Valentine's Day is in two weeks. What to do? What to do?

You could go out to dinner with your loved one and buy them flowers. Catch a romantic movie. Go for a walk in the park or on the beach.

That was, until Covid reared its ugly head. So, what are some good ways to celebrate the Day of Love while isolating and wearing masks?

There are plenty of things you can do. Turn off your phone and unplug the computer. Here are some suggestions for fun things to do on Valentine's Day.

Genre: Erotica, Erotic Romance, LGBT

Publisher: Chained Hearts Publishing

Date of Publication: July 23, 2020

ASIN: B08DL1JL96

Number of pages: 205

Word Count: Appx. 65,000 words

Cover Artist: Chris Wallace

Tagline: In this series of twisted fairy tales you'll learn about the steamy encounters the original writers left out. From a gay Pied Piper to Cinderella's Sex Coach and even a wild encounter on a hunt for bigfoot, these stories reveal a wild side of your favorite fairy tale characters.

Blurb:

We are in the midst of the holiday season. COVID put a monkey wrench into my live book promotion plans, but I was able to do quite a bit online. I participated in two blog tours for two of my books. I took out ads in online romance web sites. I did a newsletter booster, and I did some live chats on Facebook. 

Halloween is right around the corner, so I thought I'd write about famous horror movie locations. I used to work in the movies and on TV. I mostly worked as a gaffer (lighting) but I also did scenic painting and makeup including F/X. I did lighting for "Die Hard With A Vengeance" and the movie "12 Monkeys". I did makeup for the TV show "Homicide: Life On The Street". I also did crew work for a slew of concerts and stage shows, so the making of movies and TV has always interested me. I also like to travel, especially to haunted locations, so I always check to see where something is filmed.

It may be true that many writers suffer from Imposter Syndrome. If that's the case, life is hard enough for a writer. Don't make it worse by making the following statements.

I wish I had time to write.

Such a comment makes it sound like you the writer are wasting time honing your craft.

I'd write, but I have a real job.

Here is a rare, practically unheard of experience for me: I have writers block.

LITERARY ARTS CONGRATULATES THE WINNERS
OF THE 2020 OREGON BOOK AWARDS
During a special broadcast on OPB Radio, the winners of the 33rd Annual Oregon Book Awards, selected by panels of out-of-state judges, were announced.

ELOISE JARVIS MCGRAW AWARD FOR CHILDREN’S LITERATURE
Cathy Camper of Portland
Lowriders Blast from the Past (Chronicle Books)
Judges: Pablo Cartaya, Amy Pattee, Olugbemisola Rhuday-Perkovich

bookcover: 
The New Freelance: A Book for Writers
Author: 
Layman, Amanda
Publisher: 
Amanda Layman
Genre: 
Non-fiction_: 
Rating: 
9
ISBN/ASIN: 

B076HC1RRP

Description of Sales Url: 
Purchase from Amazon
Review: 

The New Freelance: A Book for Writers
The New Freelance by Amanda Layman is a book I just found thanks to a quadruple whammy. This is synchronicity at its highest echelon. I was stuck at home thanks to the pandemic; it was storming outside and my electricity went out; my kindle paper white was charged; and this book was loaded on it and available. I can't say when I downloaded it, but I am not surprised that it landed in my in basket. Just look at the title: The New Freelance. A Book for Writers. The honest guide to freelance writing in the 21st century. The title ticks all my boxes.

The author Amanda Layman is a freelance writer specializing developing marketing content. All I can say is that she has done a good job in marketing herself. This book is a must-read for any freelance writer who is looking for writing opportunities, advice on clients, advice on how to pitch, advice on self-editing, handling taxes, and more. Amanda's intro is personable and relatable, and written so that I recognize some of my own struggles making it as a freelance writer and editor. She presents her own struggles, but more importantly, she provides concrete suggestions that will help any freelancer interested in getting established. A couple of the things that I was particularly interested in were her discussion of pitching, getting established in various venues like LinkedIn and Upwork.

I highly recommend this book, not only to writers, editors, and freelancers, but also entrepreneurs. Many of the principles she puts out there are applicable to any type of business that involves client development, marketing, and success in general.

This morning, I made cayenne spray for my bird seed. If anyone reading has ever tried to feed birds yet ends up feeding squirrels more than flying creatures will understand why I have done this. We have seen cardinals, titmice, chickadees, purple finches, house finches, and goldfinches at my hanging bird feeder. The birds are slowly coming back from their trip down south, and they are finding the seed.

The problem is a squirrel has also found it.

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