusting that I did yesterday is still making breathing much more "harsh" today... We do still "Try"... may not succeed .. but we look (these days) at what we got done.... Not the fact that it is only a wee bit of "water in the bucket"... But that much less to have to do next time ... and everything is "cumulative" ... So every little bit helps...
... as we commented to another Great Blog... we said to be Thankful for even the Little Things in your Life... Take pleasure in them and Think of "cherished memories" when life gets you down....
... Thus giving even more importance to these lesser things...
.... A great Weekend to you and yours, dear Lady Lexa....

Yolanda Renée said...

I always make lists, have to, it makes me feel organized and in control. The fun is checking off the individual items. But to keep from getting antsy when I haven't checked off enough. I create a new list, start over, and get it done!
I love organizaton, it calms me!

Blogoratti said...

A wonderful list, and thanks for the freebies and suggestions. Always comes in handy, greetings!

Unknown said...

Every Sunday I sit down with my diary and do a list for the coming week - sometimes things are carried over but it is a great feeling when I put a line through completed items during the week.
Love number 7 :)
Have a great weekend

Claudia H. Blanton said...

I like your list, hon!
One thing is for sure, without lists I would be lost - too much stuff o even attempt to remember. Who can remember all of the things they have to do? If you know someone, I would like to know their secret
Have a great week

Linda Kay said...

I'm a list maker, also, but not too far in advance!

Rachna Chhabria said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Rachna Chhabria said...

I am not much of a list maker, I try and remember all the things I have to do. And after I forget a few of the things, I wish I had made a list :(

Bevimus said...

I am floored by your list- congrats on being such a frenzy of activity! I myself find that lists don't tend to really work for me unless it's all one category- I'll write down voicemails I've received so I can make sure I've returned all phone calls. But outside of that I find that during my periods of activity I move too quickly for lists, and during periods of low activity lists don't really keep me on point. Usually I get enough done to stay out of trouble, though, so it's good. But I seriously admire people who self-manage in that organized of a fashion- seems a much better way to get stuff done. ^_^

Stephen Tremp said...

Lexa, I have a To Do List, a 100 Goal List, and an Excel calendar to help keep organized and busy. Good luck with yours and have a great weekend!

Murees Dupè said...

I like making lists. These days I tend to forget easily, so my lists work even better now:) Wow, you have a long list. You are amazing. Have a great weekend.

shelly said...

You are busy. Your list wore me out.

MunirGhiasuddin said...

I celebrate the fact that there were no accidents on my way back from work on a Friday before Labor day. Good job commuters !

Cherdo said...

That is an impressive list, Lexa! I feel like a slacker, ha ha. Have a good weekend. Looks like you need a rest. :-)

Deanie Humphrys-Dunne said...

My goodness Lexa, no wonder you need to make lists! You're so busy. I'd probably need a personal coach to keep me on track, yikes! Hope you take time to relax this weekend. You've earned it.

Melissa Sugar said...

Those are some amazing prizes. I'm so mad at myself, because I read your post a few weeks ago and really wanted to join in this Friday. I'm in Dallas at a soccer tournament for my son, all weekend, and I completely forgot. Hopefully I can participate next time.

I love making lists. My problem is that I can spend more time making lists than I do getting things done. Not always, but it happens.

Unknown said...

I like your list Lexa and definitely I like lists despite the fact that I never manage to follow them.

How do I add my blog to your blog hop? I tried to email the email address you have there but the email bounced back undelivered.

My blog's details:

Into the Imagination Vortex
https://auraeadon.space

SENCO Cat Herder said...

Hi Lexa - sorry I've been away so long but really glad to be back and joining in the Celebrate blog hop. I love lists - I'd be lost without one but I still find it hard to cross somethings off and they do stay on there a long, old time!! I'm very impressed you say you've got so much crossed off of yours already! Keep busy and thank you for hosting :) Special Teaching at Pempi’s Palace

Suzanne Furness said...

It's very satisfying to be able to tick accomplishments off a list! Sounds like you've been very busy. Sorry I didn't make a celebrations post this week but will be back next week.

Heather R. Holden said...

Whoa, what a list! Congrats on getting 75% of it completed! (Probably more than 75% now, since it's Saturday already, LOL.) I'm always making lists myself in my planner. I often don't accomplish everything, but I probably still accomplish more than I would without it...

Shah Wharton said...

I need lists, but rarely write them because I'm disorganised (putting it kindly)! Plus, if I saw a list of everything I have to do each day I'd run and wouldn' stop until my lungs shrivelled up. :(

X

Anonymous said...

I make lists all the time. They keep me on track. Good luck with yours. You can do it.

Julia Thorley said...

That is one helluva list! I'm a firm believer in the power of a good list. Somehow once something is written down, the task is started. I didn't have time to post a CTST on Friday, but I'm about to post something - it's Sunday evening. Oh, well.

kimlajevardi.com said...

My version of lists are stickies piled up on or near my keyboard. Same system at work as well. Not exactly the queen of organization. ;)

Rhonda Albom said...

Wow, that is quite the list. I love that you had add the details, like cooking the food. I am a huge list person. I use Wunderlist, for two main reasons, first I can have shared lists with each member of my family, and when I finish something and tick it off it makes an awesome ting sound :)

Joylene Nowell Butler said...

I used to make lists. When they became so large that I had trouble crossing them off, I think I just gave up. But you're right, keeping lists makes life easier. Good thing I read this post!

Kelley said...

I make lists for everything. I use Evernote to digitally track them, but I've also been known to stick post-its to my cell phone. \o/

Beverly Stowe McClure said...

That's a lot of freebies. I think I'm too late for some of them.

Yes, I am a list maker. Every day I list what I hope to do that day. Otherwise, I forget. I don't always succeed in every task I plan, so add it to the next day's list. Without my list I'd probably do very little. It motivated me to be able to check an item that I finished.

Great post.

Catherine Stine said...

I always make lists! If I didn't have my Google calendar and ability to make paper lists I would be in big trouble.

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