Need Writing Inspiration - Go to Pinterest!

If you're a writer, or just starting out, everyone needs a little inspiration now and again. There are many seeds of inspiration out there - just look around! The world is a big place! Books, movies, magazines - especially just walking down the street and people-watching - can all foster ideas.

And here's one more place to get ideas - Pinterest. It's like an online scrapbook, where you have boards (pages) to save all your pins (clippings/pictures). Most pins take you to an associated website, but sometimes just looking at an image is enough.

Pinterest has become one of my favorite places for writing how-to's and I've created a few boards where I have saved quotes, inspiration, tips and ideas - and more! I've even created boards specific to books I have written or am working on, saving pins that have given me ideas or inspiration. I like visual prompts and inspiration, so Pinterest works for me. I hope you'll stop by and get starting 'pinning' to help you get writing!

For writing quotes and inspiration visit https://www.pinterest.com/lisamclange/writing-quotes-and-inspiration/

For story boarding ideas visit https://www.pinterest.com/lisamclange/storyboarding-tips-for-writers/

Find me on Pinterest as LisaMcLange

Happy Pinning!

Bestseller list? Me?

So happy to share that my young adult ebook, 'Newbie Nick,' is FIFTH on the publisher's BESTSELLER LIST and I am a tad in shock - and for once speechless!

Check it out at Breathless Press(Breathless Press encompasses all their lines including those of their off-shoot, Lycaon Press, who published the book)

Thank you to everyone for your support and congratulations to all!

March Madness Sale!

Breathless Press is having a March Madness sale on their ebooks, and my young adult ebook, 'Newbie Nick' (published under their young adult imprint, Lycaon Press) is included! Regularly priced at $2.99, it's on sale at 25% off! Hope you'll stop by and take advantage of some great savings!

Freedom to Read Week - Feb 22 - 28, 2015

It's freedom to read week - the week to acknowledge the freedoms we have to read whatever we want. As noted on the Freedom to Read Week website: "Freedom to Read Week is an annual event that encourages Canadians to think about and reaffirm their commitment to intellectual freedom, which is guaranteed them under the Charter of Rights and Freedoms." The notable week acknowledges censorship and freedom of expression.

So get a book - any book - and don't be shy, afraid, embarrassed or inhibited to read what you want, when you want. A writer? I'd say pick up your pen and follow suit - write what you want, ignore your inner censor or that little voice over your shoulder saying 'you shouldn't write THAT - what would people think?' and just GO FOR IT!

Run to the library, run to the bookstore, or run to your computer - just go. And read whatever the heck you want.

For more information visit: www.freedomtoread.ca

Readathon Day January 24, 2015

On Saturday, January 24, 2015 between 12 and 4pm, all you have to do is read. Any time and for however long.

Read a book.

Or a comic.

Or the newspaper.

Something. Anything.

If you’re reading this you are fortunate; you are able. Put that ‘reading’ thing to good use. There are many – too many, in fact – who can’t read. And there are also many – too many, in fact – who don’t read.

To promote reading and fostering literacy nationally, Penguin/Random House, Goodreads, National Book Foundation, Mashable, along with many other reading/book related organizations, are recognizing January 24th, 2015, as National Readathon Day.

As taken from the Canadian Literacy and Learning Network, their Canadian stats show:

*42% of Canadian adults between the ages of 16 and 65 have low literacy skills.
*55% of working age adults in Canada are estimated to have less than adequate health literacy skills. Shockingly, 88% of adults over the age of 65 appear to be in this situation.
*Impoverished adults often do not have the literacy skills required to get into job training programs. They may need literacy skills upgrading before they can succeed in training programs but only about 5 – 10% of eligible adults enroll in programs.
*Less than 20% of people with the lowest literacy skills are employed.
*A 1% increase in the literacy rate would generate $18 billion in economic growth every year.

Find out more about these statistics at http://www.literacy.ca/literacy/literacy-sub/

To find out how you can participate, get involved, and challenge yourself and young readers around you, visit Penguin and Random House and be sure to check out some reading suggestions on Pinterest

Still not enough info? Visit the blog of Tundra Books/Penguin Random House at https://tundrabooks.wordpress.com/ and also this article in the LA Times, here.

So just go read – anything, anywhere, anyhow.

Make #timetoread, and bring a young reader with you.

Young Adult Authors on Their Favorite Holiday Traditions

My writing pal Laura Langston, author of currently released teen novel ‘The Art of Getting Stared At,’ has a post on her blog today (December 10, 2014) about 'Our Favorite Holiday Traditions' at www.lauralangston.com. She invited a few young adult authors to share their favorites, and I am privileged to be in the company of them to also give my two cents on holiday traditions (well actually, ‘two cents’ is impossible what with the lack of penny, so I guess I gave my ‘five cents’).

Our family holiday tradition started quite a few years ago, and I don’t know exactly when, how or why. The ‘Spot’ has been our spot for so many years – for so many memories and celebrations – that now, despite not knowing the origin of how our tradition began, it only seems right to go there on Christmas Eve. It wouldn’t be the same, otherwise.

It’s a tradition – it’s almost a given – and I look forward to it every year.

Every December 24th we head to BC-owned ‘White Spot Restaurant’ for dinner. We have a favorite close to home on Vancouver Island where we are ‘regulars.’ Some might think it unconventional, but heck it works for us. We go to the same location and we always seem to get the same table server – he gets a big tip! Although unable to remember when we started going, I do remember feeling guilty about making someone work on Christmas Eve. But when we brought up the topic with the server he admitted that he, along with other servers, vie for the shift – it’s one of the most lucrative days to work of the year!

So we go, no matter how unconventional it may seem (others have the same idea, as well, as the place is usually very busy – so we aren’t THAT unconventional). We go in the spirit of giving; we leave our guy a big tip. We go in the spirit of giving back to our community; supporting local economy. We go in the spirit of family and togetherness; no one is gobbling down their food to rush to the TV/computer/game/whatever. And we go in the spirit of merriment and good will to all women/men; momma isn’t miserable, tired, rushed and harried after a morning/day/afternoon of cooking, therefore making her cranky towards her men.(She’s only gonna cook all day on Christmas day, anyways.)

Needless to say, I’m counting down the days – not so much for Christmas, but for Christmas Eve dinner! Pass the salt and gimme a side of Triple-O-Sauce…and save me a candy cane for later!

(And what is my 'usual' for dinner? Whatever I'm in the mood for - it's Christmas after all!)

Cyber Monday Deal - December 1 2014

Get great deals on my young adult ebook, 'Newbie Nick' as well as others over at Lycaon Press (my publisher) and Breathless Press! HURRY!

About 'Newbie Nick' - When 14-year-old Nick Zinsky secretly busks for money on the downtown streets, he soon learns that keeping his "job" a secret is harder than he thought.

All 14-year-old Nick Zinsky wanted was a guitar of his own and a necklace for his mom, and he wanted to buy both on his own, without anyone's help. Too young to get a real job, he came up with a plan to get the money.

Using a guitar loaned from his high school, he spent the summer and weekends playing the guitar while busking downtown. But he had to keep his "job" a secret from everyone—from his mom, his music teacher, the other kids at school, and especially from the school bully, Beau.

But when a music competition is announced where the prizes would solve all Nick's problems, Nick lacks the confidence to enter the competition. Having a nickname like "Newbie Nick" doesn't help, either.

Does he find the courage to enter? Will he ever get his guitar?

Get it TODAY (December 1, 2014) for $1.20!