Small victory
multiplied.
Big tasks
divided
into
parts
so
small–
how could I not succeed?
Deadlines
focus goals.
Day by day,
Chew each bite thoroughly.
Done!
Launch hope with a key stroke.
Completion is victory enough,
but still…
Fingers crossed.
Giveaway! Book promo. February 19, 2019
A couple of weeks ago, I did a book review for The Emotion Thesaurus 2nd edition. Today is official release day, and the authors have an amazing contest going!
I love their product and I love writing conferences, so I fully endorse The Emotion Thesaurus 2nd edition AND their contest. Here’s their info:
This second edition is more than a new cover. It’s been been enhanced and expanded to include 55 new entries and double the teaching material. Now we can go even deeper when showing our characters’ emotions!
You can read some of the reviews on Goodreads or find more information here.
Also, one more thing to share…a MEGA-OPPORTUNITY to win something amazing!
GIVEAWAY ALERT:
To celebrate the new book & its dedicated readers, Angela and Becca have an unbelievable giveaway on right now: one person will win a free writing retreat, conference, workshop, or professional membership to a writing organization, winner’s choice (up to $500 US, with some other conditions which are listed on the WHW site).
What conference would you attend if the fee was already paid for…or would you choose a retreat? Something else? Decisions, decisions! This giveaway ends on February 26th, so hurry over and enter!
short listed! July 28, 2016
Yay! A short short story I wrote for a Writers’ Digest contest has been shortlisted to the Top 5. How exciting! Now the public can vote on their favourite. The winner will be published in Writers’ Digest magazine. I would so appreciate your support! The stories are here: You don’t have enough points, sir. I’m Entry B. (Think B for Bird 🙂 ) You just have cut and paste into their comments to vote. Easy peasy. Please vote for me! Thanks!
poem- travels December 29, 2014
Anew
you are printed,
packaged
addressed,
journeying to a distant place
unfolding before distant eyes
to be judged
and found worthy
or not.
In time,
you may find
a measure of fame
or fortune between
the pages of some book
but for now
you are just
another manuscript
off in the mail.
.
.
(Sending off a short story to a local ‘prestigious’ writing contest. The story was short listed a couple of months ago in a contest worth twice the prize money, so who knows? These things are so subjective.)
poem-extensions July 15, 2014
Gifts of
more time or
instantly
lengthened hair:
Signs of desperation
somewhere.
Bearded men are sexy (or at least, entertaining) September 26, 2012
These men are an inspiration! I love the whacky sense of humour and commitment it takes to wear facial art like this.
At the fair a couple weeks ago, I noticed a man with an impressive growth of beard, suffering somewhat, as the nest on his face appeared to be full of melted ice cream. He looked a trifle sheepish. Such dramatic hair plainly offers hazards to everyday life!
Though the character looks like he might be an evil henchman, I’m quite intrigued by this clever use of colour:
Worried about bats in your hair? How about a stork in your beard? 🙂 Check out those mischievous blue eyes!
Check out more over at: http://www.buzzfeed.com/mjs538/the-best-pictures-from-the-2012-world-beard-and-mu
heart pounding contest entering September 9, 2012
My heart is pounding as if I’d just been running a race.
Was I?
No.
All I did was push “Send.”
I find it interesting, in a curiously analytical way, that one little finger drop, a quarter inch of movement, can cause such palpitations.
The last time I felt like this, I was dropping a manuscript into the mail.
And so I am again, I suppose.
A short story is off to a Big Contest.
Big as in: Famous judges. Serious cash.
This is the kind of contest that
has professionals entering:
the ‘in some circles rather famous’
kind of professionals.
I’m joining the game, and now begins the wait.
How close to their skill am I?
Will my entry wallow in the ‘not quite there’ pile
or shine in the ‘consider this’ pile?
I’ve done all that I can do.
It’s gone,
and my heart pounds a tattoo of farewell.
Now we wait
to see which possibility
unfolds.
Writers Wanted! May 23, 2012
The Rotary Club of Salmon Arm (Shuswap) a.k.a. Shuswap Rotary Club has an awesome fund raiser that we’d love you to be part of!
We are searching for writers of poetry, fiction and creative non-fiction (plus photographers) to submit their work for an opportunity to be published in an anthology called On the Shores of Shuswap Lake. The work must relate to life in the Shuswap, and fit within the length criteria, otherwise, you’re free to explore all options! The deadline for submissions is July 31st.
You grant non-exclusive rights to Shuswap Rotary to publish your work in the anthology. Non-exclusive means that as far as Shuswap Rotary is concerned, you’re welcome to offer the piece to any other publication or contest, even if it’s accepted for the anthology. An entry fee of $10 must accompany your work, and is considered a donation to Rotary, to support our community and international projects.
What would you like to write about?
Your first houseboating trip? An interesting wild flower? Geographical strata? Your grandmother? An adventure at your summer cabin? The time you nearly drowned in Shuswap Lake? Watching the salmon run at Adams River?
Deadline is July 31st, 2012. We’re looking forward to hearing from you!
Here’s the official info and fine print:
HandbillOntheShoresShuswapLake
What are those community and international projects undertaken by Shuswap Rotary? Here are a few:
Blackburn Park universal access playground, Victim Services, Air Force Cadets, Women’s Shelter, R. J. Haney House Museum, Salmon Arm Fall Fair, Sheltered Workshop, Barani Kenya Lunch Program, Fathers’ Day Fishing Derby, Guatemala Midwives, Music Festival, Ecuador Dental Mission, Gamma Probe for Salmon Arm Hospital, Highway clean ups, Trail maintenance…
VIDEO CONTEST! October 3, 2011
Create a short video relating to the first scene
of
Grace Awakening Book one: Awakening Dreams
that takes place in a school bandroom
(see the selection from the sample here).
Be creative!
Interview characters?
Re-enact the scene?
Report like a newscaster?
Describe the event from the characters’ perspectives?
Describe from curious anonymous classmates’ perspectives?
.
Rules:
- video must be between 30 and 120 seconds long
- video must show the full title and author’s name on screen for 5-10 seconds
- video must be original and creative (For example, please don’t use music that you don’t own rights to)
- upload your brilliant video to youtube.com and then submit the link to lintusen.press@telus.net or to http://www.facebook.com/shawnlbird.
- DEADLINE for submissions: November 15, 2011.
Entrants are given permission to print off a copy of sample linked above in order to draft a script, or for other reference.
Shawn L. Bird 