The Freestyle Writing Challenge (Challenge accepted….)

Thanks to Candice for nominating me for this fun challenge! Check out her blog she’s a fantastic writer and you’ll love her posts – don’t pass her by! 

So – what’s the challenge I hear you cry? Here’s the rules…

Rules of the Challenge:

1. Open a blank document.
2. Set a stop watch or mobile phone timer to 5 minutes.

I’ve posted a topic at the bottom of this post for you to use as your inspiration but don’t scroll down until the second you’re ready to write!!!!

Once you start writing don’t stop until the alarm sounds! (Or else!)

3. Do not cheat by going back and correcting spelling and grammar using spell check. (The challenge is only meant for you to reflect on your own control of sensible thought-flow and for you to reflect on your ability to write with correct spelling and grammar.)

4. You may or may not pay attention to punctuation or capitals.

5. At the end of your post, write down “No. of words = ____” to give an idea of how much you can write within the timeframe.

6. Copy and paste the entire passage on your blog post with a new topic for your nominees, and copy / paste these rules along with your nomination of three bloggers (or more if you like!). – also feel free to take part in this challenge anyway even if I don’t nominate you! 😆
Here’s the freestyle writing challenge I was nominated for:

The inspiration for my challenge (supplied by Candice) was this –

You have just purchased your first home. It is old and not in the best condition. It is so terrible that everyone even the neighbors has warned you not to purchase it, but you have. On day one of moving in, as soon as you step across the threshold of the front door, you are transported into another place in time. Where have you gone? What is happening there? Who is there with you?

And here is my five minute freestyle response. I managed 213 words 😆

I bought this house on a whim. I was warned not to, but I’ve always been one to do the opposite of what people tell me. Now here I am with this old dump which I simply swore I could fix up within a year. I jiggle the keys in the lock and step over the threshold. I remember the layout of the hallway well, it was dark and smelt of damp; the floorboard rotten to the core and a large hole on the left where the wood has collapsed right through. But this isn’t the place I remember. I blink as I take in the room as I hear the door click shut behind me. The floorboards are like new, there’s no damp, no mildew, no fungus, woodworms or leaky ceiling. This room looks like it must have fifty years ago, maybe more. A wisp of light catches my attention in the corner of my eye. I swing about, squinting in the direction of the kitchen which I know consisted of a grimy sink and stank like mould. I step toward the wisp of light which is now hovering in the doorway to the kitchen. 

“Hello?” 

The wisp makes a noise like a finger running around the rim of a wine glass.  

Here are my nominations:

1) Tanaz Masaba

2) Inkcouragement

3) Susanne Valenti

HERE IS YOUR CHALLENGE:

You drop in unexpectedly on a friend to suprise them after returning from a long trip. You find their front door wide open and decide to go inside. After calling out and recieving no response you move further into the house. On inspecting the lounge you spot a bookcase across the room which has been dragged forward to reveal a door. You cross the room and hear angry voices approaching from behind. What do you do? 
Have fun! 😀

I’ve Been Nominated for the Blogger Recognition Award! #FeelingSmug

Thanks so much to Suesreadingcorner! Take a moment to check out her fantastic blog (you won’t regret it!)

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So how does this Blogger Recognition Award work?

Here are the rules….

1. Select 15 other blogs you want to give this award to. Do some digging if you must! Find those blogs. You cannot nominate yourself of the person who has nominated you.
2. Write a post to show off your award! Give a brief story of how your blog got started, and give a piece or two advice to new bloggers. List who nominated you in your post. Make sure to attach the award yourself!
3. Comment on each blog to let them know you’ve nominated them. Provide a link to your award post.
4. Provide a link to the original post on Edge of Night. This way, anyone can find the original post if needed, and we can keep it from mutating and becoming confusing!

Why I started blogging:

I started blogging as the lead up to publishing my fantasy YA book Creeping Shadow later this year. I have discovered blogging to be so much more rewarding (and not to mention addictive) than I had ever expected! It’s been an amazing resource to find like-minded readers and writers that share the same passion as I do for books.

So here’s my two pieces of advice:

  1. For anyone considering blogging I say go for it! It is an amazing way to make connections with people all over the world who share a common interest who you can discuss your passions with!
  2. Write about the things you love. My most popular posts are always the ones that I have enjoyed writing the most. I love rambling on about all the ins and outs of writing and, it turns out, so do a lot of other people! Yay!

Here are my nominations for the Blogger Recognition Award:

  1. Phantomwriter
  2. Koolitzable
  3. Anansi2050
  4. Booksatdawn
  5. Susannevalenti
  6. Damyantiwrites
  7. Chrispavesic
  8. Myredabyss
  9. 1951Club
  10. Helenpollardwrites
  11. Astro7747
  12. SNBradywriter
  13. Analindenblog
  14. KLparry
  15. Icameforthesoup

Are you a member of the grammar police? (Five examples that will make you mad!)

I think I’m asking for it with this post so hopefully I don’t make any mistakes haha!
But I’m not really talking about accidental mis-spellings (everyone makes mistakes!) but what really grinds my gears is the wrong use of….

There, Their and They’re,  it’s, its, and its’ …and don’t get me started on the wrong use of apostrophes…

So here are my top five examples of bad grammar that will get right under your skin:

5)

  

 They got the last one right! *bangs head against wall* They got…the last one…right…
4)

  

  If that’s what she finds inspiration in I think we’d better avoid this woman…

3)

  

If there’s one certain way to undermine an insult…
2)

  

That is literally tattooed on your skin for life.
And for my handpicked number one…it had to be this…

1)

  
Correcting bad grammar with bad grammar. Need I say any more?

If you laugh…you have to subscribe! Mahahaha

Okay so i have very few subscribers and though I deeply love you both (haha) I would like to have a few more!

BUT I’m not asking you to subscribe willy nilly. Why would you? When you could be out subscribing to J.K.Rowling, or Cassandra Clare or George R.R Martin. Why don’t you go subscribe to those people right? Afterall, they’re offering you something already! 

So I present to you a challenge! If you laugh at the following meme you must honour your vow to subscribe but if not I’ll let you go on your way – and I don’t want any pity subscribers either! 

By subscribing to my newsletter you’ll get all the latest updates on my writing before anyone else! But also tips, tricks, and deals! I won’t spam you either, I promise! And, of course, I won’t share your email with anyone else and any time you want to unsubscribe you’re just one click away from doing so!

Here we are then….remember if you laugh you have to subscribe! If you can’t face the pressure then maybe you should turn back before it’s too late!

  
Laugh = Subscribe

No Laugh = May we meet again
You can click up there to subscribe or you can click here to subscribe

Or even ———————–> here
Oh and, just for your information, this one seriously had me laughing 

Day Two of the Three Days, Three Quotes Challenge!

Hey guys so it’s day two of the challenge and I realised I forgot to tag people in it yesterday to pass it on haha woops! So I’ll tag extra people today (aren’t you lucky! You’re just rubbing your hands together hopin’ I’m gonna nominate you – aww now I feel bad if I don’t…)

Today’s quote is from the late Robin Williams. I love it and think it says it all so I’m shutting up now and giving you the quote!

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And here are my tags:

1) susannevalenti

2) S.W.Lothian

3) Candice

4) Josephine

5) Doug

6) Paperback Discovery

I’ve been nominated for the 3 days, 3 quotes challenge!

Firstly I want to say a hugggeeeeee thank you to the Fiction Fairy for nominating me. You can check out her blog here ( It’s really worth it!!)

So without further ado I give you my Day One Quote:

I was going to quote Harry Potter but I thought hmmm you all know the best Harry P quotes so instead I chose a quote from Alan Rickman who plays Snape in the films (He is a legend!). And (for those of you who know the books well) this quote is absolute genius…

Harry-Potter-Snape-Quotes-4

 

I’ve been nominated for the Versatile Blogging Award (I can’t believe it!)

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Thank you so much to Christine.B for nominating me. Check out her blog here – you won’t regret it! Her musings are passionate, funny, inspiring and quirky and you might even catch a glimpse of her gorgeoussss dog in a photo or two!

So! What’s this versatile blogging malarkey all about? Telling you seven things about myself of course – what? Wasn’t it obvious? (It really wasn’t…)

So here are seven things about me you probably didn’t know (and if you did you must be psychic or a mindreading stalker – ooo a mindreading stalker that’s a scary thought!)

Just for the hell of it I’m gonna number each one in spanish (don’t ask me why…)

Numero Uno – I love to run! I run 4 miles at least three times a week! It’s my favourite exercise because I can get up into the hills, run off road through the fields and just be completely alone with my thoughts. It’s a fantastic way to work out kinks in my book and also time to just escape from the world for a while. #bliss

Dos – I was brought up as a vegetarian and have never eaten meat! I bet that one made you pause haha. I get a lot of questions about this one because many people simply can’t believe I’ve gone my whole life without tasting the meatyness of meat but oh well! Doesn’t bother me XD

Tres – I live in the most quaint, quintessentially English town you could ever imagine! It’s famous for being the home of Winston Churchill and tourists flock here all year round! The town hosts all kinds of old fashioned events on the green from wartime fairs with a real life warhorse descendent called Hercules who pulls his own carriage (including bringing santa to town at christmas!)

The view from my window
The view from my window

Cuatro – I’m an adventurer and thrill seeker at heart. Every year I jet set off on my own to a foreign land and pack as much sightseeing, hiking, and adrenalin activities in as I physically can. I aim to see the world one holiday at a time!

So far I’ve trekked the great wall of china, skydived, scuba dived, bungy jumped and rode an elephant bareback in Thailand, crossed the southern states of the USA from LA to New York camping all the along the way from winning in Vegas, trying my hand at a shooting range in Texas (apparently I’m a natural!), riding in a helicopter over the Grand Canyon, horse riding on a ranch in Utah, dining with the native americans in Monument Valley, lived it up in New Orleans, cycling around Washington DC in a desperate plight to visit every museum, white house and monument in town, running up the Rocky steps in Philadelphia and sightseeing in New York. This year I’m flying to Australia where I will be travelling alll the way round woohooo! Adventure is in my soul! And that’s why I love to write it too!

Me on the Great Wall of China
Me on the Great Wall of China

Cinco – I drive a Mini Cooper (I know, I know I’m the most english person that ever lived right?) I love driving and have actually been congratulated on my parallel parking by several onlookers on various occassions! ( If you saw where I have to park every day and seen the pubload of afternoon drinkers in front of me while I do it, I think you’d agree I cope pretty damn well under pressure!)

Seis – I’ve been single for four solid years! *gasp* – No, seriously! And I’ve loved every minute of it! I’ve learnt to become independent, live on my own, travel alone and be comfortable with just being alone. One of my favourite quotes that sums up a period of singledom is this:

“Appreciate being single because that’s when you grow the most. And with that growth, you come to know what you’re looking for.”  – Daniel Goddard

This just says it all...
This just says it all…

Siete – And last but not least I’m a bit of a zombie fantatic! I often have intense dreams (nightmares???)  about surviving a zombie apocalypse! My favourite tv show is The Walking Dead and I recently bought tickets to the first ever walkerstalker convention coming to London and the cast are all gonna be there! (For fans of TWD – Norman Reedus just signed up and I’m peeing my pants with excitement!) and to give you an idea of how crazy I and those I’m going with are….we are dressing up – oh yes! I have literally seen every zombie film and tv show ever made and like to think I have a pretty good idea of what to do if zombies come to town…

So there you are! I may have put you off me for life or (hopefully) given you a bit of reasonably interesting info about me that momentarily distracted you from that paint drying on the wall!

Thanks for reading!

Here are my seven nominees:

1) Phantomwriter

2) Candice

3) S.W.Lothian

4) Jacobmet

5) Tasha

6) DileepSankhla

7) Miss Benison