Tag Archives: Facebook

November 30, 2014 · 12:52 pm

#giveabook

#giveabook

#giveabook

The New York City book publisher is preparing for a holiday social media campaign that aims at encouraging people to offer books to friends as holiday gifts while also helping children’s rights organization Save the Children. – See more at: http://www.wow-dude.net/article/242/Penguin-Random-House-to-donate-a-book-every-time-some-uses-the-GiveaBook-hashtag.html#sthash.rZmlm8qL.dpuf

The campaign kicks off on November 29 and every time someone uses the #giveabook hashtag on Facebook or Twitter, Penguin Random House donates a book to Save the Children. The campaign runs through December 24 and the book publisher will donate up to 25,000 books.

But that’s not all, because the #giveabook campaign also has a video challenge part, where people name a book they’re giving to a friend and reasons to why they’re doing it. Similar to the extremely successful #icebucketchallenge campaign, people are encouraged to “challenge” three of their friends and then post the video online using the #giveabook hashtag. Successful authors such as National Book Award winners Phil Klay and Jacqueline Woodson or Nick Offermanand Mike Tyson have already created videos where they offer books and nominate other people. The videos plus more information is available on the campaign’s official Twitter account and Facebook page.

Another cool fact is that the day when the #giveabook campaign starts, November 29, is also Small Business Saturday, the shopping holiday that promotes and supports American small and local businesses. On this occasion, Penguin Random House encourages people to support independent bookstores by shopping from then and not from the big retailers or online shops. – See more at: http://www.wow-dude.net/article/242/Penguin-Random-House-to-donate-a-book-every-time-some-uses-the-GiveaBook-hashtag.html#sthash.rZmlm8qL.dpuf

[Editor’s note: I have already given three books to two people, though I did it before I knew about his. If you read this, you know who you are. I won’t spoil the surprise by saying what the books are. But go ahead, Mark and John, give books to somebody else.]

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April 2, 2014 · 9:02 pm

Writing tip Wednesday: “Character Dimensions and Sketch”

On Saturday, February 1, 2014, I took a workshop sponsored by the Knoxville Writers’ Guild (www.knoxvillewritersguild.org) and led by nationally published author Pamela Schoenewaldt (www.PamelaSchoenewaldt.com and on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/pages/Pamela-Schoenewaldt/158580547517755?ref=tn_tnmn).

Answering questions beforehand could save you heartburn later.

Answering questions beforehand could save you heartburn later.

The workshop was on character development. What you have below is the third of the three handout exercises from the workshop. The first one, “Who are you?” was posted two Wednesdays ago. The second one, “Conflict Worksheet” was posted last Wednesday.

Each previous worksheet / exercise could be done in ten minutes or less, and oftentimes not pondering too long is best. This worksheet may take a little longer, but like the others can be used for the both the protagonist and antagonist of the story or novel you are working on, or just about any character you want to use it on. It might also be helpful if writing a memoir or biography.

CHARACTER SKETCH EXERCISE

Answer without worrying about grammar or logic.
• NAME your character

• LEARN your character by considering these dimension (writing notes on each or most is ideal)

• REMEMBER that your goal is a rounded character (not all good or bad) with a capacity for moving action.

• SKIP dimensions which repeat information.

• BEWARE of main characters who are very young, psychotics, or whose condition severely restricts their capacity for change.

• KNOW everything about this person.

CHARACTER DIMENSIONS

1. Age, physical appearance and attitude to body.

2. Significant health issues.

3. Distinctive physical signs: scars, handicaps, beauties, tics, tattoos, gestures.

4. Manner of speaking (level of language, accent, peculiarities). Manner of dress.

5. Living situation (where, with whom, how living space reflects character).

6. Socio-economic level and attitude to this level (satisfied, indifferent, ambitious?).

7. Work/ profession/ main activity.

8. Performance in Work/ profession/ main activity.

9. Sexuality and relationship to it (fears, doubts, longings, obsessions).

10. Quality of childhood.

11. Current relationship with family – how does it affect the person?

12. Significant intimate relationships and how they reflect the person.

13. What friends does character have? Attitude to friends, their attitudes to him/her.

14. Significant interests, hobbies, passions, obsessions.

15. Religious/spiritual practice and faith.

16. Fundamental belief about life/self (“The most important thing is . . . “)

17. How does the way the character sees him/her self compare to others’ views of him/her?

18. Major strength (include hidden strengths which could be mobilized).

19. Major success/failure or secret of past. (Any significant patterns?)

20. Typical way of dealing with stress or crisis… (Does it work? Should it change?)

21. Major weakness and fear.

22. Ambitions and blocks to achievement.

23. Shaping force/person/event of past.

24. What is not working for your character now?

25. What would your character sacrifice or fight for?

26. Where does your character experience a major conflict in values?

27. Where does your character draw the line: s/he wouldn’t do this….

28. What might push your character up to the line?

29. What conflict, choice or crisis faces the character now?

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March 26, 2014 · 8:17 pm

Writing tip Wednesday: “Conflict”

On Saturday, February 1, 2014, I took a workshop sponsored by the Knoxville Writers’ Guild (www.knoxvillewritersguild.org) and led by nationally published author Pamela Schoenewaldt (www.PamelaSchoenewaldt.com and on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/pages/Pamela-Schoenewaldt/158580547517755?ref=tn_tnmn).

Even a friendly game of cards might harbor some conflict.

Even a friendly game of cards might harbor some conflict.

The workshop was on character development. What you have below is the second of the three handout exercises from the workshop. The first one, “Who are you?” was posted last Wednesday. Each handout can be done in ten minutes or less, and oftentimes not pondering too long is best. The first exercise was called “Who are you?” The you refers to the character. This worksheet can be used for the both the protagonist and antagonist of the story or novel you are working on, or just about any character you want to use it on. It might even be helpful if writing a memoir or biography.

CONFLICT WORKSHEET

Answer without worrying about grammar or logic. Emotions can be messy and illogical. The point is that they MATTER.

1. More than anything, my character wants. . .

2. Getting it matters so much because . . .

3. But the problem/obstacle is . . .

4. My character feels (use 4+ adjectives)

5. Giving up would mean . . .

6. To “win” the character must overcome . . .

7. Who will help and how?

8. Name 3 possible LOCATIONS where this conflict will play out. What OBJECTS will be important?

9. The outcome/ resolution will change the character. Now s/he will . . .

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March 19, 2014 · 6:37 pm

Writing tip Wednesday: “Who are you?”

On Saturday, February 1, 2014, I took a workshop sponsored by the Knoxville Writers’ Guild (www.knoxvillewritersguild.org) and led by nationally published author Pamela Schoenewaldt (www.PamelaSchoenewaldt.com and on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/pages/Pamela-Schoenewaldt/158580547517755?ref=tn_tnmn).

The workshop was on character development. What you have below is one of the three handout exercises from the workshop. I will be posting the others over time. Each handout can be done in ten minutes or less, and oftentimes not pondering too long is best. The first exercise is called “Who are you?” The you refers to the character. This worksheet can be used for the both the protagonist and antagonist of the story or novel you are working on, or just about any character you want to use it on. It might even be helpful if writing a memoir or biography.

WHO ARE YOU?

Your name is . . .

Your age is . . .

I can see that you are . . . (location)

And you’re looking at . . .

And you’re feeling . . . .

Your great strength is . . . .

Your fear or weakness is . . . .

It’s too bad that . . . .

You’d really laugh if . . . .

Most people don’t know that you . . .

Very soon you must . . . .

The challenge will be . . . .

You will get strength from . . . .

Looking in your eyes, I know that . . .

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March 9, 2014 · 8:31 pm

Sunday silliness: two poems in response to Facebook postings

[Editor’s note: both of these poems I wrote in quick fashion, a bit of silliness, a bit of fun. Taking maybe 30 minutes each, at most.]

Minister of the dart

O’ minister of the dart
whose aim is true,
sending the dart flying
threw and through.

Toward the bull’s eye
your throw did wend
with an aim so perfect
your foes became friends.

O’ minister of the dart
whose aim is true
I’ve never seen a bull cry,
until now. Have you?

Written on March 5th in response to a Facebook posting by Chris Buice, minister at the Tennessee Valley Unitarian Universalist Church in Knoxville, TN, in which he wrote about throwing the winning dart in a game that gone so long that even his opponents cheered.

_____________

That four-foot long

Put that four-foot long
back where it belongs —
don’t leave it out in the aisle.
Put back that four-foot long
with the smell so strong —
don’t leave it in a public pile.
Put away that four-foot long
you silly ding-dong —
even at Fellini we have a style.
A code we relate
no need to masticate
or pretend to be in denial.
So, put that four-foot long
back where it belongs —
don’t leave it out for public trial.

Written on March 9th in response to a Facebook posting by Brian Griffin about being in the Fellini Kroger in Knoxville, TN. If you don’t know, you can use Google and find out all about it. There is even a Fellini Kroger Facebook page and another for Friends of Fellini Kroger. As far as anyone can tell, the Italian director never set foot in Fellini Kroger … at least not in this plane of existence.

And in case you are wondering, the four-foot long is a sausage, not a snake, though who knows, someday that may happen in Fellini K.

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June 3, 2012 · 1:00 am

Zuckerberg the limerick

There once was a man named Zuckerberg
for whom listening to people seemed quite absurd.
So he took the word “face”
stuck it out in virtual space
and added “book,” because he was such a nerd.

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September 29, 2011 · 11:29 pm

Dead Ball Foul

[Editor’s note: This is another one of those you can’t make this up stories. It’s all about how a dirty room lead to a football team’s downfall.]

http://www.tennessean.com/article/20110927/SPORTS07/309270017/Facebook-post-costs-Perry-County-three-football-wins?odyssey=tab|topnews|text|FRONTPAGE

A mother complaining on Facebook about her sons’ messy room led to Class 1A football power Perry County vacating three wins.

The Vikings, ranked third in Class 1A, will not be able to count wins over Cornersville, Forrest and Lewis County because they used two ineligible players.

Offensive linemen Rodney and Ryan Belasic were declared ineligible by the Tennessee Secondary School Athletic Association because their entire family does not live in Perry County.

“(Perry County) inadvertently played ineligible athletes in the first three ballgames,” TSSAA Executive Director Bernard Childress said. “It was two brothers that transferred. They got a residence in Perry County, but they had not vacated their residence completely in Henry County.”

Perry County’s record is 2-0. The win over Cornersville win was a Region 6-A game.

Childress said school officials thought the players’ entire family had moved to Perry County during the summer.

“But the mother actually works in Henry County, and she posted on her Facebook page that she sent the kids back to Perry County for the week and that she would not see them again until Friday night,” Childress said. “Then, later on her Facebook page, she posted, ‘How can two boys mess up their room as badly as they do when they’re only here on Saturday and Sunday?’ ”

Coaches and administrators in the Perry County area reported the Facebook posts to the TSSAA, which began interviewing the family.

When Childress notified Perry County of the potential problem two weeks ago, Vikings Coach Michael Harrison removed the Belasics from the team.

“We are sorry that this investigation happened and that the two players were deemed ineligible,” Harrison said in an emailed statement. “We hope to put this investigation behind us and move forward.”

The TSSAA defines a bona fide change of residence as “a move from one community to another that justifies a change of schools. Where a family continues to maintain a previous residence for the residential purposes of that family or any of its members, the move is not one that justifies a change of schools for purposes of the TSSAA bylaws.”

Cornersville, Forrest and Lewis County will keep the losses from Perry County on their records.

Individual statistics from those games still count. Quarterback Jacob Tucker is 93 yards from breaking the state career record for total offense and 13 touchdowns from the state career record.

Gladney dies: Buford Gladney, who won 127 games and a state championship in 16 seasons as football coach at Spring Hill, died Sunday following an illness. He was 66. Visitation is from 3-7 p.m. Wednesday and funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Thursday, both at Oakes & Nichols Funeral Home in Columbia.

Contact Chip Cirillo at 615-664-2194 or ccirillo@tennessean.com. Contributing: Maurice Patton.

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