Friday, July 29, 2011

Friday Faves: My Writing Bug

It’s that time again, fellow bloggers! It’s FRIDAY! And we have yet another peek into another blogger’s favorite things. This time I have the lovely Chantele Sedgwick with me from My Writing Bug. I stumbled across Chantele’s blog when I started mine and have been an avid follower ever since! I really respect her views and I love that every Thursday she interviews an aspiring author. Her questions are awesome!

Anyway, now on to Chantele!

FAVORITE DESIGN STYLE:

I like a lot of different styles, but I think I like warm contemporary the most. Just soft colors, not too fancy. Calm and inviting. My husband is actually way more into interior design stuff. He worked at a lighting store for a long time and saw so many different designs in houses. He's more of a decorator than I am. :)

FAVORITE BOOK / AUTHOR:

Crap. I always get stuck on this question. I have so many books and authors that I love. I don't think I could pick a favorite. But, since that's the question, I'll say the Harry Potter Series. They are probably the only books that I could read over and over again and still not get sick of them. J.K. Rowling wrote so many amazing characters and they just feel like a part of you when you put the books down. I'll always love them.

HPBoxset_view2

FAVORITE GAME:

My favorite computer game would be the Sims games. I'm sure people will be surprised to hear that! lol I don't play that often, since I'm taking care of kids all day and save my nights for writing, but they are fun to play when I have a little time to spare. I also love the game Scattergories. I love trying to think of words that start with the letters you roll. So fun! And Tripoly. My family is crazy when we play that! We are very competitive! lol Sorry, that wasn't just one... ;)

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Thanks so much, Kadie!

A girl after my own heart. Seriously, these all could have been MY answers. That room is beautiful,  I LOVE Harry Potter, and I think it goes without saying what my opinion is on The Sims. I love finding fellow gamers where I least expect it!

Thanks so much for sharing Chantele! Don’t forget to check out her blog (linked above) and spread the love!

Happy Friday!

Want to tell us YOUR faves? I’d love to have you! E-mail me at kadiekinney@gmail.com

Monday, July 25, 2011

Monday’s A Day to WIN!

Happy Monday everyone! And can I just say thanks to all those who participated in my giveaway? What an awesome response! You guys rock my socks. But nobody cares about that, what we all want to know is WHO WON??

Well, I’ll tell you!

Oh and all prizes were generated via www.random.org. I just couldn’t figure out how to screenshot the results. Ahem. Anyway here are the winners!

26-winner

 

Prize 1: West Elm Gift Card goes to:

Dodson Family said...
 
Oh, I forgot that I would want the West Elm giftcard because I need to do some decorating up in here quick! This place needs a makeover!

Congratulations Danielle! All those entries really helped you out! West Elm will be coming your way!

Prize 2: GameStop Gift Card goes to:

Chantele Sedgwick said...
 
You are freaking awesome. It's a tie for me. I'd like the amazon giftcard, since I love books. AND have a book buying problem... And I'd love the gamestop one as well. I need to get my hands on Sims Medieval. :)

YAY Chantele! Get the Sims Medieval NOW! It’s amazing. And they’re coming out with an expansion very soon. Hooray!

Prize 3: Barnes and Noble Gift Card goes to:

Spencer and Erica said...
 
Okay Miss Kadie...I follow you, and I blogged you (is that appropriate?!), and I facebooked you. That's three. I don't have a Twitter account, but if I text my friends does that count??? I really want to win!! And you should want me to win, too. I want the Barnes and Noble gift card and who knows what I will spend it on. Probably children's clearance books, but maybe I will find something for myself. Or save it until your book is on their shelves!!!!

I’m flattered, but your gift card might expire by the time one of my books hits the shelves! But go buy something for yourself Erica, you deserve it!

There you have it folks! Three prizes, three winners! What a way to start the week! And here’s the great thing about all these gift cards; they do e-cards now. So  I will be sending the e-cards to your emails today!

Thanks again for everyone who entered! Tune back in tomorrow for Interior Tuesday. I missed last week, but I won’t do the same tomorrow. I’ll be sharing ideas for my little girl’s new room. She turned TWO yesterday!!! I can’t believe it.

Have a great day!

Friday, July 22, 2011

Friday Faves: The Innocent Flower

Today I have with me the wonderful Michelle Davidson Argyle. I met Michelle through the blogosphere and have been continuously inspired and educated by her amazing blog. It’s been so great getting to know her and I’m so excited to have her here!

So Michelle, what are your faves?

Favorite Design Style

I'd have to say my favorite design trend is the Tuscan look. Maybe this is because I'd really love to live in Italy.

Michelle 1

Michelle 2

Michelle 3

Favorite Book


That's a tossup between The Awakening and The Great Gatsby, but I'd have to choose The Awakening by Kate Chopin if pressed. That book has probably been the number one influence in my writing. Her poetic style and ability to write against the social norms at the time is incredible! It's a novella and doesn't seem to be extremely popular, but it's one I'm always re-reading and studying.

Michelle 4

Favorite Game


You know, I'm not a huge fan of games of any kind, but I'd have to say that I do enjoy writing games where you're timed to write specific things based on words or prompts or something. I find those a lot of fun! I infinitely prefer just chatting with people rather than focusing on a game.

Michelle 5

(this is my interpretation of a writing game. I don’t know if Michelle really likes it, but it’s WAY fun and makes you use your brain while being timed.)

Thanks, Kadie!

 

Thank YOU Michelle! Everyone be sure to check out her blog (linked above) and keep an eye out for her book being released this September!

Michelle 6

I can’t wait to get my copy!

That’s it for now! Now I’m going camping…with my family…overnight. This is a big deal for us. We’re not an outdoorsy family. We’ll see how this goes. Everyone have a great weekend and don’t forget to enter my Giveaway and to tell your friends about it! You have until Sunday night to enter!

Want to be a part of Friday Faves? I’d LOVE to have you! Email me at kadiekinney@gmail.com!

Wednesday, July 20, 2011

Write On Wednesday: The Critique

This week one of my dearest friends finished my first MS and called me to go over her notes. That’s right people, she had 5 pages of detailed, chapter-by-chapter notes. We were on the phone for 2 hours. It was amazing. So first I want to publicly tell her THANK YOU!

Secondly, I wanted to talk about this process for me. I have not yet had that kind of feedback. I’ve had “I liked it all except this one part” with no real explanation as to why. And I’ve had “It was great! Can’t wait for the next one,” with no suggestions for improvement. While I appreciate every single person who took the time to read my book, I was always hoping for more of a detailed list.

I finally got it and I’ve got to tell you, it feels great. I got five golden pages of things I screwed up! Typos, questions, awkward moments, hard-to-understand passages, EVERYTHING. So I’m finally excited about this book again. We talked through each chapter and I found solutions to the two parts of this book that have been constantly giving me heartburn.

I swear I’m not a glutton for punishment or anything like that, but I found I really enjoyed the critique.

i_love_critiques_tshirt-p235265391908053734q6yv_400

How about you? Do you like hearing what people liked and didn’t like about your book? Do you savor the constructive criticism? Or is that the hardest part?

Also, don’t forget to enter my Giveaway! Three winners will be announced next Monday so check it out, tell your friends, and put your name in the drawing!

Happy Wednesday all!

Monday, July 18, 2011

Monday's a Day to GIVEAWAY!

Okay, I teased about this a little, but I think it’s time to announce a giveaway!
One Week. Three prizes. THREE WINNERS! Wahoo!
Since my blog is about three distinct worlds, I wanted to give away three distinct prizes.

ONE: A $25 gift card to West Elm!





I know what you’re thinking, “What am I going to get for $25 at West Elm?” The answer is, a lot of cute accessories! They have a whole $25 and under section. Here are my favorites:

 

TWO: A $25 Gift Card to GameStop



And while most video games these days are more expensive than I’d like, there are a lot of classics, and even newcomers that I’d like to get my hands on for less than $25!



Okay The Sims 3 Pets is going to be $40 but just look at the trailer here. Um hello, horses!

Ahem. Moving on,

THREE: A $25 Gift Card to Barnes & Noble


And I could easily spend that much dough at Barnes & Noble. Here are just a few of the titles I’m wanting to add to my library, heaven knows there are THOUSANDS more!



That’s it! Pretty exciting huh?

So here’s how to enter:

1 - Become a follower of Three Point Perspective and leave a comment telling me what gift card you’d like, and what you’d use it for (not that it matters, I’m just curious). If you’re already a follower, just leave a comment! Easy peasy!

2 - Earn an extra entry each for:
  • Re-blogging and linking back here
  • Sharing on Facebook and linking back here
  • Tweeting and linking back here
Please tell me in your comment how many entries you’re claiming.
That’s it!

I’d love to make new friends and meet new people, and hey who doesn’t like free stuff? So help me spread the word, and who knows? Maybe you’ll end up $25 richer!

The giveaway will close July 24 at midnight. Winners will be posted next Monday.
Thanks and Good luck!

( Oh and I don’t know if I need to add a disclaimer, but none of these fine retailers know I exist, so they’re not sponsoring me or anything. They’re just some of my favorite places to shop. :) )

Friday, July 15, 2011

Friday Faves: Crazy Apple News

So I don’t know how many of you lovely people have read my pages up above, but in the gaming section I give credit to one “big brother” for introducing me to the world of computer gaming. I did not include that he has since introduced me to countless random board games, and even one (gasp) Role Playing Game that you play with real people in the room with you, instead of online.

I didn’t latch on to GURPS, sorry, Nate.

BUT I digress. The point is, that said brother, is here with us today!

Woot!

Nate is also an amazing writer who needs to get his stuff out there! Ahem.

Anyway, here’s his take on his favorite things:

So, I’m probably not who Kadie had in mind for this little column. But that’s what makes it so fun. I’m a programmer, and an Apple humor columnist…basically I’m a standard nerd. So, what does this standard nerd like? Will publishing this article make my sister go insane? Let’s see!

Favorite Design Trend: Art Deco

See, right off the bat I missed the boat and mixed some metaphors. This is clearly not a current design trend. But I can’t hide my true feelings any longer. I love Art Deco stuff. From the exceedingly simple:

image

To the large and ornate:

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I’m in love with the strong, clean lines and eye for detail and motion:

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And the sheer joy of clean, stylized typography:

image

gorgeous.

Anyway, Kadie can stop shuddering now, because I’m moving on to my

Favorite Author: Man, Who Knows?

If I had to pick one we’d be here all day, because I can’t. I love Douglas Adams, Leo Tolstoy, P.G. Wodehouse, Stephen Lawhead, Terry Pratchett…the list goes on and on. But for now and purely at random I’ll choose Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman, because they worked together on a book called Good Omens, which you must read.

image

Good Omens is the story of an averted apocalypse, as seen by an angel and a devil that have both been on Earth for about 7000 years now, and are pretty good friends. Told with Pratchett’s good humor and Gaiman’s sense of story, it’s a fun and interesting read, regardless of your religious views. But moving on, if we were to talk about my favorite game, that honor would have to go to

Smallworld! Or Cosmic Encounter.

clip_image002[7] clip_image004

I’ve been playing Cosmic since forever (Shameless plug for an article I wrote on another blog) and the newest edition is the best. But Smallworld, from Days of Wonder games has threatened Cosmic’s throne in my heart on more than one occasion. Both games feature you, with special powers, trying to take over territory from other players, who also have special powers. Both games involve a lot of thinking and a fair number of variables that make each game fresh and unique. But the two games are very different, and both very fun. I have somewhere in the neighborhood of 200 games in my huge game closet, and these two still battle for the top spot.

Okay, that’s all from me. Join Kadie next week for a guest post from someone who knows what they’re talking about in terms of interior design, or feel free to join me on any of my blogs. Bye!

I wuv my big brudder. And PS, I would NEVER shudder from Art Deco. I love it! (As seen here (ha he’s not the only one who can shamelessly plug his own blogging!)) Also, Cosmic Encounters is one of the best games ever made. It takes awhile though, so be prepared to invest an afternoon if you decide to play.

And I’m slightly surprised he didn’t mention Monkey Island as his favorite game. Hmm, maybe he forgot.

Thanks Nate! And tune in next week for another edition of Friday Faves!

Want to be a part of my series? I’d LOVE to have you! Email me at kadiekinney@gmail.com

Wednesday, July 13, 2011

Write On Wednesday: Validation and the Ugly Truth About Praise

Do you remember when you’d get an answer right in school and your teacher would praise you? Or when you did well on a test and you’d get a gold star next to your 100% score with a smiley face?

Those gold stars ruined me.

gold star sticker

I find that I do things for the wrong reasons sometimes. Like I just want someone to give me a little recognition, a little praise, and maybe even a gold star. I don’t know if it’s because I worked very hard to be a teacher’s pet my entire school career, and was one of those “I’ll be involved in everything” kids just because I wanted people to know who I was, but I seriously always think about what other people think of me.

Which makes me SUPER annoyed with myself.

What does this have to do with writing? I feel like publication is the ultimate gold star; only this time it feels as far away as the REAL stars that I assume still twinkle every night (have you ever looked in the sky at night in the city? Stars are not visible. I have faith they’re still there.)Yes, I write because I love it. But I edit, and revise, and re-write and query, and critique because I want that gold star. I want to hold my book in my hands one day. I want to see it on the shelf at Barnes and Noble. And I want people to like what I write.

But will that validate my aspirations? Will that solidify my career as an author? Will that justify the amount of time I spend now toiling and crying and feeling rejection after rejection just to pick myself back up and do it all over again? Will it make me happy?

Ultimately, probably not.

But I do think it’d be fun.

Anyway, I’ve been thinking more and more about what validates our lives. A lot of people need the big career, the loads of money and the huge house to feel like they’re a valuable asset to society. Other people need friends and parties and a phone that rings off the hook to know that they’re wanted. And some of us think about our facebook status updates FAR too much before posting them, and maybe checks to see what people have said FAR too many times immediately after posting them…Ahem. But at the end of the day we all want to be heard. We all want to feel like we’re making a difference. We all like a little recognition.

I’m reminded of Dr. Cox, one of my favorite characters from one of my favorite TV shows of all time; Scrubs. In one episode he’s on a diagnosing roll and he forces people to chant his name before he leaves their presence. His exact words are:

“Not until people start chanting my name so that I can exit the room with my hands held high above my head in a victorious gesture…You see, this diagnosing machine, this fabulous thing? Well, it runs on props, so I'm going to need to hear it. Come now.”

Dr. Cox

I think we all like to hear our name chanted sometimes. In high school, my group of friends started a thing where we’d see someone in the hall, say their full name and applause, for no reason. EVERY time that person smiled, blushed, and even sometimes bowed. Try it. Get three people to say your name and clap for you. You’ll immediately feel better. Promise.

So I guess the point to all this rambling is, while everyone likes a little recognition, it shouldn’t be the driving force behind what we do. I didn’t teach my little girl the alphabet so I could show her off to my friends. I did it so she could read. (If you’re my facebook friend, you’ll remember my status update…I agonized over that one…”how do I say this without sounding like an overly proud crazy mom?” )

And I’m tired of being annoyed with myself. I’m tired of worrying about what people think. I’m tired of not feeling like a valid human being without the whole world wide web praising my every step. That will never happen. (And quite frankly, it’d be freaky if it did).  So I’m setting a goal for myself to be happy with – and for – myself. It’s not easy. But life stopped handing me gold stars a long time ago.

It’s time to make my own.

Tuesday, July 12, 2011

Interior Tuesday: Eisley’s Room

I realized today as I was thinking about what to post, that I never showed before and after’s of my daughter’s nursery! We’re going to do some changing soon, since it’s about time for her to be in a “big-girl bed” but for now, this is what it looks like. I’ve shown a little of it with this post but not the whole story.

So here we go:

Eisley’s room was probably the…creepiest one. Unless you like dolls. Then it’s totally normal and un-creepy, but for me…creeptastic. Anyway, see for yourself!

That wall of dolls = nightmares. I won’t bring up the blue carpet or crazy wallpaper.

Basically her nursery looked just like this in our old house, minus the striped wall, hardwood floors and rug. And if you’ll notice, this is pre-picture frame breakage. The big “E” was a cardboard letter from JoAnns, which I mod-podged some scrapbook paper too. So fun and easy.

Those doors came right off. After painting over the blue trim in the rest of the room, I decided we could do without the closet doors. They are currently residing in the garage thankyouverymuch.

And now:

I’m not sure if she has enough clothes.

Sorry my pictures are terrible. I need a better camera. But you get the idea. While I love this room, I’m ready for a change. I found this rug from Feizy and am lusting after an entire room based on this color scheme:

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And how cute are these prints?

artwork

Soon, my friends, soon. I’m so scared to transition her to a big girl bed, but if it means I get to redesign a room, I think it’ll be worth it!

That’s it for today!

Oh and I’ve got the beginnings of an idea in my head for a giveaway…stay tuned.

Friday, July 8, 2011

Friday Faves: Savvy Classic

This Friday I'm so thrilled to have Devanie here from Savvy Classic. I had a LOT of talented school mates, and she is another one of them, as well as one of my dearest friends. Devanie has a little bit of author in her too, among her many other talents, as you will be able to tell from her post. 

So without further ado, here is what she calls her "Devanie Style":

FAVORITE DESIGN STYLE: If I were to describe my style it would be whimsy-coastal-classic-weathered. I feel at home with aged natural finishes alongside breezy color palettes and delightful pops of color.  I love also love it when functional, easy-living furniture mingles with classical pieces. If my style was like a person, it would be like Marie Antoinette became a surfer ... make sense?
This room is great because I'm seeing classic pieces with naturally aged finishes paired with comfortable furniture and fun colors. I like how the room is wrapped in an earthy wood-planked surround, but when it's painted white it becomes cozy yet classy:

This child's room is fabulous because it's totally feminine but the color palette and finish selections makes it non-fussy and playful. I was totally the little girl who could play four hours alone in my bedroom with just my imagination for company. This room would have been my heaven on earth!


And instead of hosting a Ball in her Grand Hall, our "Beachy-Marie" would host a little dinner soiree in this fabulous dining room under a sky of reclaimed trestle wood (except we know she would choose a different color for her serviettes- probably a print with turquoise and coral):


FAVORITE BOOK: Ever since I graduated from college I haven't been able to get enough of good books! I've started taking interest in older gems- epic and adventurous stories that my mom or grandma may have read at my age- with strong, optimistic women as the main character. I recently read a book I will never forget: A Town Like Alice by Nevile Schute. As quoted in Goodreads: "A Town Like Alice tells of a young British woman who miraculously survived a Japanese prisoner of war march in World War II, and of an Australian soldier, also a prisoner of war, who offered to help her--even at the cost of his life..." It really is such an epic tale and you have to understand that it was written during a time when authors took extra care in developing their characters- you are rewarded by investing your time! I felt a deep connection with the characters because I slowly learned of their struggles and triumphs. And let's be honest people- I'm a sucker for a long drawn-out love story... just ask my husband (our story is quite drawn out too!). Here are some of the A Town Like Alice covers over the decades (don't judge a book by a corny 1960's cover):

FAVORITE GAME: And finally- I know you're all super excited to find out about my favorite game... BANG! Basically it's like that old sleepover game "Mafia" except it's a wild-west theme and you have cards to shoot, defend and cause all sorts of mayhem with. Like any wild-west town, you're either for the Sheriff or against him. And of course, sometimes you can't quite tell who's really on your side. My only advice is don't try and learn it on your own- have someone teach you because the instructions make it sound more complex than it really is. In fact, I made a little "new player" sheet for our friends, this will help tons when you're first learning! It is way fun to play! But make sure you pack this in your checked luggage and not your carry-on when traveling in the airport. Sam had it in his backpack when it went through the x-ray thingy and was stopped for "questioning". I told him it looked like a missile- but would he listen?!
Thank you SO much Devanie! 
I told you she was a writer; Surfer Marie-Antoinette? I love it. And if you haven't played BANG! find it, buy it, invite 6 or so friends over and play it. It's so incredibly fun. My brother (who you'll meet next week) introduced us all to this gem of a game and it's become a family staple. 
Thanks again, and I hope you all have a fabulous weekend!
Want to be a part of this series? I'd LOVE to have you! Email me at kadiekinney@gmail.com


Thursday, July 7, 2011

Draft 1 = Done

Whoa I went on a writing spree tonight. As a result, my eyes are blurry and I really shouldn’t be typing anymore, but I’m excited.

I just finished my first draft of my newest WIP.

It’s short, compared to my other book; only 50,680 words. But I think that’s enough for this story. I need to go through and edit it soon, and I think I need to add a little bit here and there, but overall I’m pretty happy about it.

Anyone want to be my critique partner to help me polish it? I’m looking for a good critique group (read: ANY critique group). Let me know!

Good luck with your goals, and hooray for all the happy news for all these bloggers lately. One day I might join your ranks of an agented, book-selling author. Until then, it’s time for bed.

Smile

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