Embracing challenges from A to Z: Notes from a 4-time challenge winner by Laura Roberts

Embracing challenges from A to Z:
Notes from a 4-time challenge winner by Laura Roberts 

       

           The annual Blogging from A to Z April Challenge has become a rite of passage for me. I can't remember how I first discovered its existence, but I do remember how intrigued I was by the notion of blogging on a daily basis, focusing on every letter of the alphabet – one at a time – as a special challenge.

         The first year I joined the challenge was 2012. Upon discovering that the organizers suggested choosing a theme to help keep your blogging on track, I decided to write about Awesome Lady Authors. The goal was to combat an irritating trend I'd noticed in the media, which seems to focus predominantly on male authors, despite the fact that far more women are reading – and writing – than men. I wanted to play up the female writers I knew and loved, and to discover more of them throughout the month. Writing about female authors based on the first letters of their last names, I discovered the excellent works of Xue Xinran (a double X, as I've always been a bit of an overachiever), and got a chance to promote the works of several authors I'm friends with, like poet Gillian Sze and spoken word performance artist Catherine Kidd. I also highlighted some of my childhood favorites, like Beverly Cleary (author of the Ramona books) and Louise Fitzhugh (author of my all-time fave Harriet the Spy). The whole exercise made me feel a lot more connected to my own writing, on a personal level that I had previously abandoned in my blogging, and seemed to resonate with fellow A to Z participants as well. But that was just the beginning.

         In 2013 I joined the challenge again. Having published the first book in my erotica series, Naked Montreal, the month before, I wanted to give my readers a less sexually-charged point of entry. I realized that many of my American readers knew little or nothing about the Canadian city of Montreal, and I wanted to help them get to know this alluring, French-speaking "Paris of America," through personal anecdotes about the time I'd spent there. So I wrote chose the theme "Montreal from A to Z," and went for it. Again, I felt inspired by the challenge, excited to share my thoughts, and wanted to keep going! After the 2013 challenge was over, I decided to turn my Montreal posts into a book. In November of that year, I finally published them as Montreal from A to Z.

          In 2014, I went a little more risqué. Drawing on my past as a sex columnist, I wrote nonfictional posts on the subject of Sex Toys from A to Z. And, as per my 2013 challenge, I published the results as Play With Me: Sex Toys from A to Z.

            Which brings us to 2015! This year I decided to double-down on my challenge themes. At my newly minted blog, Laura Roberts Books, I would write about my new hometown, San Diego, highlighting some of its most interesting hotspots, as well as the unusual bits and pieces that might not make the typical guidebook under the banner of "San Diego from A to Z."

           Meanwhile, at my erotica blog over at Buttontapper Press, I would also write about Sexy San Diego – focusing on more X-rated sights and performances you can find in the city. That way I'd have not one but two books completed at the end of April. I'm happy to report that I finished both of my blogging challenges successfully this year, despite the fact that it was twice as much work. The A to Z Challenge has given me plenty of material for my new books, one of which is launching today! Born from my April blog posts, along with plenty of bonus material, San Diego from A to Z hits shelves today at Amazon. I hope you'll give it a read, and that it will help inspire you to turn your own A to Z Challenge posts into a book.

       Visit Laura Roberts Books for her blog and past A to Z posts.

Who Are You?

I visit a lot of blogs during the week and over time, most of those bloggers become my friends. Good friends as in on a first name basis. During A to Z and other blog hops, I have the chance to meet new-to-me bloggers. Some are so interesting and I'm happy to have found new friends. But sometimes I can't find their names.

Perhaps their blog has a name relating to their area of interests, something like Bug Eaters of Pennsylvania. After I read through a fantastic post with delicious recipe for fried crickets and comment on it, I decide I want to follow this unique blog. Or I want to make my comment more personal by using the blogger's name. Or perhaps I want to tell everyone about this fun site by linking to it on my own blog. But no matter where I search on that blog, I can't find the name of the person or persons behind it. Who are they?

Sometimes people want to keep their exact identity from general knowledge and that is understandable. But even then, coming up with a name for your online presence is better than no name at all. For instance, one of the blogs I've discovered recently is SpacerGuy. It's a fun blog about Star Trek and SciFi stuff. I have no problem with the name SpacerGuy. It's a name I can call my friend.

I don't want to point out any of the blogs that I've found without a name but I'm sure you've run into a few of them. Check your blog title, your blog sidebar. Is it easy for a new visitor to figure out who you are? Do you have something in your blog header or the sidebar that lets visitors know what your blog is about? Is there a name they can call you if not your given name?

If your name is the title of your blog, then it's easy for people to know who you are. If it's not, do your visitors know what they can call you? Or should we just call you, Bug Eater?

June, the Love and Marriage Month

We're nearly halfway through 2015, time flying by as it tends to do. Have you written more than half the posts you'll produce for the year. Probably yes if you survived April.

June if a favorite month of mine. As a teacher, of course, it meant the start of summer break. But it's so much more than that. It's the month my oldest son was born, the month of my anniversary, the birthdays of two my sisters and generally considered a time for romance and marriage.

There will be weddings galore and many of us will be invited to at least one. The name June comes

Juno

from the Roman Goddess Juno, Juno was the goddess of marriage, pregnancy and childbirth. So which came first, the name of the month or all the weddings during the month? I think the name.

"Love looks not with the eyes, but with the mind." William Shakespeare

But June isn't know just for marriage. June 6th was D-Day, marking the day when 160,000 Allied troops landed on be beaches of Normandy. A day to be marked forever.

June 14th is Flag Day in the USA representing the date when in 1777 when the Continental Congress accepted the design made by Betsy Ross for the fledgling US Navy as our national flag. My oldest son was born on June 14th but we didn't name him 'Old Glory.'

June's birthstone is the pearl, which was once thought to be a cure for insanity. So wear those pearl earrings just to be on the safe side.

Today, June 17th, is Bunker Hill Day in Suffolk County in Massachusetts, marking the battle at said hill during the siege of Boston in 1775. Not a widely noticed holiday but it was an important day.

Tomorrow, June 18th, marks the start of Ramadan, the holy month of fasting where followers do not eat from sunrise to sunset each day.

June 21st is Father's Day and the Summer Solstice. My husband is always thrilled on that day when our five boys come over to play all day. Maybe even a golf outing. I love that longest day of the year but I don't like how our hours of sun start to shorten again after ward. And for those long summer nights, here's some wisdom from The Old Farmer's Almanac. The warmer the temperature, the faster a cricket chirps.

"The summer night is like a perfection of  thought."  Wallace Stevens, American poet

Is there a June highlight I missed? Do you wear pearls and if so, are they keeping you sane? Why are there so many weddings in June? Are you number of posts for 2015 well past the halfway number for this year?

Themes That Rocked – Traveling the Globe with Photographer and Explorer, Yusuf Hashim

Hank Kaykuala is an accomplished poet and author.
During the Challenge, he highlighted some of his amazing poetry.
But part of his theme included highlighting the travels and explorations of his friend, Hank Kaykuala.
It was fascinating!

Part of your theme for the Challenge was This is the Modern Day Explorer – why did you choose to highlight Yusuf Hashim?

Yusuf is unique for two reasons:

Firstly, Yusuf Hashim is a Gypsetter, and an accomplished photographer. His photos are not only technically and visually fantastic, but the stuff that he shoots are mainly from locations that many of us usually only dream about. Often-times, Yusuf accesses these locations usually by directly driving his 4x4 go-anywhere Toyota Land Cruiser. Yusuf drives his vehicle across continents for photography as regularly as we fly from continent to continent. He’s driven overland from London to Malaysia not once but several times. He’s driven from Malaysia through China and over the Himalayas to India. He’s driven from Cape Town to Cairo, and from Cairo across the Sahara Desert to Casablanca. He’s driven right around South America from from Buenos Aires going north to Uruguay, Brazil,Paraguay, Bolivia, Peru , Chile, Argentina and round Ushuaia in Terry del Fuego and finished by reentering Buenos Aires from the Sourh. His idea of fun is to sail in a schooner in the Scoresby Sound of Greenland. And when he wants a photo of an active Volcano, for example, Mt Erta Ale’ which is Africa’s most active volcano, he actually climbed it and camped overnight on its crater rim above the boiling lava below. He jumped the bungee over Victoria Falls on his 65th Birthday. And last week, (May 18, 2015) he’s just celebrated his 70th birthday in the Todra Gorge of the Atlas Mountains of Morocco.

And secondly, not many people are aware that Yusuf retired 15 years ago, as Retail Marketing Director of Shell in Malaysia. After a sterling Jet-setting Corporate career in one of the world’s largest Oil Company, he metamorphosed into a Gyp-setting accomplished Photographer after retirement.

What is the Vacation of a Lifetime?

Yusuf’s idea of a vacation is ….getting hot by climbing 4 active Volcanoes in two weeks - 2 in Java in the first week (Mt Ijen and Mt Bromo) and another 2 in Africa (Mt Erta Ale’ and Mt Dalol in the Danakil Depression of Ethiopia) in the second week. The night time temperatures in the Danakil Depression is a searing 48°C. And to wind down and cool down in the third week …. flying to Iceland to shoot the Aurora Borealis in the -15°C Lake Myvatn Volcanic Region in Central Iceland. And perhaps sailing in the Scoresby Sound of Greenland after that.

Have you gone exploring with Yusuf in the past?

No, perhaps one day.

You posted some of Yusuf’s incredible photos. Which ones were your favorite?

All of them are great as they were snapped not only with the heart but ably accomplished with his technical skills. I will choose those which are rarely possible and difficult to come by (like the boy with the AK47, the passenger peering out the train window) and opportunistic ones (like the family going for the shared community bath where the elder girl had a toothbrush in her hands) A few are included here including the boy with the AK47. These are of a high resolution format.

Yusuf has taken people all over the world on photo safaris. What countries seem to be his favorite?

The flavor of 2014 was AFRICA – specifically Ethiopia. Last year Yusuf did 3 photo safaris covering the entire length and breadth of Ethiopia, which Yusuf says is the unpolished jewel of Africa. After decades of civil strife and political instability following the removal of Emperor Haile Selassie, Ethiopia has recently become safe to visit . Ethiopia has more than 50 Ethnic tribes who are living much like their ancestors did hundreds of years ago.. Yusuf’s photos chronicling the little known tribes of Africa, are like pages out of a National Geographic Magazine.

Yusuf Hashim says:
This is a Mursi boy, who couldn't be more than 12 years old, with an AK47 Kalashnikov on his shoulder. He demanded money when I shot this photo of him. I didn't want to argue with that globally acclaimed widow-maker, so I gave him 20 Birrs for this photo. That's equivalent to about 50 cents.

The flavor for this year seems to be Cuba, Iceland and Greenland. Yusuf took three groups of people to Cuba earlier this year. He says you must visit Cuba before Cuba warms up to the American tourists, and everything is spoiled by modernization. Cuba is like a state frozen in time, with delightful Spanish period buildings around every corner. Cubans are still very warm to tourists.The foreseen influx of American tourists in the near future, will probably transform Cuba into the usual tourist traps like in Egypt and China and Morocco. Then he took two groups to the freezing permanent Icecaps, glaciers and waterfalls of South Iceland, followed by North and Central Volcanic Region of the Island. In September this year (2015) he’s returning to Iceland which will be the appetizer for a Sailing Expedition in Greenland.

Yusuf Hashim says:
Their streets are still full of beautifully preserved huge gas-guzzling 5 liter, 50 year old American Automobiles

Tell us about the loneliest road Yusuf has ever traveled.

Yusuf told me the loneliest road in the world has to be the Routa 40 about 3000 kilometers from Patagonia to Ushuaia alongside the foothills of the Andes, across the Glacial Wilderness of the Glacial parks of Southern Chile and Argentina, with the Tres Torres and Mt Fitzroy on one side and Mt Aconcagua on the other, and leading to Ushuaia, the southern-most point of South America. When he drove around South America along this route, for days he saw only 5 or 10 vehicles apart from his convoy of 15 vehicles. Yusuf says, Patagonia is one of the places you must go to before you go to meet your maker. Here’s a sample of the photo opportunities in Patagonia…

Yusuf Hashim says:
Ruta 40, or Route 40 in Argentina, reputedly the loneliest road in the world. For nearly 2000 km, I counted less than 50 other vehicles on this god-forsaken track running alongside the Andes from la Puna until reaching the Glaciers of Patagonia

Where can we find out more about Yusuf?

Yusuf is presently rebuilding a new personal web page, so for more current information, check out his Facebook page or his Photo Safari Website.

Thanks, Hank! And I hope you get to join Yusuf on an adventure soon.


Co-host Ninja Captain Alex J. Cavanaugh is the author of Amazon Best-Sellers CassaStar, CassaFire, CassaStorm, and Dragon of the Stars, and his blog can be found HERE

Attention: Give Us Your Best Excerpt! Paranormal Romance Blog Hop

Hello!

Happy June! Have you recovered from the A to Z Challenge, yet? It was a lot of work, but a lot of fun too, right?

This year was my fourth year participating in the hop, and every year I get a bit more organized. I wrote most of my posts in advance, which helped significantly. Maybe for 2016's A to Z Challenge I'll have all of my posts written in advance. We shall see.

In any case, there's rules, of course, but there is no ONE way to take part in the Blogging from A to Z April Challenge. So don't get too frustrated with yourself if your performance wasn't as fantabulous as some of the other bloggers.

One of the things I'm never able to do is visit ALL of the blogs during the actual challenge. So I appreciate the Post A-to-Z Road Trip. It gives me the opportunity to visit every blog that I was unable to visit during the hop. My goal is to hit at least five blogs a day. So by April of next year, I'll be all caught up for the 2016 event!

In the meantime, I have a blog fest to announce for all you fellow paranormal romance authors out there. I'm sure there's an excerpt that you've written that you just absolutely love. Don't be shy! Show it off to paranormal romance readers and the world.

Give Us Your Best Excerpt! Paranormal Romance Blog Hop is happening on July 14, 2015. For the day of the hop post your favorite excerpt from either a paranormal book that you've published, OR, a work-in-progress.

Readers love to read excerpts. So give them your best! Use this hop as a way to promote your book or to drum up interest in your work-in-progress. (I'll be posting an excerpt from my upcoming paranormal romance novel The Layneworth Monsters. It's available for preorder at Amazon for 99 cents until July 10, 2015.)

Visit the Give Us Your Best Excerpt page to sign-up! I look forward to reading your excerpts!

* * *

Jolie du Pre is a full-time author, article writer, blogger, and monster lover.

The Latest and Greatest on Pluto

NASA's $700 million New Horizons spacecraft will arrive in the Pluto system in mid-July after a nine-year 3 billion mile flight that started before Pluto was demoted to dwarf-planet status. 

But thanks to the Hubble Space Telescope, we already some fascinating stuff about Pluto and its five known moons. The Pluto system consists of four tiny satellites —Nix, Hydra, Kerberos and Styx — orbiting a "binary planet" comprised of Pluto and its largest moon Charon. They’re locked in odd rhythmic gyrations in a dance unlike anything in our solar system. 

What makes it so odd is that there's a double set of dances going on. First, Pluto and Charon are locked together in their own waltz "as if they are a dumbbell" with a rod connecting them. It's the solar system's only binary planet system, even though Pluto and Charon aren’t technically planets. 

But Pluto and Charon aren't alone, and that's where it gets more complicated. The four little moons circle the Pluto-Charon combo, wobbling a bit when they go closer to either Pluto or Charon, being pushed and pulled by the two bigger objects. 

Those four moons orbit Pluto-Charon in a precise rhythmic way, but with a twist: They also interact when they near each other. So it seems like they all dance to one overarching beat but not quite in the same way, just doing their own thing. 

Nix and Hydra exhibit chaotic rather than synchronous rotation, meaning they don't always keep the same side facing Pluto-Charon — and that it's very tough to predict their rotational movement. (Nearly every other moon in the solar system, including Earth's, is a synchronous rotator.) 

If you lived on Nix, you would not know if the sun is coming up tomorrow; it is that extreme. You'd have days where the sun rises in the east and sets in the north. 

Thanks for stopping by. I post here every first and third Thursday of the month. Don’t miss my June 17th blog as I’ll be posting on the James Webb Space Telescope. 

Stephen Tremp is a Speculative Writer and blogs at Breakthrough Blogs. His latest work, Salem’s Daughters, is due for release October 1, 2015. 

References: Associated Press and Space.com

My A to Z Road Trip Plan

If you read my May 27th post, you know I have a plan to visit 2-3 Road Trippers each day, and I'm doing it alphabetically. 

Wink. Wink. 



I doubt that I'll ever do anything again that doesn't involved organizing things from AtoZ.

So, I've visited A through G so far. Now I see that I have to adjust my plan, so if a keyword starts with the letter of the day, I'll visit that. I've already got my Z staked out. June will see a major slow down in my visits because I'm taking a vacation break, but I'll be back in July. Keep your engines running!

One thing Mario, my dashboard buddy/Muse, and I promised during this year's journey is a Road Side Rest Stop once in a while. This is where you can sit back, relax, breathe and rejuvenate. So here's our first Road Stop.







Unfortunately, there's often a very un-relaxing ad that pops up first, click it away and go for the relaxation. Even a few minutes puts you back on the road ready to roll.

Does planning help you save time and reach your goals? Are you good at planning and adjusting plans when you need to? What's been the best plan you've ever devised? Do you take a break to rejuvenate during the day?

Blog Blues and Brings Back Characters Who Blog

The first few months after the A to Z Challenge are always the hardest for me. I'm never sure what I'm supposed to do with myself. I sometimes find myself planning out posts that begin alphabetically, only to remember that A to Z is over. Sigh. What's a blogger to do? 

As a way to deal with my blog blues, I decided to come up with a few blogging challenges for myself, you know, to keep things interesting. On Mondays I'll focus on movies. Tuesdays are for reviews. On Wednesdays we wear pink . . . no wait, that's Mean Girls. 

Now as for my posts here on the Blogging from A to Z website, I'm thinking of bringing back my Characters Who Blog series (if you're new to this site, check out a few here and here). I had a lot of fun coming up with all the different literary and film characters and what they might write about if they had blogs of their own. 

Which prompts me to ask, what are some of your favorite characters from movies, TV and books? Are there any that stick out as particularly influential? Are they well known or tragically unheard of? And perhaps the bigger question, any Characters Who Blog requests? 

Happy Monday everyone, and as always, happy blogging! 

S. L. Hennessy can be found blogging at Pensuasion.  

Hitting the Road with Mario

We're all up against the clock these days. Being connected online does not save us time; it absorbs it like a sponge. Yet we're here, so how can we best meet our Challenges online as well as in other parts of our lives?

I've devised a plan for my start on the AtoZ Challenge Road Trip. 

First I've got a great blogger to share the load. She's efficient and she's dependable, and I greatly appreciate her inviting me to join her on this year's trip. Wave to Madlab Post on your way by.

Next I've convinced Mario the Muse to be my dashboard buddy. He's there to guide and inspire and keep me awake on the those long stretches.

As I start off, my plan is visit at least 2-3 bloggers each day who are on the road with me. 

I'm starting with any blogs beginning with the letter A and moving ahead through the alphabet. If there's no X, so be it, but I'll look for a blog with that letter.

So bye for now. I'm off to visit A blogs. Hope to see you as I make my way through those 26 letters. 

Do you have a plan? Is is just easier for you to wing it? 

Are YOU Ready to Go on the 5th Annual Post-Challenge Road Trip? #AtoZChallenge

Are YOU ready to cruise through the 2015 A-Z Challenge list? I sure am looking forward to visiting a number of blogs I missed in April. 

Thanks to the late great Tina Downey at Life is Good and Shannon Lawrence at The Warrior Muse who started the Road Trip (formerly known as the Post-Challenge Challenge) -- by calling on each other to visit all of the blogs on the list before the next A-Z Challenge rolled around -- we now have this year-round event to stay active in the blogosphere during the "off-season."

I've had the pleasure of co-hosting this with the founding ladies and then continued with Tina after Shannon hitched a ride at a rest stop to embark on other adventures. Soon, Heather Gardner at The Waiting is the Hardest Part joined us as a travel guide and brought Stormy the Weather Gnome along to swap shifts taking the wheel on this open road of A-Z blogs. After racking up lots of mileage out here in blogland, Heather and Stormy parked their car in the garage for a tuneup earlier this year. Luckily, I gained another driving partner in C. Lee McKenzie at The Write Game who will be helping with refreshments, maps and other necessities to keep everyone's engine running and going in the right direction (i.e. forward) on the highway.

Starting today, C. Lee McKenzie and I invite you to join us on the 5th annual Post-Challenge Road Trip, a meandering journey through the 2015 list of A-Z participants, at your own pace, with your own rules, and very few expectations.

The most important thing to keep in mind is you're the boss of you're own schedule and approach to visiting blogs. Whether you want to visit one new blog on a daily basis or hundreds of blogs per day, you're the one at the wheel. The Road Trip is really just some buddies in the blogging community hanging out and visiting new voices in the A-Z world.

A few strateties that may have worked for Road Trippers include...

• Visiting all the blogs with similar topics or categories as yours
• Visiting all the blogs whose names make you curious
• Visiting all the blogs at even (or odd) numbers on the list
• Start from where you left off and keep on truckin'...
• Visiting blogs that are low (or high, or in the middle) on the list
• Visiting blogs randomly by just clicking on titles located in different areas of the list

Whatever you do, remember that signing up on the linky doesn't mean you're committed to visiting ALL of the blogs on the list. Coming along with us on this Road Trip just indicates that you're not done yet and would like to show your fellow A-Z participants some visiting and commenting love. These are among the things that keep a blogging community strong.  

Who's with us for the 2015 Post-Challenge Road Trip?

~ Nicole @ The Madlab Post

SIGNUP to Be Our (A to Z) Post-Challenge Road Trip Traveling Companions HERE:

Themes That Rocked the Challenge – Things That Go Bump in the Night with J.H. Moncrieff

Today we welcome author J.H. Moncrieff!

She had one of the best themes this year – it was riveting.

Your theme was Things That Go Bump in the Night. Why did you select it?

I've alway been fascinated with the darker side of life--creepy places, supernatural events, terrible people in history, unsolved mysteries--if it gave me nightmares as a child, I was all over it.

I recently made the decision to blog for my readers, instead of for other writers (although writers are always welcome, of course!). My old blog would have been perfect if I wrote inspirational self-help, but I don't. So I made the switch, and I'm happy I did, even though it's a lot more work and can require a ton of research.

Which subject was your favorite?

Easily the Dyatlov Pass Incident. It took the most time--I estimate I spent about six hours researching that post, and another two hours writing it. I apologize to everyone who probably freaked when the saw how long it was, but I really wanted to do it justice. That was important to me. Something terrible happened to those young people, and we'll probably never really understand why they died the way they did.

Which letter was the most difficult?

Strangely enough, P. I had three possible topics jotted down for P, but when it came down to it, I didn't feel like writing about any of them. It was a mad scramble to find a new topic, and I suddenly thought, "I wonder if the Phantom of the Opera was based on a real guy?" I have no idea where that came from, but it saved the day.

Did any of the subjects unnerve you while you researched and wrote about them?

Yes, Dyatlov really bothers me. The night I wrote the post, I couldn't sleep. I kept picking the evidence apart in my brain. Fire in the Sky bothers me too, because so many people say it's a hoax, but I can't see why all of those guys would make up this crazy story and stick with it so many years later. I don't believe in alien abductions, but that case troubles me. Also, Vanished. The fact that so many people disappear everyday is crazy! I would go mad if I lost someone I loved that way. The story of Julie Weflen haunts me.

What do you think happened at the Dyatlov Pass incident?

I really don't know. I wish I had a good theory. One of the people who commented on my post had a really good suggestion when she said the people were ordered out of their tent by someone with a gun, but that doesn't explain why their tent was torn to shreds. Or why half the victims died so much later than the rest, or where their horrific, strange injuries came from. That whole case is highly disturbing.

Would you stay in Italy’s abandoned asylum?

Sure! I've planned an awesome trip to Italy, and I really hope I can go next year, although I'm not sure how. Maybe if I sell enough books! (Ha,ha!)

You’ve experienced a haunting – have you experienced any of the other subjects?

Yes, I had a weird experience with a Ouija board, which I mention in that post.

What theme are you considering for the Challenge next year?

I'll do the same theme with different topics. It fits my brand well, I find it interesting, and people seemed to like it. I regularly blog about the dark side on Tuesday and Wednesdays, unless it's an IWSG day.


Thanks for featuring me! I really appreciate the opportunity. There's a lot of info about my book and the trailer HERE.
You can also find the trailer on YouTube

Thanks again, Alex!

Thanks, JH! Looking forward to your posts next year.


Co-host Ninja Captain Alex J. Cavanaugh is the author of Amazon Best-Sellers CassaStar, CassaFire, CassaStorm, and Dragon of the Stars, and his blog can be found HERE

Final Sunflower Update 2015 #atozchallenge

        The Blogging from A to Z April Challenge is now history with A to Z posts tucked away into the archives of the many who participated in this year's event.  The last of the A to Z Reflections Posts have been added to the list.  There are many to visit and there have been many excellent suggestions made along with numerous kudos to the Challenge.  Be sure to visit as many of these Reflections as you can and let the bloggers know you were there to visit them.

One Worn Out Sunflower!

The A to Z Sunflower on Saturday May 9th.

      After a grueling month and a battering but well needed rain, the A to Z Sunflower is about to keel over as the week of Reflections come to an end.  This flower stood tall throughout April and became an apt symbol for all the A to Z participants.  What began as a seed planting in tribute to our late A to Z Challenge co-host Tina Downey, the Sunflower became my official A to Z Mascot for the 2015 Challenge.

The A to Z Survivor T-Shirt!

       Did you get your A to Z Survivor T-shirt yet?  Mine came in the mail this past week.  I ordered it on Tuesday morning, received shipping notification that same afternoon, and the next day it was in my mailbox.  The company that makes these is about an hour from where I live so I got mine faster than you might, but still I've got to give NeatO credit for fast service.

      I thought I'd prop up my A to Z Sunflower to pose with me while I modeled the shirt for you.

        Here's a closer look at the shirt design. My wife absolutely loved the design and colors.  Now I can't guarantee you that you'll look as pretty as I do wearing your shirt, but I think odds are you might look even better.   When you get your shirt have a photo made to put up on your blog and share it with us.  Maybe we'll even put up a photo gallery of A to Z shirt wearers here at the A to Z Blog site if we get enough of you sending them in to us.  Leave us links in the comments if you have any photos on your blog of you wearing your shirt.

        If you're interested in the shirt then visit NeatO Shop.  If you go right away you might even be able to take advantage of the special sale prices they've been offering this week.  But even at the regular price the shirt is still a bargain.

       Our thanks to all for participating in the 2015 A to Z Challenge.  An added thank you to everyone who added their Reflections Post.   Be watching this site on Wednesday May 13th for the announcement of the 2015 A to Z Road Trip.  The A to Z fun is not over yet!

         Has anyone else's Sunflowers for Tina bloomed yet?   Have you ordered an A to Z Survivor T-shirt yet?   Are you or have you already put up a picture of you wearing your T-shirt?

       

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2015 A to Z Blogging Challenge Reflections

The A to Z Reflections Post is a post presented on your own blog site giving the A to Z Team, the other Challenge participants, and any other readers your thoughts about this year's April Challenge.

We are looking for feedback about the Challenge. Tell us what you liked and didn't like, what worked and what didn't. If you have suggestions about making future A to Z Challenges better, this is a good time to let us know. You can highlight other bloggers who you felt did an outstanding job or direct us to specific posts that particularly impressed you or that you found to be very helpful.

In other words, we want to know how the A to Z Team did and how the Challenge worked for you. If you'd do it again, tell us why. If you would never consider A to Z again, let us know what would make you feel that way.

Please put up your Reflections post between now and Friday, May 8. AFTER your post has gone live, add the link to the Linky List below. Enter the link that goes DIRECTLY to your Reflections post and not your general blog address. The list will be accessible for the remainder of this year. Be sure to grab the badge.

The list is intended for A to Z Reflections posts only. Any links to advertising sites or non-relevant posts will be removed from the list. General links added before you actually post will be removed. And remember that these posts will be directed to a diverse audience of varying ages and sensibilities so please respect others by refraining from posting obscene materials or hurtful attacks upon others. We want a productive interchange of ideas that can lead to positive innovation.

Add your link below AFTER you have posted your reflection post!

#atozchallenge Sunflower Survivor

A to Z Sunflower as it appeared in the afternoon of
Saturday May 2, 2015

         Anyone who has been following my Sunday A to Z Blog posts probably has figured that I've adopted this sunflower in my backyard as a sort of A to Z symbol or mascot.  I've followed its progress from first bloom on the Challenge opening day on April 1st, 2015 with my Tribute to Tina post and followed it to the end of the Challenge.

           Considering the story (which can be found by going back to the first sunflower post linked in the preceding paragraph), this sunflower is an apt symbol to represent the participants of this Challenge.   Most of us are a bit weary after our month of blogging and networking, but we're still standing and ready for whatever is coming next.

          The first A to Z  related post-Challenge event is the A to Z Reflections post which we hope you will put up on your site any time between now and Friday May 8th.  Some of you already have your posts up and I've seen some good reports.  But keep in mind that your Reflections don't have to be all good.  We'll listen to the downsides as well though we hope there aren't many of those.  For full details about this please visit Wait! A to Z Is Not Over! Not Quite.  This post should tell you just about everything you need to know about the Reflections Post and if you still have questions then just ask.

           Don't forget to add the Reflections badge to your Reflections Post and be sure to flaunt your A to Z win with the Survivor Badge in your sidebar.  All artwork is courtesy of our official A to Z graphics guy and hard-working co-host Jeremy Hawkins.  Be sure to drop by his site Hollywood Nuts! to say hello and thanks.   And be sure to order your A to Z Survivor T-shirt (see badge link in the sidebar of this page).

A Bit Tired, but We Survived !

Here's the A to Z Sunflower on May 2nd getting ready for the beginning of the Reflection Posts during the week beginning on Monday May 4th.  We're all still hanging in there!

Wait! A to Z Is Not Over! Not Quite

The Reflections Tradition

         Oh sure, the alphabet is now behind most of us.  Your letter posts should be finished and now you're ready to start blogging as you normally do--or maybe even take a respite from blogging.  But hold on before you leave this 2015 Challenge completely behind you.  We ask you one more little thing:  Tell us about your A to Z experience.

         The A to Z Reflections Post has become a tradition as most Challenge vets will remember.  We've done this since the first Challenge in 2010.  What we request is that in a post on your own blog you tell us all something about the Challenge that impacted you the most.

         Actually this post can be about any April A to Z related topic and presented in any form that you like.  Your post doesn't have to be long and complicated unless that's what you want to do.  Like the regular A to Z posts the Reflections Post can be whatever you want it to be just as long it's about the April Challenge.

           This is the time for you to register your complaints about anything Challenge related.  Let us know the weaknesses along with your suggestions as to how they can be improved.   We don't mind hearing the negative aspects of A to Z, but we hope you will have some positives to report as well.  Relate your anecdotes about interactions with the A to Z staff or other bloggers.   Offer praise to the outstanding bloggers in this year's Challenge or tell us about particular posts or themes that you think deserve recognition.

          Incidentally, even if you didn't participate in the Challenge itself or didn't finish the A to Z Challenge but have something about it that you think is worth mentioning, you are welcomed to add your own Reflections post as long as you were following some of the A to Z posts.   Do not take this invitation as a license to just get on the list with some random post that has nothing to do with A to Z.   These non-Challenge related post links will be removed from the list.  

          The Reflections Post is your time to tell everyone what's on your mind about the A to Z Challenge.  If you want to brag about your own blog then go ahead.  If you want to brag on something else then that's definitely welcomed.  Good, bad, indifferent or however you feel, tell the rest of us.  Whatever you feel is worth saying, then say it.   Even if it's just your blog stats for April--that's valuable information that might help us get some ideas.  Say what you have to say and we will listen.

We Want Next Year to Be Better

          The Challenge of 2015 was pretty darn good by my estimation, but there's always room for improvement.  That's one reason why we like the Reflections Posts.   We get ideas on what not to do in the future and even better we get some ideas on what we can do to improve future events.

          Many of you have some good ideas that the A to Z Team may have never considered before.  Let's hear those ideas so we can do some brainstorming.   And even if your brain is not brimming with ideas for improvement, just your general thoughts can stimulate some thinking.  Don't think that you have nothing to say because everything any of you say is worth hearing.

          Bottom line is that we want to hear from you.  All of you are important to us and each of you has some valuable input that will be lost if you don't tell us.

"What Do I Do?"

         If this is the question you're asking then let me explain.   Starting anytime between now and Friday May 8th, put together your thoughts in a Reflections Post.   No rules on this as it can be as short or as long as you like and it can be composed in any way that you wish.    Once your Reflections piece has been written then add the "Reflections" badge that you see at the top of this page to your composition.  When you have your Reflections ready to go then post it on your own blog site.

          On Monday May 4th the Reflections Linky List will appear on this blog--The Blogging from A to Z Challenge Blog.   Add the link of the Reflections post that you have already posted on your site.  ***NOTE:  Add the link that directs to your Reflections Post and not your general blog URL***Please don't do this wrong and expect us to have to go back to fix it!

         You can post anytime between now and next Friday May 8th.  You must post your Reflections to your own blog before you can add it to the list at the A to Z Blog.  Only add your link to the list if you have actually done a Reflections post.  This Linky List will be accessible to all for the rest of the year so it can be advantageous for you to participate.

       Hopefully this is all clear to everyone, but don't hesitate to ask questions in the comment section if there is anything at all you don't understand.  


         Those who have successfully completed the 2015 A to Z Challenge are invited to copy the Survivor badge below and display it on your own blog to show your visitors that you are an A to Z Winner!

      We'll be looking for your Reflections Posts in the week to come!

Z to Adieu - See I sort of Cheated There... Okay I did!

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Here we go the end of another challenge as it comes to a close, another door opens... we can reflect, reflect on a couple of things. A matter of a success, finished a task, found yourself surrounded by new and old friends. What are some of the things you had seen, did you find yourself gravitating towards one or two sites everyday...

Also, did you finish the challenge... do you feel like a winner, well gosh darn it you are winner and what better way to show that. TELL SOMEONE!

May we suggest "AtoZ Challenge Gear"... well okay it's like a t-shirt but there are a few other things to choose from, for all the information please "CLICK HERE".

For now, until next time...

Jeremy [Retro]

HOLLYWOOD NUTS
AtoZ Challenge Co-Host [2015]

There's no earthly way of knowing.
Which direction we are going!

The Letter Y

Y: the next to last letter and the finish line is just ahead. 

morguefiles.com

Do you see it? 

Isn't it beautiful? 

Y is for YOU did it!

Y is for YAY!

Y is for YIPPIE!

SEE YOU TOMORROW? 

Y NOT?

X is for X-hiliarated

Okay, so the word is actually “exhiliarated,” which means “happy, animated or elated,” at least that’s what Google tells me. That’s probably how you feel now, isn’t it? If it isn’t, well, you should.

• You’ve managed to post every day, Monday through Saturday, in the month of April.
• You’ve come up with 26 words, each one starting with the next letter in the alphabet in sequence. And most of you came up with 26 words, each one starting with the next successive letter, that fit into a theme. Whether or not you had a theme, you still managed to come up with a 26-word list, each word starting with a different letter. Including Q! and Z! and X! Those letters will break anyone, even the old pros!
• Each one of your posts required preparation, whether it was going through photos in your collection, or reading web pages, or reading books, or listening to music, or drawing or sewing or knitting or cooking. And you did it!
• You learned how to budget your time. You knew you had a post to do every day, Monday through Saturday, and you knew what you had to do to get that post out on time, every day.
• You’ve been visited by people from all over the world, and you’ve visited people from all over the world, you’ve made some friends and read some pretty amazing stuff by some remarkable writers. They’re all in your feed reader (you do have them in your feed reader, right?), so, every time they post, you’ll know about it. And you’re in their feed readers so, every time you post, they’ll know about it.

It’s been an exhiliarating experience, hasn’t it? Whether this was your first A to Z Challenge or your fifth, it taught you a lot about blogging, and yourself.

So, what now? Well, there are still a couple more days left, so don’t quit yet. But, come Friday, this year’s A to Z Challenge wll be history. So, then what? Here are some suggestions.

• First, there’s the A to Z Reflections, where you can recap your experience with the A to Z Challenge: what you liked about it, what you didn’t like, what you got out of it, what you wish you had gotten from it, things like that. The link might be different, so make sure you stay tuned to this blog for further details.
• Then there’s the A to Z Challenge Road Trip. It’s a trip through the blogs that participated in the Challenge at a more leisurely pace. Where April is a dash, this is a meander. Take a look at the page linked above.
• Make it a point to visit your new friends regularly, and to leave them comments. See who comments on their blogs and go visit those people, too. That’s what blogging is all about.
• Keep an eye out for other challenges to participate in. As you follow your new friends, see what they’re doing when they aren’t doing A to Z, and join them. If it’s not as much fun as it looks, it’s okay to drop out of it. I’m sure you’ll find something you’ll enjoy.
• And, by all means, make plans to join us again next year. This is the highlight of my blogging year, and I wouldn’t be surprised if it becomes yours.

Have fun the last couple of days of the challenge! Straight ahead!

---

John Holton
The Sound of One Hand Typing
The Sound of One Hand Typing FM

W is for Willpower

The month of April has zoomed by at the speed of light, in my case anyway.

We're getting close to the finish line with only four W, X, Y and Z left before we can zone out and take a breather. So far, it's been a blast. I've come across many blogs with great topics. The only thing lacking seemed to be comments, which I can only assume is the result of two things, but I'll save those observations for my A-Z Reflections post.

Some of us will be zinging over the finish line come Thursday, others will be jogging over and some of us will be hanging on by a thread when we get there, but get there we will, because we can do it! Will-power to move forward is what has motivated many of us in this Challenge and another shot of will-power is what will keep us going until the 2015 Challenge comes to an end.

You may not have added 'writer' to your list of professional tags, but just in case you need a shot of energy or encouragement, here goes:

The life of the [professional] writer - like that of any freelance, whether she be a plumber or a podiatrist - is predicated on willpower. Without it there simply wouldn't be any remuneration, period.
                                                              
                                                                                     - Will Self

Have you written up all your posts yet? Ready to hit the visiting trail again this week? Scoping out any new blogs to visit?

Weary Sunflower of the #atozchallenge

Tina's sunflower as it appeared on April 25th, 2015

     Each Sunday I've been doing a sunflower update post.  To read the series from the beginning you can start with The Special A to Z Tribute and the follow each Sunday after that one.

       I'm guessing that more than a few of you are feeling a bit like the sunflower pictured above.  This flower has managed to make it through April and looks like it will make it to the end of the Challenge.   I'm also pleased to report that the majority of those who began the Challenge on April 1st are still hanging it there and will be crossing the finish line at the letter "Z" on Thursday of this week.  

        At my last count we had lost 328 links from the opening count of 1888 when the list closed for sign-ups.   Over 1500 bloggers will finish the Challenge they set out to accomplish.  You all are to be congratulated.  A few might come up short for one reason or another--we understand that things can happen to derail participants sometimes--but many of those have indicated that they still plan to continue blogging the letters even if it takes them until sometime in May.  We honor everyone who at least tried.  If you didn't meet the Challenge this year you can still give it another try in 2016.

        Hang in there those of you who are blogging until the end!    On May 1st be sure to check this site for information about the A to Z Reflections Post on Monday May 4th.  This is the annual event where you have a chance to reflect on your A to Z experience and tell all of us what you think of the Challenge.  Full details coming up on Friday, but be sure to reserve May 4th on your blogging schedule.

        Let's make this final few days the best ones of all.   Get your posts up on schedule and try to make as many blog visits as you can.  Four more days!   Can you believe the end of April is so near?

        Do you have your last posts ready to go?  Will you be joining us for the May 4th Reflections?  Are you just a wee bit weary as we reach the end?

.