Today is Pack Rat Day. Embrace your inner Pack Rat.
You might just qualify as a pack rat if any of the following describe you:
- You have multiple years of back issues of the RWR.
- You've can lay your hands on the ACFW or RWR conference magazines from years past.
- You are published and still have the paper copies of your Golden Heart scores.
- You've kept ALL your contest entry paperwork.
- You have more than two bookshelf units filled with fiction in print form.
- You still have the same dress you wore to the ACFW awards banquet in 2005.
- You have a drawer full of pencils from various writing conferences and no pencil sharpener.
- Your shredder is empty but there is a stack of papers to be shredded on top.
- You own the entire Janet Dailey 50 states Americana series collection.
We Have Winners
Contact us at seekers@seekerville.net to claim your prize. See our legal page here for details.
Winner of class tuition to Cheryl St. John's June class is Donna Phillips.
Love Inspired author Missy Tippens recently met fun, talented Blogger/Writer Kate Conner. Inspired by Kate's story of her blog post for teen girls that went viral (and led to a 3-book contract with Broadman & Holman!!), Missy shared "10 Things Writers Need to Hear." The post is loosely based on Kate's "10 Things I Want to Tell Teenage Girls." Winner of a pre-order copy of one of Kate's books is Samantha Stanbaugh.
Tuesday we joined Myra Johnson for "Writers, and the pets who inspire us." Do you have a furry (or not so furry) writing companion? Check out friends of Seekerville's pet photos here. Winner of a $15 gift certificate to Drs. Foster & Smith her favorite online pet supplies retailer(They also carry a variety of backyard specialty products) is Stephanie Trietsch.
Hey—everybody loves a two-for-one sale because it’s so great to double your pleasure, double your fun, right? Well, it’s no different in a novel, squeezing double duty out of the words you use. Wednesday we were hosted by Julie Lessman and her alter ego, Assumpta, when the two of them discussed “Seeing Double: Making Your Words Count Twice.” Winners of be a giveaway of winners’ choice of Julie’s books, including her upcoming novel, Surprised By Love are Terri Weldon and Kelly Goshorn.
Thursday we were delighted to welcome back author Victoria Bylin, to talk about her leap from western romance to contemporary romance, the fun and the lessons learned in her post, "Making the Leap -- Switching Genres." Victoria is generously giving away three books to three lucky commenters. Winner of Meant to be Mine by Becky Wade, is Abbi Hart. Winner of Here to Stay by Melissa Tagg is Kara Isaac. And winner of her own book, Until I Found You is Tracey Hagwood.
Bethany House author, Becky Wade visited Seekerville on Friday, to talk about why "Word Count Isn't Always King." Winner of Becky's new release...Meant to be Mine is LeAnne Bristow.
Next Week in Seekerville
Monday: Love Inspired Historical author Janet Dean will discuss her simplified version of story arc in her post “Story Arc in a Nutshell.” If you struggle as she has to nail the order of events or just plain want to make fun of her confusion with The Hero’s Journey and Six Plot Structure, leave a comment for a chance to win a $10 Amazon gift card.
Tuesday: We're excited about today's guest! Join us for "The Curious Thing About Vanilla Ice Cream" with guest Suzanne Woods Fisher. In honor of her visit Seekerville is giving away any Suzanne Fisher book available in Kindle format and one in print. That's TWO different winners!
Wednesday: Have you heard the news? Love Inspired Books is expanding their Love Inspired Suspense line to SIX books each month. To celebrate their success, Seekerville has invited LI Editor Emily Rodmell to join us today. Emily will talk about the innovative ways the LI editors connect with writers, including Killer Voices. She’ll share news about the 13 newly acquired LIS authors and offer suggestions on how to add your name to the LI lineup. Many of you submitted questions in March, which Emily will answer. She also hopes to answer additional questions posed that day. Always generous, Emily is giving away six new LIS releases. Seeker LI authors are adding additional giveaways for a total of twenty books. Be sure to stop by on Wednesday to offer your congratulations and leave a comment to be entered in the drawings.
Thursday: Multi-published in both young adult fiction and romance, Jessica Keller returns to Seekerville today, with her post, "How to Write Believable Villains." Don't miss this great post and a FUN giveaway!
Friday: Love Inspired author Tina Radcliffe is your hostess today with her post," Why To-Do Lists DO Matter." Stop by to chat and for a chance to win a Seekerville surprise box giveaway! Ooh! And Tina has some exciting news to share too.
Chapter Nine of Closer Than Brothers: Surviving Andersonville is up at Mary Connealy's Real Life Petticoat Ranch blog.
And Mary has started a separate page on her blog to collect each chapter. It starts at the beginning and goes up to the most recently released chapter...to make it simple if you haven't started reading yet. FIND IT HERE
And a chance to win a copy of Stuck Together. Go to Relz Reviews and leave a comment.
Are you going to RWA's 2014 Conference in San Antonio? (Now SOLD OUT) If so please email us at Seekers@Seekerville.net and let us know, so we can plan a get together with our friends of Seekerville and email you the info.
Next Time You're Wallowing in a Bad Day: Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day (MovieClips)
Mom's Night Out: Clean comedy cleans up at box office (ChristianRetailing.com) (Trailer here)
A great way to entertain your kids so you can write! Turn Your Phone Into a Walkie Talkie App (ZELLO)
Free through Sunday, Angela Hunt's ebook, Writing Historical Fiction: viewing the past through the lens of the present.
Check out TV Tropes -a great brainstorming and research link
Should Self-Publishing Authors Hire Editors, Producers and Cover Designers? Team Publishing vs. DIY (DBW)
Three Reasons News Corp Bought Harlequin, World's Biggest Romance Book Publisher (Forbes)
Unforgettable Writing: Use all 5 Senses to Add Emotion (Writers in the Storm)
Interview with AudioFile Publisher Michele Cobb (BookMarketing BuzzBlog)
Founder of Just-Launched Authors Alliance Talks to PW (PW)
Ebook Publisher Power Rankings: Top 10 Publishers of Q1 2014 (DBW)
How to Increase Piracy (Let's Get Visible)
The Top 9 Writing Mistakes And How To Fix Them ( The Future of Ink )
Money, Writing And Life With Jane Friedman (The Creative Penn)
Only Two weeks left to sign up for a class that will change your year.
Stop spinning your wheels. It's time to clean out the closet of your life. All you have to lose is your status quo! No guts. No glory.
More information here.
That's it! Have a productive weekend!
Wow! I didn't think I was a pack rat. But was I wrong.
ReplyDeleteI have a box of RWR from the 1980's.
But I only have 2 or 3 ACFW conference magazines.
I haven't cleaned the contest stuff from my files yet.
I have more than a 4 shelf bookcase filled with fiction in print form.
And I have the entire Janet Dailey 50 states Americana series collection. (I guess you all know Janet died this past December.)
Got to go read some more links.
Congratulations to all winners. Happy reading!
Coffee's on.
I protest your definitely. Having more than two bookshelves of books does NOT make you a pack rat. A private library is just me paying homage to the literary world!
ReplyDeleteHELEN!!!! SERIOUSLY????? On the floor laughing.
ReplyDeleteRight, Connealy. And the 450 books on your Kindle????
ReplyDeleteI have books on my Kindle, too. :)
ReplyDeleteWelcome to this meeting of Pack Rats Not-So-Anonymous.
ReplyDelete"You have more than two bookshelf units filled with fiction in print form."
ReplyDeleteWait... what?? You mean books, right?
Books should be exempt. Books are... necessities.
I have thousands of books. educational, fiction, non-fiction, children's, YA, adult, first editions, poetry, dictionaries in 56 languages.
That last part may betray a little pack rat tendency but it's my only non-useful collection. I started it when I was 9 and I have some really beautiful dictionaries... waiting for the moment when a Turkish speaker shows up on my doorstep and needs to know the English word for 'sakiz'.
Now, off to read links.
I have 800 books on my kindle. I've only read two all the way through. I blame the screen. I super-hate it.
ReplyDeleteWell, humph, I take exception to the "You have more than two bookshelf units filled with fiction in print form." That's not packrating that's connoisseuring. And book lined walls are cheaper than wallpaper. And less work. And book covers are art. So are their spines so when you display them you are paying homage to art. Like a book gallery instead of an art gallery. It shows you have class. And where else can you show off your spine poetry in April? Humph.
ReplyDeleteGreat weekend.
ReplyDeleteI can't wait to see Mom's Night Out. The author of the story is a graduate from Asbury University in Wilmore, KY. (My hometown. I don't know her, but lots of people do are are excited.) She sold the story to a small film company who then sold it to Sony. Word around town is that she didn't make a lot of money, but she has a heart for God.
I'm definitely not going to let my husband read this post. I'm agreeing with Mary--personal library!
Helen, I didn't know Janet Dailey died. I pretty much finished reading Nancy Drew and moved to her. I definitely needed YA fiction. LOL!
Can you tell I've been on vacation this week and took a week off from writing?
Congratulations to all the winners this week!
I'm with the rest of the commenters about the books thing. I have thousands. If I gathered every book in my house, I could fill up a shelf running along every wall in my home. This is including childrens books, non fiction, etc. And none of them are on Kindle.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations to the winners! And since my name wasn't on the list for Meant To Be Mine, I'm going to hop on over to Amazon and order it. :-)
Wow, I really am a packrat at least when it comes to writing. I have all on the list except the Janet Dailey books but I have read all of them and had them at one time.
ReplyDeleteHelen. You still have them??? Goodness - a true pack rat of romance.
Congrats to winners.
Have a wonderful weekend. Next weekend is memorial day weekend.
Packrat? Who me?
ReplyDeleteI only have a couple small, really small, extremely really small, bookshelves and they have more nic nacs than books on them..
We will not discuss whether I have any books in boxes though. (Really small boxes)
Congrats winners.
I am off to read about increasing privacy. I'm certain Captain Jack could offer a few tips.
:-)
Okay... that was to increase piracy. Seriously. Auto correct work with me.
DeleteYou can't count Kindle.
ReplyDelete(no reason why, you just can't cuz I say so)
HAH! See Radcliffe.
ReplyDeleteAll of us have a zillion books and what's more....I'll bet you do to.
But I am NOT a packrat.
I just never get around to throwing anything away. It's not like I'm keeping prom dresses for four girls, four years each out of some twisted sentiment. I've just been very busy for the past twenty years.
PS I've never heard of Janet Daily's 50 state books.
ReplyDeleteNever was a Janet Daily fan.
Maybe I should hunt them up?
You mean there's a special DAY for us Pack-rats?? I had NO idea - - wow! I always claim that my tendency comes from years of teaching school, and always thinking there are SO many craft projects that can be done from old items. ;) I think teachers must be the originators of the "Reduce, Reuse, Recycle" theme, LOL.
ReplyDeleteGreat WE as always, and CONGRATS to all the winners!
Looking forward to next week in Seekerville!
Enjoy the Georgia Peach cobbler and muffins I'm setting out--good for a snack ANY time of day (or night!).
Happy Weekend, Patti Jo :)
It’s not a matter of how many books are on your Kindle, it’s a matter of how many Kindles you need to hold all your books. I’ll soon have every version of the Kindle!!!
ReplyDeleteBTW: Louis L’Amour had a large room filled with floor-to-ceiling bookcases on all four walls. Many of those were on hinges which opened out to reveal another bookcase behind it. Louis was a very high information writer. People who read a lot of books love to get smarter and smarter as they read. High information often means high sales – as long as the information never gets in the way of the story. (That’s the magic.)
I’m a winner again! I won two more of Mary’s chapters which I am going to read next! I don’t even have to wait until Sunday to read the second new posting.
I hope fans are reading this story in real time. It reminds me of the old days when each Saturday we’d see the next episode of the current cliffhanger series at the movies. It’s the nearest thing to time travel. Isn’t that right Helen? : )
I'm a pack rat. Paper stacks and lots of books. But it's all good, IMHO!
ReplyDeleteCan't wait for LI Editor Emily Rodmell's visit on WED!!!! Emily always spends the day chatting with us and providing lots of great info.
Glad you're gathering names for all those going to RWA this year, Tina! Raising my hand. I'll be there. Can't wait to see everyone.
I am so thrilled to be the winner of Cheryl's GETTING RID OF THE JUNK THAT HOLDS US BACK class! A more appropriate prize has never been won.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Seekerville!
Congratulations to all of the winners!
OMGoodness!! I'm SO excited that I won the Tuesday giveaway!! What do I need to do next??
ReplyDeleteBTW I also can't wait to dive into some of the article links in this Weekend Edition.
Thanks for all you Seekervillites do! (I was going to use Seekervillians but it didn't seem to fit...LOL!)
Stephanie
I'm a digital pack rat. Does that count? Besides, I loved the pack rats featured in Julie Kagawa's Iron Series.
ReplyDeleteI keep the print book volume down by giving them as gifts. That works until conference. I always ship home a box of books.
My hand is also up. We're heading to San Antone this summer.
b
My version of two bookcases filled with fiction: I have 32 pages of books on my KINDLE!
ReplyDeleteWell Stephanie I forgot to include instructions. Will add that now. Ooopsie.
ReplyDeleteI have eight shelves with fiction books doubled up and then the bottom of the entertainment center is filled with books and I have boxes of books in the storm shelter.
ReplyDeleteI think it's time to make a donation to the public library!
Are you kidding..every single one of those pack ratisms IS ME. Except the Janet Dailey series. Those went away when I moved. Moving is a rude eye opener.
ReplyDeleteI cleaned my desk off last week. Whoohoo!
ReplyDeleteHappy weekend!
I went to the library today and stared at the Danielle Steel books for about five minutes trying to find her 50 states series.
ReplyDeleteThen I remembered you said Janet Daily.
Then I got book #4 in the Harry Bosch/Michael Connelly series and left. Who knows if Janet Daily is even in there.
Patti Jo I am tempted to fly to Georgia and get some real peach cobbler from you. It Sounds So Good!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteI'm up to chapter nine now in the Closer Than Brothers novella. Four more to go.
ReplyDeleteThen STUCK TOGETHER RELEASES.
Except I've heard from a few people that they'd got it already!!!
Oh, goodness, I checked YES to most of the "pack rat" qualifications!
ReplyDeleteHowever, I have to agree with Mary that my overflowing bookshelves are just my private library. (I won't mention the shelves are spilling over into other rooms now. So, um, yes, it's probably time to pass a few of those books along.)
I pity the children when I die and they have to clean out my shelves and closets and attic!
But I'm going to consider it payback for having to sort and store all their stuff while they're serving overseas. We've been at it nearly nonstop since our daughter & fam returned to Ethiopia yesterday. Mom & Dad = free storage unit!
STEPHANIE, we just need your email address for sending the Drs. Foster & Smith e-gift card. You'll find the Seekerville email address on our main page.
ReplyDeleteSTEPHANIE, actually, click on the "About & Contact" tab in the menu bar.
ReplyDeleteYou might just qualify as a pack rat if any of the following describe you:
ReplyDeleteHey! I resemble that remark!
Tina, I love the Weekend! I'm a pack rat, a neat pack rat let me quickly say. I have copies of RWR that go back forever and contest scores from prepubbed days but no Janet Daily 50 states Americana collection. Wonder why I overlooked that.
ReplyDeleteCongrats to our winners!
I am so excited to see Mom's Night Out! Just can't wait. And I' m a grandmother, which just proves we moms never get over parenthood. LOL
Mary, must get out and download your series on Andersonville prison. Know I'll be fascinated.
Oodles of books to read, which is a responsibilty that makes me happy. Can't wait to read Stuck Together.
Happy Weekend Seekerville. Hope to see you Monday and chat about story arc or nuts or whatever is on your mind.
Janet
Nuts???
ReplyDeleteTo clarify, is that more than two bookshelves in one room only or in every room in your house? I have books and bookshelves in almost every room of my house. I also have RWR magazines everywhere. I too have books on Kindle, books on my B&N app, and books on my iBooks app. I love to read. And I am a pack rat. Happy weekend, everyone.
ReplyDeleteI am beyond embarrassed already....
ReplyDeleteI'd just confessed to Tina that I own a Swiffer long-handled duster...
I just can't find it.
That says somethin' right there.
I'm embarrassed for Mary.
ReplyDeleteHelen????????
HELEN?????
Oh my stars, I love you even more now and I did not think that possible!!!! :)
LAUGHING!!!
YOU TELL HER, KAV!!!!
ReplyDeleteTINA! How'd you know I have a foot-high stack of paper on the floor next to my desk awaiting the shredder? And binders of manuscript edits/AAs shelved in the garage (along with contest entry paperwork) waiting to be shredded as well?
ReplyDeleteContest score sheets from my unpubbed days are organized for when I find time to scan and store them electronically in hopes that I'll find something worthwhile from my personal archives to share in an upcoming Seekerville post.
I ditched well over a decade of back issues of RWR and RT last year.
I think the only thing I've not been guilty of at some point in time is squirreling away Janet Dailey books. :)
I'm in a long-term crusade to reclaim my personal space from outdated writing-related "stuff," but it's slow going.
So you can see why your Weekend Edition made me smile! :)
I'm with Glynna!!!!
ReplyDeleteI've learned a lot this weekend. Apparently we are all PACK RATS. But we fall into two categories: those happy with the status quo and those in recovery.
ReplyDelete...You still have the same dress you wore to the ACFW awards banquet in 2005...
ReplyDeleteAhem. Yes, I do. It's a pretty dress and I hope to fit into it again some day. It will probably be retro by then, LOL!
What a big week! Congratulations to all our winners. And I love the line for next week.
AND, I can't count how many shelves of print form books I have...and those in closets...and boxes...
ReplyDeleteGotta love those books!!
Great WE, Tina!!
thanks for all the great links, Tina!
ReplyDeleteI laughed so hard at your list of pack rat things. Oh my goodness. I have just about all of them!
I don't just HAVE the dress...I still WEAR the dress.
ReplyDeleteDon't tell me people actually REMEMBER!!!???
NOooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!
Great post and I loved reading all the "pack rat" comments. My kids got me a nook for Christmas a few years ago so I could start to get rid of some the books that are stacked (sometimes two deep and two high) on each of my 3 bookshelves. Guess what? It didn't work! I just can't bring myself to get rid of a book. And Helen Gray, I'm glad to hear I'm not the only one with the whole Americana collection. I love them and still reread them often. Since I'm new to writing, I don't have stacks of RWA magazines or conference memorabilia......yet. Talk to me again in a few years! ;) Happy reading y'all!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Tina, this has been fun reading the packratsims!
ReplyDeleteI never thought of myself as a pack rat—but now I know. Books are my worst offense!
But even my daughter couldn't believe I still had her old prom dresses—years after the fact!
She made me throw them away! They were size six and now she's size...oh well.
PATTI JO, I laughed when I read your comment. Yep, us teachers are the worst packrats in the world. I never used to be one until I started teaching. Because who knows what we can do with that item. LOL
ReplyDeleteBut sounds like writers can be just as bad. I love books. But must say hubby and the motorhome are much happier with my Kindle.
Oh and thanks for the peach cobbler, Patti Jo.
ReplyDeleteAnd Mary, when you fly out to get some, call me. I'll join you. smile I love peach cobbler.
I've been a size, oh well, for several years myself, Mary Hicks.
ReplyDeleteWonder if my mom still has my prom dresses, lol.
Good links, Tina! And thanks for letting us know about the free download of Angela Hunt's book. Both The Future of Ink and the Writers in the Storm posts are the kind of thing I print and put in my "editing tips" notebook. Fun that they listed nine writing mistakes instead of the expected ten. And oh my gosh, a person could get lost in all those tropes!
ReplyDeleteCongrats to the all you winners!
Nancy C
Thank you, Nancy C!! I agree.
ReplyDeleteMary Hicks!!! I'm size ...oh well... too.
ReplyDeleteEeeek! I'm firmly in the pack rat group! Thanks, Tina, for all the WE information! Looking forward to your announcement next week and all the posts. Congratulations to DONNA and all the winners! Hope everyone has a great week!
ReplyDeleteI'm loving that we're all falling into the spectrum.
ReplyDeleteI'm trying to recover but it's a room-by-room process.
By 2015 I plan to have it done.
Um, that's by the END of 2015.
Like 18 months away.
A girl needs a fighting chance, for heavens sake!!!
SIZE OH, WELL. It's like bitter is the new black. 60 is the new 40. Etc.
ReplyDeleteSize, oh well! I love it.
ReplyDeleteMiss Tina - a great WE. I'm so excited that I won Julie's upcoming release! Yeah!!!