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Tag Archives: blogging
Sunshine Blogger Award.
I read about House of 1000 Books excitement over this award, and read the question answers with interest. Then I came to the list of nominees. Imagine my surprise when I saw my name there.
I would like to thank House of 1000 Books for nominating me for this award. It’s a great honour, and I’m so excited. You can visit by clicking the name above. Here you will find many helpful reviews of books you might wish to read.
The rules of this award are:
Thank the person nominating you and link back to their site.
Answer the questions they pose.
Nominate 11 bloggers.
Notify the nominees.
List the rules and display the award logo on your site of post.
So with no further ado, here are my answers to the questions.
Pepsi or Coke?
I don’t usually drink either, but I would go with Coke. (But not the diet kind!)
What type of books do you like to read?
I like Fantasy, Science Fiction or Historical. At least that’s what I usually choose, although I’ve read many from other genres that I enjoyed. I think I stick with those for ease. I can go straight to that genre.
Have you ever bought a book on vacation?
I can’t believe I’ve never done so, but recently I take umpteen books with me on my iPad. I do like a real book, but it’s so convenient to be able to take a large number in something not much bigger than an exercise book.
What would you do instead of blogging on a rainy day?
I would play my piano, or do some cross stitch, crochet or tatting. If it’s near someone’s birthday or Christmas I would make cards. I might also do some painting or drawing or even play a computer game. Sometimes I wish there were more rainy days!
Do you like cats or dogs?
While I acknowledge that cats are attractive creatures, I’m more of a dog person. I have an objection to the effect cats are having on our wildlife. In some places, they are causing the extinction of some other creatures. They are also no respecters of property, and will happily poo in other people’s gardens (never their own).
Would you rather be captured by aliens or kidnapped by Sasquach?
This is a difficult one. I don’t suppose I’m allowed to say ‘Neither’? Thought not. Mmm! I’ll go with the aliens. I think it would be interesting to see inside the spacecraft of another species. Also, we have a vague idea as to what Sasquach look like. We have no idea about aliens.
If you learned one thing about blogging, what would it be?
That it’s not easy? You must make notes of ideas you have for posts, otherwise when you come to write it, you’ll have forgotten. That’s happened to me so many times.
What are your hobbies?
Apart from the things I mentioned above, I enjoy cooking and gardening.
What do you hate most about bloggers?
Nothing, really. The people whom I follow seem to be very nice, intelligent folk.
What do you love most about bloggers?
I love the variety of posts out there in the ether. Bloggers all seem to be friendly and helpful. That’s something I love. There’s a community of bloggers, and that’s good.
What is a place you’d like to visit?
I would like to visit St Petersburg in Russia and see the Hermitage Museum.
Am I allowed to have more than 1? I’d also like to see the Grand Canyon, the Yangtse River Valley in China, Niagara Falls, The Northern Lights…
Here are my nominees:
Bluebird of Bitterness
Clancy Tucker
Charles Yallowitz, Legends of Windemere
K Morris-Poet
Jenanita01
Sue Vincent’s Daily Echo
Little Fears
Alexander ONeill
Viv Drewa-The Owl Lady
Sheila Renee Parker
Nicholas Rossi
And here are my questions.
1. What is the first book you remember either reading or having read to you?
2. Who is your favourite author?
3. What is your favourite book?
4. When did you start blogging?
5. Do you write to music? If so, what music inspires you?
6 Do you have any pets?
7. When you go out to eat, what type of food do you prefer?
8. Do you prefer the city or the country?
9. Would you prefer a holiday buy the sea, in the countryside or in a city?
10. What city would you like to visit?
11. When preparing your blog, do you write to music, if so, what do you prefer to write to?
How WordPress Powers the Internet (Infographic)
A fascinating insight into WordPress, including its history.
How to upload to Instagram from your pc. (without additional software)
Apologies for the lateness of this post. Don’t know what happened. I thought I’d scheduled it, but apparently I hadn’t. Or I logged out too soon or something. Anyway, here is the promised post about uploading to Instagram from your pc.
It is not essential to buy, or even use free software to post to Instagram from your pc. Here is how you can do it.
I apologise for the pictures. I don’t have a print screen button on my keyboard, so had to use my camera. For some of them it chose to flash, so there’s a reflection of the flash.
First open Google Chrome and click on the 3 dots at the top right. You should then get this drop-down menu.
When you’ve done that, the following will appear.
Click again on the 3 dots and you should get the following:
Click on More Tools, then on Developer tools. You will then get this window.
Look at the top and you will see a symbol representing a phone and a tablet. It’s second from the left as shown here. When you click on it itshould turn blue.
Click on the BLUE address that comes up to get this screen.
Click on the x button at the top of the righthand window to close it. Be careful not to accidentally close Chrome or you’ll have to start again!
Now you can click on the + sign at the bottom of the instagram window to add your photos from your pc.
I hope you found this useful. I was delighted when I found I didn’t need additional software, If you want to see what I’ve uploaded from my pc, go to https://www.instagram.com/v.m.sang
If you did find it useful, please add a comment in the box. Or even if you didn’t!
The Danger Of Dirty Links
Be aware of this. It might save some of your Amazon reviews.
Londoners to plant 80,000 trees across the city this weekend
Great to see activity that will improve the environment.
via Londoners to plant 80,000 trees across the city this weekend
How to write a book review for Amazon.
First of all, may I make 2 apologies.
First, the link for the free copy of The Wolf Pack did not work. It is now working. Don’t forget the offer finishes on 22nd, so don’t miss out. You can get it by clicking here.
Second, might I apologise for posting late this week.I was away last week and did not have the chance to write a post. anyway, here it is now.
Book reviews are important to authors. Once upon a time, before Amazon and the Internet, (Yes, there was such a time!) the only way authors got their books known about was, in the first instance, by professional reviews in the press, and by word of mouth. People told their friends they’d just read this great book, and their friends should buy it and read it, too.
Then came Amazon. Amazon allows readers to comment on the books they read, and all the world has the ability to see those reviews. (Well, almost. I had a review in India that can’t be seen here in the UK, and I have to post reviews separately in the UK and USA.)
Readers read those reviews and they help them to decide if they want to read a book. that’s great. Unfortunately, those people who write reviews are few and far between. Amazon also only adds books to the ‘People who bought this also bought,’ at the bottom of the page, if a book has 25 reviews.
I think the problem is that pwoplw think writing a book review is arduous. They remember having to write them at school and think it’s the same.
Well, it isn’t.
Writing a book review can be simple and a matter of minutes. I want to help people to get to grips with it so we, as authors, can get more reviews. It’s the main way our books our found. No one can read a book, no matter how good, if they don’t know it’s there.
Here are a few tips to get you started.
- First,go to the book’s page and click ‘write a review’ (or ‘be the first to review this book)
- Add the number of stars you want to award.
- You need a title. Simply something like ‘An excellent read’, or ‘A dreadful book’. Something simple that sums up what you think.
- In the main body of the review, you do not need to be complicated. Here are a few questions you might consider when reviewing
- Did I like the book?
- Was it well-written?
- Were the characters believable?
- Did I care about them?
- Was the plot believable?
- How easy did I find it to read?
- Did I become engrossed in the book?
You do not need to answer all of the questions, just three of four would be enough, I think.
I hope this encourages you to write reviews on the books you read, positive and negative.
Thank you for reading this.
Leave a comment in the comments box, or feel free to share this post with your friends and followers. I love hearing from you, and what you think.
We Will Remember Them
I posted this poem once before, but have decided to post it again as on Sunday it’s 100 years since the Armistice . I hope you enjoy it.
WE WILL REMEMBER THEM.
I’ll never truly understand
How World War I began.
The death of Archduke Ferdinand
Started the deaths of many more,
The young, the old, the rich, the poor.
All died with guns in hand.
My Grandad went with Uncle Jim 
And Our Poor Willie, too.
They sent them off, singing a hymn.
Grandad went to Gallipoli,
Uncle Jim left his love, Polly.
Gas in trenches did kill him.
I cannot see, in my mind’s eye
Grandad with gun in hand.
A peaceful man, sent out to die.
He fought for us, for you and me
So we can live and so that we
Safely in our beds may lie.
Grandad came home, and Willie too,
But millions more did not.
Their duty they all had to do.
They died in fear, in noise, in blood.
Everything was caked in mud.
Yet in those fields the poppies grew.
The War to end all wars, they said,
So terrible were the deaths.
The youth of Europe all lay dead.
Yet 21 short years to come
Another war. Once more a gun
In young men’s hands brought death.
One hundred years have passed since then.
What have we learned? Not much!
Too many men are killing men.
Wars still abound around the world.
Bombs and missiles still are hurled
At those who disagree with them.
In The Haunted House. A poem for Hallowe’en
I wrote this poem for a Hallowe’en poetry contest. Wish me luck.
The wind it blows cold
Like ice down my back.
I try to be bold,
But courage I lack.
In the haunted house.
It seemed such a lark
When we set off tonight.
But now it’s gone dark
And we shiver with fright
In the haunted house.
Jane said. ‘We’ll have fun
On Hallowe’en night.’
But when solw footsteps come
She screams out in fright
In the haunted house.
‘Let’s take candles, said Pete.
More authentic for light.
And something to eat
If we’re staying all night
In the haunted house.’
Jack thinks it’s a game
Till the candles blow out.
Not one single flame.
He gave a loud shout
In the haunted house.
The temperature sinks.
‘That means ghosts are here,’
Said Pete, who still thinks
There’s nothing to fear
In the haunted house.
The door starts to creak.
It opens so slow.
Our knees feel so weak.
I wish we could go
From the haunted house.
But nothing is there
As we huddle in fear.
Not one of us dare
To get up and peer
In the haunted house.
All night there are groans.
We hear footsteps, we swear,
And the rattle of bones.
Something is there
In the haunted house.
We laugh at our fear
As we make our way home.
In daylight it’s clear
No spirits do roam
In the haunted house.
The noises we heard?
Just the sounds of a house
Cooling down, and a bird.
Not one single ghost
In the haunted house.
I hope you enjoyed this poem as much as I enjoyed writing it. Please leave a comment in the comments section. I love to hear from you.
Elven Evening Hymn from The Wolf Pack
During their travels to find Sauvern’s Sword, the group calling themselves The Wolf Pack found themselves in the homeland of the Elves. Here they heard the beautiful sunset hymn the Elves sang each evening.
Here is that hymn, with a translation from the Elvish for those of you who are not proficient in that language.
‘Ah equillin ssishinisi
Qua vinillaquishio quibbrous
Ahoni na shar handollesno
As nas brollenores.
Ah equilin bellamana
Qua ssishinisi llanarones
As wma ronalliores
Shi nos Grillon prones.
Ah equilin dama Grillon
Pro llamella shilonores
As nos rellemorres
Drapo weyishores.
Yam shi Grillon yssilores
Grazlin everr nos pronores
Wama vinsho prolle-emo
Lli sha rallemorres.’
Translation
“Oh star of the evening
Shining brightly
You give us hope
In the deepening night.
Oh beauteous star
Who heralds the evening
You tell us all
That Grillon guards us
Oh Grillon’s star
As you sink westwards
Return again
To guard the dawn.
Ensure that Grillon
Through darkness keep us
Safe from all evil
Until the morn.”’
Please feel free to leave a comment. I love hearing from you.
Dragons Rule OK. V.M.Sang (author) 