Scrapbook Sunday

Talena

November 4, 2007

This is a new feature I am implementing on my blog--who knows, I might even carry it on after NaBloPoMo is over!

Here's a layout from photos I took this afternoon:

Winters' Day In

Sit down and have a cuppa...

Writer. Knitting pattern designer. Foodie. Tea addict. Book geek. Mom of boys. Aspiring mermaid. My Secret Wish: Be your most fabulous you.

Get more encouraging and knitterly posts by following me on Instagram @TalenaWinters.

This past weekend at #wwcyyc18, I thought a couple of times how much my "conference persona" resembles Hermione Granger. Really, that's just me. Eager student, annoyingly curious, always sits in the front row, always has a question to ask. (Embarrassing, in retrospect, but I learned SO much!) . This book represents something else to me. Once upon a time, I was willing to let others make my choices about what I should or should not read based on what they thought was "appropriate." Then, I decided to make those decisions myself. The start of that trend was when I picked up this Harry Potter book . . . and loved it! . Do I believe in taking the advisement of others? Absolutely. My time is valuable, so I don't want to squander it on things that won't give me value, therefore I find reviews invaluable. (Ha! Wordplay.) But that doesn't mean I take someone else's opinion point blank. And I don't let someone else tell me that I "shouldn't" read a book anymore. The boundaries I set are my own, based on my own morals and values and taste in books. . What does Harry Potter mean to you? And which character would YOU be at a conference? (Heehee. If you're Hagrid, tell me how.) . #harrypotter #harrypotterfans #thephilosophersstone #writerscommunity #writerslife #writersofig #bookstagram #amwriting #amreading #bookish #reading #readingcommunity

Here's a photo I took of ds#2 a little over a week ago at Sylvan Lake. It's a bit of a throwback to a silhouette I have of him when he was about 18 months old. Not exactly the same, but I had fun with lighting here, for sure. It's just so hazy everywhere from the smoke, I'm glad the sun was out! . I've been busy as a bee today on my first day home from holidays. It's nice to be home, but a little strange. I have rarely been away for two weeks at a time, especially with the whole family. Having them there made it seem less urgent to get home, and I think that's why it felt odd to return. Watch for more pretty vacay photos coming soon. Also, books. Lots of books. Haha. . #homeiswheretheheartis #myheartwalksaroundoutsidemybody #momlife #lakelife #sylvanlakealberta #writerscommunity #writerslife #writersofig #bookstagram #amwriting #amreading #bookish #reading #nofilter #noedit

And, for a refreshing change from my norm of waiting months, I have already completed one of the new reads I got at #wwcyyc2018. Thank you, @lauravanarendonkbaugh, for such a quick, thrilling read. I loved it! For everyone else, check out "Bait". It's like Jurassic Park, except the dinosaurs are mermaids. . You heard me. 😳 . #newfavouriteauthor #writerscommunity #writerslife #writersofig #bookstagram #amwriting #amreading #bookish #reading #mermaids #ngoyo #adventure #wwcyyc18

I'm on my way home with my family from an amazing two weeks of holidays that culminated in a writer's conference shared with my hubby. I have eight hours in the truck to transition back to real life. It's awesome and exciting and a little bit sad to be going home, but this was my favourite year at When Words Collide yet. So many great friendships renewed or made. So much learned. And I even got some inspiration to fix a story problem in my current project. . Speaking of that project, I'm looking forward to getting my cover back from my graphic designer soon, so there will soon be a cover reveal for The Mermaid's Tear. Yay! . Also, my husband got me this lovely little mermaid for my birthday. I'm not usually one for knick-knacks, but she looks so much like my heroine, Calandra, that I can't help but love her. (He also gave me a lovely bouquet of gardenias which will likely make an appearance here soon.) . I'm all revved up and ready to get back to work. How is your summer going? . #wwcyyc18 #wwcyyc2018 #writers #writerslife #writersofig #themermaidstearnovel #bookstagram #amwriting #amreading #fantasybooks #historicalfantasy #shifter #youngadultbooks #mermaids

I had a wonderful first day at the conference yesterday, making new friends and getting better acquainted with others. Not only that, I presented twice--my first time presenting at a writer's conference. It went pretty well, other than I had more material than time. Oops. Thank goodness I had the notes available for download. #newbiemistakes . I also got to have lunch with author Jessica Brown (pen name Renwick), whose manuscript I just edited and who is one of the sweetest people on earth. Her excellent middle grade fantasy, The Book of Chaos, will be out in a few months. . AND it was my birthday. . Got to finish out the day with my honey. . That's about as good as a day can get. . #wwcyyc18 #wwcyyc2018 @jessicarenwickauthor #writerscommunity #writersconference #birthdaygirl #writerslife

Gearing up the facial muscles for the extreme smiling marathon that's about to commence at When Words Collide. Joining me in the word geekery this year is my partner in, well, most things. If you're at the conference and see him looking freaked out and overwhelmed, be sure to go over and say hello. If a little causes the problem, a lot should be the cure, right? @rokclimer73 . (Jk. He's way more extroverted than I am.) . #wwcyyc18 #whenwordscollide2018 #writersconference #besthusbandever #writerscommunity #writerslife #amwriting

Why yes, that is dog hair on my lens. 😜🐶 . Sitting at the beach with my puppy, watching my boys play, taking photos, writing. Yep, it's a pretty good night. . Happy summer! . #writerscommunity #writerslife #amwriting #amwritingfantasy #dogmomlife #lifeatthelake #sylvanlakealberta #camera #summervacation #themermaidstearnovel #writersofig #indieauthor

I'm set up in Chapters Red Deer, and once again, I'm overwhelmed by the generosity of my friends. After yesterday's post, some friends who were coming south texted and the books that I need are on their way to me right now. I will have enough. But mostly, I'm reminded how very blessed I am. Thank you, @amagnusson6, for coming to the rescue. And thank you, @elizabeth_whitton, for helping me stay positive. . And for my Red Deer area friends, c'mon by. It's wet outside, but dry in here, and the coffee's on. ☕ . #booksigning #reddeer #chaptersindigo #findingheavennovel #fictionbooks #amreading #booklaunch #amwriting #domesticnoir #romantic #suspense #womensfiction #inspirational #survivor #abuseawareness #domesticviolence #sextrafficking #childhoodsexualabuse #healingispossible #metoo

This is one of those impulse buy books I don't regret. It was dark and twisty and delightful. It's a book I would read again. . Speaking of twists, I just woke up, on holidays--AWAY FROM HOME, in other words--with two book signings and a conference coming up, and realized I forgot to bring my extra boxes of books to sell. There is not a whole lot I can do about it, either. I have a few, but not enough, really. Sigh. I prefer my adventures to stay in the books I read, but I suppose life would be pretty boring if they did. . Other than that, the holiday has been lovely so far. My favourite was spending yesterday afternoon with a lifelong friend and her family. . And I didn't quite finish the first draft of The Mermaid's Tear before my trip, but I'm getting closer every day. Not much farther now! So that's something. . How has your August been? . #writers #writerslife #writersofig #themermaidstearnovel #bookstagram #amwriting #amreading #suspense #dianesetterfield #thethirteenthtale #fantasybooks #historicalfantasy #shifter #youngadultbooks #mermaids

Two weeks traveling with a puppy. A 60 lb puppy. In a truck cab. #thiscouldbeinteresting #wishusluck #hesgotthefarts #cutekidphotobomb . #dogsofig #puppiesofig #siberianhusky #writerslife #momlife #dogmomlife

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