IWSG: Keep Calm & GRRR ARGGHH!

It's September and time for the Insecure Writers Support Group post.  A special thanks to Alex J. Cavanaugh for creating this monthly opportunity to purge all our ill thoughts on writing. I also want to give a shout out to all the co-hosts: Julie Flanders, Murees Dupé, Dolorah at Book Lover, Christine Rains, andHeather Gardner!

IWSG:  Keep Calm & GRRR ARGGHH!

I just want to say thank you to all my friends who had such kind words to say about Fred.  As I mentioned, Fred's passing left a real emptiness with our family, but we are doing much better now.  And Fred's ashes are safely back with us so things are indeed better.  On a side note, I find myself snuggling more with the other pooch, Spike, because the poor thing was seriously depressed after his buddy died.  I never knew that dogs would be so effected by another dog's passing, but apparently that can happen.  It's a pack thing and I feel silly for not realizing that sooner.  For the dogs remaining, you have to watch them closely for signs and give them additional attention.  I learned that after reading a few of Cesar Millan blog posts.  All is well here as are hearts are slowly on on the mend.

That said, my kids have gone back to school and we've been fine-tuning our schedule of activities and so forth. I mention this because my schedule is paramount when trying to fit in my writing.  I've also done some major purge-cleaning and plan on doing more of that in the coming months to help keep me more organized.  So far so good.

With that, my goal this month is to keep calm and write a ton.  Since most of my friends are Joss Whedon fans, I wanted to share with you all this throwback that just made me chuckle and gave me some inspiration.

(Source)

What are your insecurities this month?

Happy writing.  Have a great week!

Mina Burrows

Rest in Peace Fred

It is with great sadness that I inform you all that Freddie, my faithful dog and beloved friend for the past sixteen years, passed away last Thursday night. Words cannot describe the hole I feel within my heart since he left us. This may sound strange to some of you, but Fred was truly a vital part of our family.  Since he was a puppy and well throughout his life, his happy-go-lucky personality and unconditional love were always there, offering our family (me, in particular) silent support. I suspect in the future there will be countless days where I will subconsciously call for him as if he's still alive. I always knew I was blessed to have a dog as wonderful as Fred, but now more than ever, I feel the blessing tenfold. To me, he will always be one of God's finest creatures.

Rest in peace Fred. We miss you dearly.  

Freddie, July 4, 1999 - July 30, 2015.

Mina Burrows

Friday Summer Blend: IWSG, NetFlix, & Fred

It's July everyone!  Can't believe how much 2015 has disappeared.  TGIF, though.  Since I've missed too many Fridays this year, I decided to do a quick Friday post featuring a few topics such as, IWSG, NetFlix, & last but not least....Fred.

Insecure Writers Support Group

Although I missed Insecure Writers Support Group this month, I wanted to post a brief comment on my insecurity status. It's been a few months since I posted with IWSG and there are no excuses other than work and taking care of my family. That said, my biggest insecurity surrounds my inability to manage my time better. This month, I've managed to get back on track though. I'm back into writing and of course editing. I found this clever image online on precisely how I feel about editing. Other than that, I'm still plugging along.

What about you? What type of insecurities do you have plaguing you this month?  

So true!

What's Hot on Netflix - Sense8

From IMDB, the Netflix original series Sense8 is about "a group of people around the world are suddenly linked mentally, and must find a way to survive being hunted by those who see them as a threat to the world's order."

After binge-watching this series, I have to say this brief description above doesn't do the show justice. In the Sense 8 world, there are a group of individuals who are connected mentally and have the ability to communicate with each other despite being located in various countries all over the world. It's amazing how these eight individuals can get into trouble and what's cool is these eight can physically support each other when dire circumstances arise. Have a problem with a drug dealer or gangster? No problem. When you're a part of the Sense 8, just call upon the group's ninja master to step into your body and kick some ass. Yeah, it has some intense action like that, and it's endless in this series. If you get a chance, don't hesitate to watch it!

On a side note, this series has graphic nudity and content and is definitely a Rated R series.  Not for the kiddos, folks.

Fridays with Fred - Birthday Boy

Last weekend Fred turned 16.  I thought it was 17, but then double-checked and realized, he's only 16.  And for those that don't know, he's an Independence baby too since his birthday is on July 4th.  Last weekend, Fred, my loyal friend, celebrated another year of greatness.  He's getting up there and at times moves slow.  Other times, he's limber and still likes to jump and frolic with his two-year old friend, Spike.  Some days he can hang, others not so much.  Anyway, it's been too long since I posted about Fred.  For those interested, he's still kicking!  Happy Birthday, Fred!

Stay tuned on Monday when I post about a review on another book I read from fellow author friend, Marcy Hatch and her latest novel, West of Paradise.

Hope you all have a great weekend.  See you next week!

Mina Burrows

Fabulous Friday, News & Fred

It's Friday. Woot! I have had a hellish sort of a week. What about you? Work has managed to squeeze every ounce of me these last few weeks, but guess what....I've still managed to get some writing done late at night. Hah! Take that world! This is no small feat for me, because between my family and running a business, writing is incredibly difficult to fit in. Which is flipping sad, isn't it? Eh, that's life. Anyway, I've tallied about 10K words in the last week possibly more. Hey, that's a pretty big deal for me. And to celebrate my small accomplishment, and because it's Friday, here's my happy dance:  

Source

Coming up

Underrated Treasures Blogfest:

Alex J. Cavanaugh's Underrated Treasures Blogfest is scheduled this Monday, September 22th.  Post about your favorite unknown MOVIE, BAND/ARTIST, TV SHOW or BOOK.  I'm participating and so can you.  Sign up here!

A-Z Challenge Blog Interview:

I'll be on the A-Z Challenge Blog being interviewed by the one and only, Alex J. Cavanaugh, about my classic monsters theme from this year's A-Z Challenge.  Remember that?  Yeah, good times.  I'll be reminiscing about those thirty days of hell  *clears throat*  writing those titillating posts about creepy, classic monsters.  If you missed them, click on my link of Creepy Classics.  Seriously though, the theme I chose this year was fun, which made the topic easier.  A-Z tip:  It's just like writing.  Pick a theme you love and it won't seem like work. :)  Anyway, I hope you stop on by on September 22nd.  Wahoo!  . :)

Downey Education Fund:  

Tina Downey's tribute was early this month, and wasn't it wonderful to see all the love and support from all the writers and bloggers in the blogosphere?  She was so loved, and she will be missed indeed.  I just wanted to mention again that Downey Education Fund has been created for her children.  If you can spare some money to support, I'm sure her family would greatly appreciate it.  Click here to donate.  And if you can't donate and you're a blogger, please consider adding this icon to your blog with a link to the donation page.  Thank you for your support!

Photo of the Week

This photo comes from Awesome Things in the World and boy is it awesome!  First question I have....do you know what these are?  (And no, you are not allowed to ask Elise Fallson...that's cheating!)  The second question I have is...can you write a caption?  Here's the one I posted.

"It's raining men! Hallelujah it's raining men. Amen!" 

Fridays with Fred:  Fred & Companionship

I think I've mentioned before about Fred getting older, becoming more grouchy and now he's having some health issues too.  He's fifteen years old so with his age comes a myriad of conditions.  *sigh*  That said, we does have good days.  Fred still gets frisky, palling around with his young whippersnapper friend, Spike.  What's it like have two Jack Russells under one roof?  Never a dull moment.

Do you have any plans this weekend?  Have any news you'd like to share?  Are you signed up for the Underrated Treasures Blogfest? Are you happy it's Friday?

Mina Burrows

Friday the 13th Mixup: Campers Not Wanted & Fred

A person can discover a lot things about themselves when they go camping.  Before I began my adventure, I researched, pinned and planned like you wouldn't believe for my family's camping trip.  My goal was to create a wonderful experience with my family.  My husband was on vacation, the kids were on break, I slowed down work for a few days...you get my point.  The idea of jumping into pseudo-survivor mode really had me excited for this excursion.

Well I found out something new about myself.  I'm not a fan of camping. In fact, if the apocalypse heads my way, I probably would be one of the first to go.  The realization is a bit depressing, but that's the truth.

Take away the heat, the noseeums and mosquitoes, my kids whining and Fred almost having a heart attack, it wasn't all that bad.  And yet, it wasn't all that great either.

I never once complained though.  When you're a mom, you often try to please everybody else that I find it's never a good thing to start complaining.  Once you do, then it's like the little ones follow your lead and everything goes down hill.  Camping takes so much work it's mind boggling.  In the end, we left early because the truth is we suck.  Fred wasn't doing so well and the other dog we have, Spike, became ill at the boarders.  All and all it wasn't the best trip, but we did try.

Yum!

When did I realize that camping wasn't for me?  When we left and I ended up asking my husband to stop a restaurant so I could have a rum runner.  Yeah, just 40 minutes of drinking a rum runner and enjoying a mahi mahi sandwich did it for me.

Anyway, I thought I'd share some images of Fred during our trip.  He seldom poses for me anymore.  In fact, he hides.  Bless him he's getting old.  Still, my husband captured these wonderful images of him.

That's it!  Happy Friday the 13th!  And a special Happy Father's Day to all the Dads out there.

Mina Burrows

Friday's Brew

It's Friday.  Whoop Whoop!  I have a few things for my Friday Brew including Katniss Everdeen, an Epic Giveaway and Fred is back too.  Wahoo! #TGIF

Bring on the Fire

To kick start everything, did you know Catching Fire is out on DVD today?  Well it's marketed practically everywhere including that rock we writers sometimes live under.  If you're a loser like me and didn't get a chance to see this in the movie theaters, now's the time to watch in the lap of luxury in your own living room.  Wahoo!  That's my kind of movie-watching.  

On a side note, I can't begin to express how much I loved this series.  When reading Catching Fire, I still can remember how chilling it was for Katniss when President Snow visited her in her own home.  It's such a killer series.  I'm glad the movies are up to par, but seriously folks, if you ever need an escape, Suzanne Collins will take you there with The Hunger Games.

Epic 2000 Followers Giveaway!

Alex J. Cavanaugh's blog is nearing 2000 GFC followers and to celebrate, he's hosting a giveaway! 

He's only a few short of reaching his goal so let's help him, minions!  See the details here.  First place prize includes one copy of the any book in the Cassa sci-fi series, $10 iTunes card, and one book donated to the library (middle school, high school, public) of your choice.  Grand prize – Signed copy of all three books, $10 iTunes card, t-shirt of your choice from Neat-O-Rama, designed by Retro Jeremy Hawkins, and three books donated to the library of your choice.   Those are some wicked prizes, huh?

Fred Snoozing

I mentioned before how Fred is getting older and naps rather frequently.  This is a shot of him in his new bed, where he spends about half of his day sleeping away.  There was a time when I would never be able to sneak up and capture a shot like this.  Those days are over.  He doesn't even move.

Have a wonderful Friday and enjoy your weekend!

Mina B.

Friday Mashup: Fitz and the Tantrums, Friday Flix & Fred

Happy Friday!  Aren't you happy the week's almost over?  I am.  There's a few things that I'm obsessed about this week other than my family, work, Conan O'Brien or my manuscript.  And so I thought I'd share my obsessions this week.    

Fitz and the Tantrums

As I go through the projects I'm working on I can't help but relate to this video by Fitz and the Tantrums.  In their Walker video, this guy is at the DMV and bless him because we all know how maddening that can be.  To be honest though, when I first saw this, I said to myself, "Oh, he must be writing a novel."  Hehe.  Am I right?  Anyway, I really enjoy this band, the video and the song.  You'll have to watch the video on YouTube since it's restricted content here.

Friday Flix

Watch Hansel and Gretel Witch Hunters on NetFlix!

This movie didn't review that well.  In fact, Rotten Tomatoes gave it a 1 star rating.   LOL!  Now I've learned to not read too much into these types of reviews.  Last January this movie released in the US and made a disappointing $55M.  Interestingly enough, the movie then released internationally and was reported to gross a whopping $177M in other countries.  Worldwide, the film made over $225M.  See all the fascinating facts here.   And with numbers like that, you knew there would be a sequel, right?  Yup...see this article from last year mentioning movie number two.

I find it intriguing that even though a movie isn't a hit in the US, it can still be a sensation worldwide.  Have you thought about this perspective with respect to books?  Do you have a favorite book that hasn't made it over to the US yet?  Or if you're an author, are your books doing better in the US as opposed to other countries?

On another note, if you're interested in reading the real-deal, check out my Creepy Classic review of Grimms' Fairy Tales: Hansel and Gretel. Have you read this classic?

Fridays with Fred

Its been some time since I've posted an image of Fred.  I'm sorry to say this but Fred's getting older and is a bit grouchy in his senior years. :(  He has issues with his back legs and frankly I try not to bother him anymore.  Anyway, the kids were playing with the dinosaurs one day and I snapped this one of Fred walking with the dinos.  Can you feel the ground shaking?

Fredrannosaurus Rex

Did you watch the video?  Are you a fan of Hansel and Gretel?  Do ya miss Fred at all?

Hope you have a wonderful weekend.

Mina B. 

Friday Mashup: Hemlock Grove, Twilight Humor, Healthy Writers Club & Fred!

It's Friday, minions.  What a crazy month so far.  What about you?  Let's get to it my Friday Mashup.  I've got werewolves, the Friday funny, Healthy Writers club and Fred to review with you.  So let's get to you.

Friday Review:  Hemlock Grove

I watched the Netflix Orignal Series, Hemlock Grove, and guess what?  I loved it!  No surprise there, huh?  There were some bleh parts but overall I really enjoyed it.  Without giving away too many spoilers, this is a horror series, plain and simple.  Yes, it has werewolves.  You can see that in the previews.  But what's killer is the twist at the end.  As you watch you know the Godfreys are evil, you just don't know what kind of evil.  This series reminded me of movies like the Shining.  It had that raw 70's feel to it that I found alluring.  The story is about a teenager, Peter, who moves to the town of Hemlock Grove with his mom.  His family are a bunch of gypsies and Peter, in particular, happens to be a werewolf.  In a town where bizarre is the norm, Hemlock Grove is loaded with werewolves  supposed-angels, demon-hunters, mystery, horror, sex, death and deception.  Trust me the list freaks in this town goes on and on.  Demented?  Yes.  Worth your time?  Yes.  Watch all 13 episodes of Netflix Original Series "Hemlock Grove" only on Netflix. The Monster Is Within. http://nflx.it/XkG5JC

Check out the trailer.

Friday Funny
Since we're on the subject of werewolves, I had to post this.  I found it on Pinterest and nearly wet my pants.  #classic

  

Check out the "Were" in the background.  He looks pissed, huh?  Let's see if we can do a caption for him.  Here's mine:  "I didn't get any tongue action!  Grrrrr."  Lol


The Healthy Writers Club

Shallee McArthur's meme, The Healthy Writers Club, is back! Since last month was A-Z, I missed a few HWC posts.  So my workouts are going okay, except I hurt my leg somehow which makes running very difficult.  I was trying some sprint conditioning and I think I strained a muscle.  For the last two weeks I've done very little running.  I hope it gets better.  Ever strain a muscle like that before?  Any suggestions to heal it?  And don't say stop working out.  I don't think I can do that now.  Exercise is the only stress relief I have and I don't think I can give it up.  Know what I mean?

Fridays with Fred

HeHe.  There's my buddy, Fred.  He's so tolerant of Spike these days.  Every now and then he issues a bark, growl or snap to assert his dominance.  Show 'em who's top dog, Fred!   :)

Be sure and stop by and visit Schatze over at Mary’s BookHounds too.

Have a wicked weekend.  And be sure and call your mom!

Mina B.

A-Z: "E" is for Emelye from The Knight's Tale

Day 5 of A-Z here  "E" is for Emelye from The Knight's Tale in the Canterbury Tales.  

When Theseus married Hippolyta her young sister, Emelye, moved with her to her new home. Over time her beauty bloomed in full force and there were two brother/cousin prisoners (Palamon and Arcite) locked in a tower that spied and fell in love with her from afar.  They argued over who had the right love this incredible beauty, but then realized their arguments were futile since they were in jail. They agreed finally to both be in love with her. One day Theseus grants Alcrite his freedom but was exiled to areas not ruled by Theseus. After leaving, he became depressed because he didn't see his lovely vision Emelye. He cursed the world and longed for his old prison cell. Years go by with plotting on both sides to win the fair maiden as a wife. Neither have spoken and do not know each other's plans for Emelye. The long and the short of it is, the brothers/cousins meet and fight until Theseus appears with his wife and Emelye in tow. He empathizes with both their plights and decrees they each take 50 men and battle for her in judicial knight tournament. The winner would marry Emelye. Both Palamon and Arcite fought valiantly until the ultimate victor revealed.  The back and forth between the two was neverending.  Guess who won Emelye's hand? It seems like all these tales center around a fair maiden huh?  Whew...thank the gods that's over.

Healthy Writers Club by Shallee McArthur
I returned to my normal workout which felt great.  It really is a stress reliever for me. I try to rest on the weekend and do mostly lunges.  Oh those hurt like the dickens.  Anyway, I thought I'd share with you an iPhone app (Workout Mix) that I use for working out.  I like it because the music is upbeat and during the music sessions the DJ's voice chants some encouragement .."You can do it."  or "Go harder."  Here's a thought.  Wouldn't it be great if he cheered me on when I'm writing.  *sigh*

Friday with Fred

This is Fred's intimidating pose.  He tends to wear this expression more frequently since Spike.  I keep telling him he'll always be number one and then I give him a carrot. :)

How was your first week of A-Z?  I'm so happy for the weekend.  Have a good one.

Mina B.

Friday & Hoppy Easter Giveaway Hop

It's Good Friday and its also time for the Hoppy Easter Giveaway Hop.  We've got much to get through today so I'll do my best to be brief.  First off many people are celebrating Good Friday today (myself included) which I find kind of funny since I feel like every Friday is good.  That said, I'd like to get to my Friday Funny first...

Friday Funny - Peep Show
Bahahhaa!  I'm not sure if you can see the detail on this, but this is funny as hell!

The Healthy Writers Club

Thank you Shallee McArthur for another week of HWC.  I have two words that describe my progress with working out this week:  Spring Break.  My kids had off this week and although they had their Dad to hang with, it felt like I could barely get into the gym.  I've made it only three times this week and will shoot for a fourth over the weekend.  That's a must since it's Easter and I want my damn Cadbury egg! Mmmmm. YUM!

Friday with Fred

Fred's chill'n in my son's room.  Try not to step on a lego, Fred!  Spike is doing well except with the potty-training thing.  Yeah, that part sucks about puppies.  

Hoppy Easter Giveaway Hop

I'll keep it simple. I'm giving away to one (1) lucky winner a free $10 Amazon gift card.  My Free Sh** Fairy and I agreed that you can't go wrong with an easy-peasy GC like that.

And if you're also interested, I have another giveaway for Donna Galanti's THE DARK INSIDE that I'm running until 3/31 eod, so click here for details.

To enter my Hoppy Easter Giveaway Hop...
You MUST be a follower of my blog and MUST fill out this entry form.

Extra entries
+2 Like me on Facebook/AuthorMinaBurrows

+2 Adding me in  your circle on GooglePlus/MinaBurrows

+1 if you Retweet this on Twitter (limit 1 retweet)

Again, the giveaway starts at 12:01 AM EST on Friday, March 29th and runs through April 5th midnight. Contest is open to International participants.

Check out who else is participating. Visit http://iamareadernotawriter.blogspot.com/ and hop on by.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Thanks for participating!  Enjoy your Easter!

Mina B.

Friday Funny: I miss Buffy!

Happy Friday!  Okay so you know what a big Buffy fan I am, right?  I found this Buffy/Twilight meme and had a good chuckle.  I really do miss Buffy the Vampire Slayer.  I loved that show.  I get a kick out these funny memes comparing the two.  Flipp'n hilarious.        

Remember this episode with the mayor?  #love

 

The Healthy Writers Club

Shallee McArthur meme, The Healthy Writers Club, is here today!  Since I was sick last week, I missed out.  Anyway, this week was rough.  I felt like I earned every drop of sweat.  My legs felt like they had cinder blocks attached to them.  That's what happens when you don't work out for a week.  Still, I rallied and stuck to my schedule of four times a week.  I ran about 10+ miles this week and used some other machines too.  I'm feeling way more healthier than last week.  Whew!  

Fridays with Fred...and Spike?

Fred gets a friend!  Meet Spike!  I don't have any pictures of Fred and him yet.  I think Fred's still adjusting to his new shadow.  Don't worry about Fred.  He's still top dog and there is plenty of love to go around.  Spike was a surprise gift from my husband and my kids and I are enjoying every minute.  What do you think?  You like his name?  I can't help it.  I'm a die-hard Buffy fan.        

Be sure and stop by and visit Schatze over at Mary’s BookHounds too.

Have a great weekend.

Mina B.

Friday - Saint Patty's Day Weekend

I apologize for not posting or visiting my blogger buddies this week.  The flu bug I picked up from my son turned out to be a heck of a virus.  With the weekend almost here, I'm finally feeling much better.  Man, that one really kicked my rear.  It's perfect timing since Saint Patrick's Day is this weekend!  Does anyone have any plans?  Are you a fan of green beer?  What about being pinched?  Do you wear green that day or do you not really care?  Me?  I always loved this saying:  "There are only two kinds of people in the world, The Irish and those who wish they were."  

Friday Funnies

Vampire Bill looks a bit like a wee leprechaun, huh?

Walking Dead on St. Patty's Day:  "Must...have...green...beer."

This has nothing to do with St. Patrick's Day, but I thought it was funny since its Friday.

Cute, huh?  And that Irish one looks a bit like Fred.

Fridays with Fred

Speaking of Fred, I took this shot of Fred twitching his nose.  Have you ever seen a dog do that?  So silly.  I love this crazy pooch.

Be sure and stop by and visit Schatze over at Mary’s BookHounds too.

Happy Saint's Patrick's Day.

Mina B.

Hilarious Friday!

Okay so this week was a wash for me so thank god it's Friday!  Anyway, I found this and just had to laugh.  Are you a Downton Abbey fan?  I watched the first three seasons and was hooked.   I adore Maggie Smith and her portrayal of Violet, Dowager Countess of Grantham is pure brilliance.  I wish she was in every scene because for me, she makes the show.  Season three's finale was a disappointment.  Seeing this comic strip put it into perspective for me.

Video Friday
I'm sure by now you've seen Sweet Brown's "Ain't no body got time for that" memes plastering the web.  Well, here's the original video clip plus the remix.  You may have already seen this but seriously I had to share this video.  I nearly had me in stitches. 

The Healthy Writers Club

Shallee McArthur created this weekly meme which I normally would have more to report, but this week I'm having to shift things around since my family has been sick with the flu.  I had it too but not as much as my little guy.  Things like this nearly always kill the momentum but what can I do?  Not a lot.  I ran about 6 miles so far and hit some other machines early on in the week.  That's it, but I'll try to get to the gym tomorrow and Sunday. *sigh*    

Fridays with Fred

Fred likes to run out the front door and check out the front yard.  On this day I caught him sitting enjoying the sun.  He's a happy dog. :)

Be sure and stop by and visit Schatze over at Mary’s BookHounds too.

Have a great weekend.

Mina B.

Friday Musings

Hot Damn It's Friday!  This week flew by so much my brain thinks its Wednesday.  Ever have one of those weeks?  Anyway, I wanted to share a few things with you that have been on my mind lately.

Friday Funny
I saw this a few months back and every time I look at it, it makes me laugh all over again. I have not yet seen Skyfall. But I will soon. :) 

The Healthy Writers Club

I signed up to participate in the healthy writers group.  I notice that when I work out, it frees my mind to focus on plotting.  Working out helps with my stress and managing life.  I use to work out for diet and managing my weight.  Now I focus on releasing my stress which helps tremendously with writing.  My typical workout is four times a week and the majority of that consists of me running about 12+ miles per week.  My vices are chips, salsa and wine.  Damn!  Oh, well.  I'm trying.  Special thanks to Shallee McArthur for creating such an awesome meme.

Neil Gaiman - Calendar of Tales

Gaiman gets the notion of connecting with readers. I love this project he's working on. Gaiman says to click here to "download a free PDF of all twelve of the stories I wrote in three days of madness."

Fridays with Fred

Fred got busted on the my daughters peace bean bag and I had to laugh.  I guess it is kinda like a dog bed.

  

Be sure and stop by and visit Schatze over at Mary’s BookHounds too.

Have a great weekend.

Mina B.