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Friday, September 7, 2012

What I Did Last Summer: Reveal, 1st Page Crit, and the Coolest Thing I've Learned All Week

First off, please check out my First Impressions Entry on Dianne Salerni's blog In High Spirits. She and Marcy of Mainewords are authors giving back by critiquing 1st pages the first week of every month. They're accepting submissions for October, so if you'd like some spot on feedback, I recommend them.


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I'm the guilty party, so congrats if you guessed 1st one fiction and 2nd one fact. That said, Stan would have left the house without me in it. That day really did happen, but he was still in the driveway when I got home. "Oh, I thought you were out back stretching," he said, and pedaled off like it was no big deal.

I had so much fun with this bloghop. Thank you Emily and Melody!

And now for the Coolest Thing I Learned this Week
The Boomerang plugin for gmail is my new best friend. If you're like me and entering a bunch of online, time-sensitive writing contests, it could become your best friend too. Over on WriterlyRejects I was bemoaning all these 9am EST contests, that they're hard on a California girl (even one that writes in the early AM), and how I wished I could set up my emails to send when I want them too. And guess what? Within minutes a wonderful someone was telling me how to do just that. 
Boomerang is a plugin that can be downloaded here. So at 6am Boomerang sent my entry for me as I slept (which I needed because my 8 year-old decided to get the stomach flu in the middle of the night- Oh the joys, right?)
If you know of another plugin that schedules email for yahoo, etc. let me know in the comments for any non-gmail users out there. 

And readers, I'm nearing 100 followers. *throws confetti* I have a celebratory contest in the works, so check back soon.


22 comments:

  1. What? But you couldn't have been reading The Book Thief in MS! It didn't come out until after you had left. That's why I put the second one as fiction. Also because you said that was why you put in a keypad entry for your house in CA, but I'm pretty sure that wasn't the reason.

    Anyhoo, the first one read to me as fiction, and the second one as fact, but I couldn't overlook those two details. Sneaky sneaky.

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    1. hmm, my memory might be spotty, but I was trying to write it as fact:)

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  2. Did I guess right? I think I might have! Yippee! Great blog hop. So nice to meet you! :)

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  3. Cool, Boomerang--I never knew. Thanks. I saw you over at Writerly Rejects. Mothers are the Strongest most efficient people I know. Hope your daughter feels well fast. Did you make the cut off for the WR pitch? best-karen

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    1. I did make it-woot! I just had to be patient and wait for that email:) thanks for the visit and the follow!

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  4. I read them both, before the reveal--but decided to comment here :) I was totally wrong! You had me fooled. Well written though!

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    1. Glad I fooled a few people:) Thanks for the follow!

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  5. Thanks for the plug, Robin! I hope you found the feedback helpful!

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  6. Well I saw the answer before the stories :0) - and thanks for the tip on g-mail, that's great!

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  7. Darn. Got it wrong. I think I was 3/7 right. Not too great.

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  8. Whew-hew, I was right! Fun times reading this fakey and facty stories. :-)

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  9. I lock myself out all the time! I was almost hoping that one was true just so I wouldn't feel like the only one who did that! ;) Both were great stories!

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  10. Thanks for sharing the coolest thing you learned this week. That one is a win for sure. I'm going to have to check it out and favorite it.

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  11. Wow that is handy to know that e-mails can do that. Congrats on almost being at 100 followers. If there was two of me you'd have reached that goal because I am follower 99, but I am only one.

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    1. Thanks Jessica! glad you find Boomerang helpful:)

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  12. I got it right! And yay for finding an email scheduler, you need your sleep! :)

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  13. Okay, I'm officially your 100th follower. Do I get a prize? :)
    I found your blog from Falling 4 Fiction, and I loved your query. Sounds like such a fun premise for a book...

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  14. Congrats on 100!! *toots horn*

    And BIG CONGRATS for your agent critique from the Rejects. I saw that there and I'm super happy for you. Hoping something great will come of it. :D

    Thanks for the tip with Boomerang. I've gotta check that out.

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    1. Thanks PK! I was so surprised and thrilled to win the contest. I've discovered with Boomerang if you need something to send at 1:00:00 it won't necessarily do that, but it will send within a minute of the time that you request, so for those contest that fill up in 20 seconds, it doesn't work, but in general I LOVE it:)

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