How to Use Canva in Your Writing

Great tips for using Canva to create great stunning graphics reblogged from Worddreams.

Jacqui Murray's avatar

canvaNo one disagrees with the importance of the visual in communicating. The problem usually is creating it. Most writers are great at wordsmithing, but not so good at matching colors, picking fonts and font sizes, and then laying everything out artistically. It’s much easier to leave the artistry for the artists. When Microsoft Publisher came out over twenty-five years ago, it was the first major desktop publishing effort to make it easy to blend layout, colors, and multimedia. Unfortunately, it was (and continues to be) an expensive piece of software not traditionally included in Microsoft’s Office Suite (though that changed with Office 365).

Say hello to Canva. It’s web-based (including apps available for iPads and Chromebooks) with a drag-and-drop functionality that makes the design process simple and intuitive. You can create professional presentations, posters, multi-page documents, marketing materials, social media graphics, and more using Canva’s more than 1 million photos…

View original post 474 more words

Colleen’s Weekly #Poetry Challenge # 35 – FAIRY & MAGIC

Thrilled to discover I am poet of the week – Colleen’s weekly poetry challenge. Thank you Colleen. Read this reblogged post to read all the entries and details of Yecheilyah Ysrayl’s poetry contest that Colleen is hosting on her blog. She is one of the judges!

Blog Tour and Cover Reveal: Linda G. Hill – The Magician’s Curse

Cover reveal and Blog Tour Guest

Today, I am delighted to welcome fellow member of the Facebook Authors/Bloggers Rainbow Support Club, author Linda G. Hill as my Blog Tour/Cover Reveal guest.

Her release is entitled The Magician’s Curse. How exciting! I love the sound of that….

When Herman Anderson leaves home to make a better life for herself, she doesn’t expect to meet a tall, dark stranger with whom she’ll fall hopelessly in love.

Charming and mysterious, Stephen Dagmar is a stage magician seeking an assistant. The moment he sets eyes on Herman, he knows she’s the one. He brings her home to his Victorian mansion where they embark upon an extravagant romance. Yet a shadow hangs over their love. Will the curse on his family end Stephen and Herman’s happily ever after, before it really begins?

Amidst lace and leather, innocence and debauchery, The Magician’s Curse begins the Gothic tale of The Great Dagmaru. Magic and romance await.

Book Cover for 'The Magicians Curse' by Author Linda G.Hill

 

Official release date: June 27, 2017! Pre-order your Kindle copy today here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0721ZH2KN

Available soon on Kobo, and on June 27th in paperback on Amazon.

An excerpt from Chapter 2:

The moment Stephen stepped out the door, the foyer fell silent again. He didn’t have to look at any of the interviewees perched, alert upon burgundy velvet-covered benches against both sides of the room, to know their eyes were on him. They were drawn to him as though he were a human magnet, just as Herman had been. He passed the stairs, turned right, and stepped into the dining room where his agent, Margaret, waited for him to arrive.

“Hey,” she said without looking up. She sat poring over the applications that were strewn across the large antique dining room table. He closed the door behind him and leaned against it, staring at the top of her dark mane of hair shining in the light of the chandelier above her head. Her long, graceful fingers, poised to turn a page, were an elegant extension of the rest of her lithe body. Finally, she looked up and took in his appearance with icy-green eyes. She was every bit as beautiful as any of the women outside.

“What’s the matter with you?” she asked. Being inseparable for five years, both as best friends and then co-workers, made it easy for her to tell when there was something different, however subtle, about him.

“I found her,” Stephen said, his back still to the door.

“Who?”

“She has a perfect body and long, brown hair and the bluest eyes you’ve ever seen. And her lips! Full and beautiful. And the way they move when she speaks … absolutely captivating.”

Margaret narrowed her eyes. “You hired someone on the train again, didn’t you?” It was a statement more than a question.

Stephen nodded.

“Okay,” she said, sitting back in her chair. “Tell me more about her.”

“I think she’s running away from home. She has a job to go to, but she agreed to come and check this one out. She’s sweet and innocent and she’s almost eighteen.”

Margaret crossed her arms and narrowed her eyes even more.

“No, I didn’t audition her the same way I did the others,” he said.

“So you didn’t bang her in the limo on the way here.”

“No! She’s not of age. And anyway, I knew from the second I saw her that she’s the one.”

Margaret began to say something just as the door opened on the far side of the room to her left, and Nina came in from the kitchen. Both Stephen and Margaret glanced at the slight young woman and then at each other.

“Should I leave the two of you alone?” Margaret asked.

Stephen shook his head almost imperceptibly and walked over to have a quiet word with the girl. After a few seconds she bowed and backed out of the room, and Stephen turned back to his friend.

“Well then,” Margaret said, throwing her hands up and glaring down at the stacks of paper in front of her. “Tell them all to go home.”

“No, I still want to interview them.”

“What the hell for?”

“Herman might not take the job.”

Margaret raised her eyebrows. “Herman?”

“Yeah.”

“Okay, let me get this straight. You’re telling me she’s the one you want but that she might not stay. I’m confused.”

He stood, silently pleading with his friend to understand what he had only begun to comprehend himself.

“What the hell is wrong with you, Stephen? I’ve never seen you undone like this before …”

Margaret put her hand up to her mouth, realization dawning on her face. “Oh my God,” she said quietly.

He closed his eyes as he spoke. “It doesn’t matter whether or not she’ll be my assistant, Margaret.” He opened his eyes and swallowed hard. “She’s the girl I’m going to marry.”

About the Author

unnamed (3)

Linda G. Hill was born and raised an only child in Southern Ontario, Canada. She credits the time she spent alone when she was growing up, reading books and building worlds and characters of her own to keep her company, as the reason she became a writer.

A stay-at-home mom of three beautiful boys, Linda is a graduate of the Writing Program at St. Lawrence College in Brockville, Ontario. Aside from caring for her family, she enjoys traveling the world, eating trout cooked on the barbecue, and, of course, reading.

Follow Linda:

Main blog: https://lindaghill.com

Fiction and Poetry blog: https://lindaghillfiction.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lindaghill.fiction/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/LindaGHill

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/15577348.Linda_G_Hill

And on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Linda-G.-Hill/e/B01K2LICL0/

 

I enjoyed that snippet,  definitely sounded like a book I’d like to add to my TBR pile. What about you?

312de992-fdae-4619-a140-279eec2d8b59

 

85978B3EEB2A2F45468E6707CEAFE70D

If you’d like to join my Facebook Club – Authors/Bloggers Rainbow Support Club, please get in touch. Administrators: myself, Colleen, and Debby Gies .

Here are my links:

My New Facebook club : Rainbow Support Club

Twitter: @marjorie_mallon and @curseof_time

Goodreads
Instagram
Facebook Page

Tumblr

A Friend In Trouble

So sorry to hear that my good friend Irene is in intensive care in hospital, reblogging this to share the news. I shall be thinking of her and her family and hoping that she will get well. Please spread the positive energy by reblogging this post and sharing on social media. Thanks.

AmyRose🌹's avatarCreating Heaven On Earth

I was just notified this morning that a good friend of mine, Irene (IreneDesign2011), is very ill in a hospital in her city.  Her daughter, Claire, requested help from me to get the word out that her Mother needs prayer, Light and Energy, good thoughts, sent now.  If any of you know Irene will you please reblog this post and assist me to get to as many of Irene’s friends as possible so they know about this situation?

The following is the exact message Claire, Irene’s daughter requested I write in this post:

“I am not sure who is reading this but I hope it is read by Irene’s friends and followers.  I am her daughter, my name is Claire, and would like to give you an update on this story.  As I cannot guess her password to the computer, I cannot write a separate post for you to receive…

View original post 459 more words

What a WINNER Of A Day! #BloggersBash2017 #SundayBlogShare

I had an amazing day at the Bloggers Bash, it was wonderful to meet up with old friends and make some new ones too. Ritu at But I Smile Anyway was the deserved winner of the Best Overall Blog, so to honour her wonderful accomplishment I’m reblogging her post.

195 Powerful Verbs That’ll Instantly Spice Up Your Writing

Powerful verbs to use in your writing reblog from Colleen Chesebro Source: Jerry Jenkins.

Help! Do I Really NEED an ISBN?

Excellent post about ISBN’s, the free or paid versions via Just Can’t Help.Writing

vanderso's avatarJust Can't Help Writing

For book writers and lovers

As I was finishing up my posts on how to format your own Print-on-Demand book interior using InDesign, I reached the point where I found myself writing about copyright pages and ISBNs. I wrote confidently, “You must have an ISBN.” In a recent post, I recounted my own experience buying an ISBN for my paperback copy of King of the Roses and my upcoming publication of a POD version of Blood Lies.

But a query from a reader triggered research that suggested that my advice might be a little too simplistic. I found arguments that seemed to undercut that that screaming need for an ISBN.

Those posts inspired me to look a little more carefully into the question. In this post, I’ll explain what I’ve gathered from searching out a range of opinions.

My research suggests that if you were publishing only digitally, as of this writing, you WON’T…

View original post 1,731 more words

My Review of 13 Steps To Evil – How to Craft Superbad Villians by Sacha Black

 

 

33297419

Goodreads Synopsis:

Your hero is not the most important character in your book. Your villain is.
 
Are you fed up of drowning in two-dimensional villains? Frustrated with creating clichés? And failing to get your reader to root for your villain?
  
In 13 Steps to Evil, you’ll discover: 
 
How to develop a villain’s mindset
A step-by-step guide to creating your villain from the ground up
Why getting to the core of a villain’s personality is essential to make them credible
What pitfalls and clichés to avoid as well as the tropes your story needs
  
Finally, there is a comprehensive writing guide to help you create superbad villains. Whether you’re just starting out or are a seasoned writer, this book will help power up your bad guy and give them that extra edge.

These lessons will help you master and control your villainous minions, navigate and gain the perfect balance of good and evil, as well as strengthening your villain to give your story the tension and punch it needs.
 
If you like dark humour, learning through examples and want to create the best villains you can, then you’ll love Sacha Black’s guide to crafting superbad villains. Read 13 steps to evil today and start creating kick ass villains. 

My review:

Confession time. No, it’s nothing to do with my prison record, or my descent into villainy. It’s simply this – I’m pretty lazy about reading books about writing  – but Sacha Black’s 13 Steps To Evil has completely changed my mind! What a fantastic kick ass little book! I wish I’d read a copy years ago.

It’s a detailed resource, which informs and entertains in an illuminating, and humorous way. There are so many excellent examples that I am giddy with the potential for villains. The mental health section is handled with great sensitivity (one of my characters self-harms, so I read this with considerable interest,) and I was also fascinated by the detail on narcissistic personality disorder too.

Sacha’s extensive knowledge of villains prompts me to ask….. Is Sacha a secret villain? Or has she been hanging out with dodgy characters?  The mind boggles. No, none of these apply… at least I don’t think so! Sacha Black has done her research, and it shows. She studied Psychology to 1st Class Degree level and thereafter completed Masters in Research Methods in Cognitive Neuropsychology.  She has also spent an exorbitant amount of time watching villainous films, (from a tender age,) and has read tonnes of books, and absorbed popular culture like a sponge.   Where does this woman get her energy? I am in awe, totally star-stuck… or should I say villain struck!

My recommendation: 5 stars. Get a copy now and write a review. Share the love!

Check out the current Blog Tour hosts….

Blog-Tour-e1495786019449

DISCLAIMER: “We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.”  

My opinions are my own and any reviews on this site have not been swayed or altered in any way by monetary compensation, or by the offer of a free book in exchange for a review. 

 

Original Photo

Buy Links: http://books2read.com/13stepstoevil

Let’s hit the books!!

unnamed (1)

 

85978B3EEB2A2F45468E6707CEAFE70D

My social media hang outs:

Twitter: @marjorie_mallon
My New Facebook club : Authors/Bloggers Rainbow Support Club

world-childrens-day-520272_1280

Goodreads

Instagram

Twitter

Facebook

Tumblr

Villains: A Guest Post by Sacha Black, Author of 13 Steps to Evil

Time to get your evil on…. Sacha Black’s 13 Steps to Evil is here. I’m reading it and I know you will want to too. Find out all about villains and those blog tour hosts… I shall be reviewing soon on Kyrosmagica so keep an eye out for that. 🙂

Meet Eleionomae, the Fairy Nymph from The Heart Stone Chronicles: The Swamp Fairy

Here’s your chance meet Eleioomae the Fairy Nymph from Colleen Chesebro’s The Heart Stone Chronicles – The Swamp Fairy. She’s fluttering about on Kev’s blog – KC Books and Music.