Surprising Emotion:: YA Books by Heather Gunter

NOTE: Emotional chickness following. You have been warned.

I recently picked up YA Novel “Love Notes” by Heather Gunter. I saw it listed in my BookBub email and it looked like a cute young adult romance featuring a girl with low self-esteem finding happiness. You won’t know it by meeting me now but when I was a teenager, I had some very down years with low self-esteem, just knowing that I was not smart and wouldn’t ever really fit it. I was shy and would steer clear of any confrontation – just couldn’t stand up for myself. I once had a bully follow me home after school, I was on my bicycle, and she actually came along side me and kicked my bike. Of course, me and the bike came crashing down though surprisingly I came out ok. She and her posse laughed and called me names and left. I hurried home and never said a word.  So the book blurb spoke to me. I read it in one sitting, a few hours with a cup of tea snuggled in my bed.

Turns out the book wasn’t just about a teen with low self-esteem but about a teen who experienced verbal abuse on a daily basis. Real nasty stuff that made my skin boil. I really did understand. I also really understand the value of a good friend. I was really lucky to have some good friends as a nerdy kid and later found some amazing, supportive friends that I still have to this day. I found a couple in the mix as I went that didn’t really fit the bill, hiding in plain sight while being a verbal abuser of those around. Those ones get kicked to the curb when I find them but I can honestly say I have some of the best friends a girl could have now and quite a few of them. (**Thanks guys, I love you**)

The book really hit a chord with me emotionally as I am sure you can tell. So I, of course, had to pick up book two in the series. “Heartstrings”

Um, yeah, read this one in one morning. The second book featured a girl who had been raped. Now I have actually experienced date rape but when it happened to me, I was so shocked that I didn’t struggle, it really was a surreal moment. He dropped me off at home and I never spoke to him again. Luckily for me, it was not my first time and he wasn’t a brutal, pain lusting freak, no he was just a horny asshole who pushed himself on a shy girl who was caught off guard. I’m so not that girl anymore and it was a sucky moment in my life but it did not have the effect on me like the emotion and broken heart effect that I read in the book “Heartstrings”.  Honestly, I can’t even tell you how many times I had to wipe the tears away so  I could keep reading.

Then at the end, the author shares that she wrote her own story, surviving rape, into the character and you really could feel it. I cried again after I read that. So I just wanted to shout out to all you ladies, and I am sure there are men too that quietly have had horrid experiences like this, you are survivors – not victims and I for one am proud for each and every one of you who has dusted off your knees, given the finger to the past and moved on to create a future that makes you happy. **Well done.**

 

A Woman’s Decision Making Process

Hubbie: I’m boiling water. Do you want some tea?

Me: Hm.

Hubbie: Yes. No. *Drums fingers* Yes. No.

Me: Well, I didn’t sleep well last night and even though I have decaf, I want to sleep well tonight so I want the tea but I am thinking I want sleep more.

Hubbie: So no.

Me: Right.

Hubbie: You could have just said ‘no thank you’.

How to Buy a Domain Name (website name) with GoDaddy.com

Hi, all!

First off – a domain name is the “address” or website name that you use to go directly to a website.

For example: Amazon.com. That is a domain name.

Since I had the pleasure of working in the website design and hosting industry for a few years (though I would be considered “old school” now), I have been helping some of the peeps in my writers group with setting up their wordpress account as a website. Part of that process is buying your domain name aka website name and “pointing” it to your wordpress account. So instead of having to put in https://authorlisabarry.wordpress.com/ to get to my site, you can put in lisa-barry.com and BAM! You’re there.

It is not expensive ($10-25 per year) and easy to do.

I have used GoDaddy.com for so many years that it is my ‘go to’ for domain names. Below you will find detailed instructions on how to buy a domain using GoDaddy. The next post will be on how to “direct” your domain name to go to your wordpress (or any other) site.

How to Buy a Domain Name (Website Name) from GoDaddy.com

1) Go www.GoDaddy.com

2) This is what you will see:

The first thing you need to do is find out if the domain you want is even available. Type it in to the field and hit enter (or click ‘search domain’.

3) At the point you will see one of two things:

3a) If your domain is NOT available, you will see something like this:

3b) If your domain IS available, you will see something like this:

4) My name is simple and abundant so LisaBarry.com was long since taken by a talented photographer. I had to get creative and ended up with Lisa-Barry.com which isn’t exactly what I would have liked but works. Keep on putting in domain name options until you find one you are happy with that is available. Then click on “Continue to Cart”.

5) The next page is GoDaddy showing you all the bells and whistles that you can purchase along with your domain name. For our purposes, we are only interested in buying the domain so we can direct it to your wordpress site. This is what will be the first thing they show you:

 

I personally always get domain protection. This hides my name, address and other personal information that I just don’t want out there and easily found by just anyone. I want to choose who knows my friggin address. If you are a bonafide business with a business address (that is not your house) than there is not really a need to get the protection unless of course you are doing something clandestine. hee hee. So now hit the teeny tiny arrow to the right of the “No Thanks”  and you get a drop down like this:

 

7) They give you two choices. I get the Privacy Protection (not the business) but read the difference to see which works best for you. choose one and then you scroll down to the next offer which is:

 

Options for a do-it-yourself website and the hosting you would need for that. Since I am explaining how to get a domain and point it to your free wordpress account, I am not going to get into this. Just ignore it and…

8) Scroll down to the next offer which is:

 

Again, I am not here to explain how to get email set up with your new domain name so we’re ignoring that just now. Know that you can log in at any time and add in additional services. Now click on ‘Continue to Cart’.

9) Do not panic when you see this next page. GoDaddy will automatically assume that you want to buy your domain for 5 years of use. In case you were not aware, though you are buying the rights to use the domain and for all practical purposes it is yours it is only for lengths of time. One year at a time. You can go ahead and roll with the five years worth or if you’re on a budget, just get it for one year.

 

Click on the little arrow next to the # of years and choose the year you want. The below pic shows you one year. Pretty good size price difference. When you’re happy with your choice, click on ‘Proceed to Checkout’.

 

11) Now you will need to set up your account or log in. If you are a New Customer, please make sure you note down your login info somewhere safe. GoDaddy uses both your email and your Customer Number and it is sooo much easier later on to have that info and your password to hand.

 

Well that’s my two cents on buying a domain. If you have any questions or there is some missing information, please feel free to post in the comments and I will help as much as I can.  😉

PG Tips – the Monkey Tea

The Hubby put on the kettle for tea today.

Me: Is there enough for me too?

Hubby: Sure, what tea do you want?

Me: PG Tips baby.

Hubby: Monkey tea.

Me: *Face scrunches up* *Brows raise questioning intelligence of statement*

Hubby: I mean monkeys like that tea. Not that you are a monkey.

Me: *gives death eye*

*Realizes hubby is referring to a commercial from when he was a kid*

*Finds commercial*

*Has good laugh*

*Shares with friends*

 

More Writing Exercise Fun

I thought I would share a few more of my favorite writing exercises from meetings with my writers group, the Ink Slinger Guild.

The Ink Slingers Guild meet roughly every two weeks and one of the fun things we do is an exercise where  three or four members each pick one word. Those words are shared with the group and a timer is set for five – eight minutes. Laying pen to paper or tapping with fervor on their keyboards each person writes as much as they can in that time, but it must include those words. The best part is the sharing of these compositions, often hilarious and always inspiring!

We share them every week here: www.InkSlingersGuild.com

Today I decided that I wanted to share some personal favorites of mine. Below I will list three words and right below the blurb I threw together. I hope you enjoy them!

• Music
• Earring
• Current

Blue watched the river flow into her village from the tall oak. The current had swept away the only life she had ever known. Seelie, her brother was cradled asleep in her arms. Hours had passed since the flooding had started. Wondering what magic had gone so wrong, Blue glanced one branch above and met the eyes of her animal bond. The young leopard raised a sleepy eye and winked before dosing again. Tears were dried and forgotten on her face when she heard the music. A taunting melody that came in softly and tried to curl your heart. Fear touched her. She felt her pocket and was relieved to find the earring still safely tucked away. The other was long lost but this piece of magic was hers and hers alone to call on.

As the music came closer, her skin started to crawl. Her leopard jumped up and growled. Death was coming.

• Rooster
• Office
• Reset

Skim stared at the broken mug on the floor, the terror crawling up his back as he made out the picture of the rooster on the smooth porcelain. His legs started to shake as he glanced up to the closet on the office wall. He had only 45 minutes before her return. Forty-five minutes to sure death. Numb, he walked out into the dimly corridor and made his way outside. The bright sun scorched his eyes but he barely squinted as he he turned down the street.

She would find him, of that he was certain. He had tried to reset life once before leaving him with a scar down his back the size of his arm. Something banged into him and he stumbled, almost falling into the busy street. An arm grabbed him, pulled him into the shade. Skim looked up into the pale eyes of a Fallen.

• Historical
• Map
• Teeth

Grayson analyzed the teeth under his paraviewer. The soft glow confirmed his suspicion. They were definitely not from this planet, at least not natively. Quivering at the historical find, he grabbed his comm. To pull up the area map. A perimeter would have to be ordered immediately. The coorindates were key. He had just finished plotting the last line when a familiar hand brushed the back of hisneck. He leaned into Sammi and sighed.

“Well?” she asked.

“I was right.” He whispered. Her hands gripped his shoulders, a silent jump for joy. Grayson grinned, knowing her mind had probably already plotted the entire escavation.

“What do you think it is?”

Grayson leaned down to look at the teeth again. He shrugged. “They resemble dragon in shape but not in size. I really don’t know, babe.”

• Milk
• Blood
• Eyeglass

The only evidence of Sal’s visit was the eyeglass on the counter. Abbey picked it up and placed it gently in her cabinet next to a lovely silver pocket watch and an old antique cufflink set. She blew a particle of dust from the shelf before closing the glass door. As she pulled her hand away she caught the remnant of blood beneath one of her nails. Frowning, she swept over to the sink to remove the foul stuff of man. After inspecting her hands closely, she went to the fridge and pulled out the milk and a package of Girl Scout cookies. Settling down on the couch she smiled and took her first bite. She sent a thought of happiness to the cute little girl next door, the seller of these delicious morsels and hoped she wouldn’t miss her father too much.

© 2014 Lisa Barry