Category: Contributor Feature or Post

Stories of Jorie | Wicked exciting news, Jorie writes an essay about #Nanowrimo 2008! Otherwise known as the year Jorie reclaimed being a writer!

Posted Friday, 4 December, 2015 by jorielov , 0 Comments

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It isn’t often someone takes you by surprise and gives you an opportunity to talk about something that is as intrinsically personal and revealling of your character, than to write a heart-felt essay about your experience as a writer during Nanowrimo! This was an essay that was pitched to me by Priya (the lovely bookish blogger I happily interviewed during Bloggerthon) who was hosting a *special inclusive* feature series about being a Wrimo from the point of view of participants and a writer (Ms Bogart) whose November novel not only published but curated the heart of what gives us who take-on the challenge of November such an uplift of creative synergy and inspiration!

Despite being an extroverted book blogger and a joyful tweeter, when it comes to turning the conversation round on my own writerly pursuits and endeavours, I tend to lean towards the mysteriously vague responses that only give small glimmers of what I am working on, as truthfully, my writerly path is still developing. It’s true, I’ve been a reader as long as I’ve been a writer, as the two paths intersected so very long ago, as a duality of passion and interest. Being a Creative Dyslexic Writer adds a bit of a unique splash to the story, but at the root of who I am, I’m the girl who loves stories and the craft of story-telling.

Therefore, without further adieu, I want to direct your attention to the following:

Nanowrimo 2008 Essay badge created by Jorie in Canva. Photo Credit: Unsplash Public Domain Photographer Morgan Sessions.

Read my essay directly on Priya’s Lit Blog!

*UPDATE: February 2016* My essay is being re-posted on Priya’s blog during November 2016 due to technical issues that arose after it originally posted. I apologise for the inconvenience and hope you will return in November to see what I shared this past Autumn!

Fun Stuff for Your Blog via pureimaginationblog.com

Read my book blogger & writer’s biography via My Bookish Life

Visit my Guest Features, Interviews & Podcast Archive for more inspiring links!

I recently published a page about my approach to betareading as well!

Kindly leave your comments for me on Priya’s blog, tweet me on Twitter or return back to this post relating to me your thoughts and impressions on behalf of the essay & it’s message.

Fun Stuff for Your Blog via pureimaginationblog.com

May we all have a bookishly delightful life devouring the stories which enchant our hearts and minds with incredible depth of heart and soul story-lines.

Fun Stuff for Your Blog via pureimaginationblog.com

Comment Box Banner made by Jorie in Canva.

{Sources: Nanowrimo 2008 Essay badge created by Jorie in Canva. Photo Credit: Unsplash Public Domain Photographer Morgan Sessions. Comment Box Banner made by Jorie in Canva. Blog News badge provided by Parajunkee to give book bloggers definition on their blogs. Post dividers by Fun Stuff for Your Blog via Pure Imagination. Tweets embedded due to codes provided by Twitter.}

Copyright © Jorie Loves A Story, 2015.

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Posted Friday, 4 December, 2015 by jorielov in Bits & Bobbles of Jorie, Contributor Feature or Post, JLAS Update Post, Jorie Loves A Story, Nanowrimo 2008, Stories of Jorie

#Bloggerthon | Jorie is interviewed by Jessica @ Writing Pearls. Find out a bit about Jorie and her bookish life!

Posted Wednesday, 4 November, 2015 by jorielov 0 Comments

Bloggerthon badge created by Bemused Bookworm for the event; used with permission.Rainbow Digital Clip Art Washi Tape made by The Paper Pegasus. Purchased on Etsy by Jorie and used with permission.

Special Announcement:

I am being interviewed!

I decided to participate in #Bloggerthon: a book blogosphere event where book bloggers have the opportunity to interview each other to gain a bit of insight into what our bookish life is like both online and off. I did not know what to expect when I signed up for this event via Margaret’s blog Bemused Bookworm, nor can I remember how I learnt of the even itself – as it was one of those moments where I was musefully curious about wandering around the bookish side of the twitterverse and the book blogosphere!

I am sure you can relate to this, as you start to click different links and are re-routed to new book blogs whilst you find interesting reviews and articles to read about other people’s bookish adventures!? During one of these excursions, I stumbled across a pitch for interviews, where you filled out a few bits and bobbles about yourself in order to become ‘matched’ with your partner. Read More

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Posted Wednesday, 4 November, 2015 by jorielov in #Bloggerthon, Bits & Bobbles of Jorie, Blogosphere Events & Happenings, Contributor Feature or Post, Jorie Loves A Story

*SFN* | Feature: Diary of a Not-So-New Whovian

Posted Tuesday, 19 November, 2013 by readerlymusings 2 Comments

Shabby Blogs

Introduction

Hello, everyone! This is Christine from Readerly Musings, and I thought today I’d do a little something to celebrate Sci-Fi November by guest-posting here at Jorie Loves a Story.

When Jorie first told me about SFN, I was both excited and dismayed. Excited because an abundance of Sci-Fi posts in the book blogosphere for the month of November is an awesome idea! Alas, the dismay quickly set in because I, as someone who is participating in NaNoWriMo for the 8th year in a row, knew I would not be able to take part. Until today, that is!

Entering the TARDIS…

On November 2, Jorie posted about the beginning of her journey to becoming a Whovian and her excitement reminded me of how I too came to love Doctor Who – about six years ago.

I had heard rumblings about it for months online. Friends were talking about it on LiveJournal, posting fan fics, making icons, and (much like the Doctor himself) trying to welcome Martha while getting over the loss of Rose.

It was June 2007 and, unbeknownst to me, the third series of ‘New’ Doctor Who was airing. Personally, I was much more interested in preparing for the release of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows and all that it would mean. One such way was in joining an online Harry Potter RolePlay in the vein of TV show Law & Order. One of my fellow RP-ers was a Whovian and using David Tennant to portray an original character. Upon finding out I had never watched Doctor Who and absolutely no inkling as to who David Tennant was, she quickly sent me a link to where I could watch episodes of Doctor Who online (it has since been taken down) and instructed me to watch the 2006 Christmas special, The Runaway Bride.

I know some Whovians might be shocked to discover that the first episode of Doctor Who I ever watched was The Runaway Bride. Especially because back then Donna Noble’s character was not synonymous with the word ‘awesome’ and there were Whovians who thought the character of Donna too loud-mouthed and brash, and would soon be debating the announcement that Catherine Tate would be reprising her role in series four.

I enjoyed The Runaway Bride immensely, and I fell in serious love with David Tennant’s portrayal of the Tenth Doctor, and the show itself. I mean, I’m posting this, aren’t I? *laughs* Alas, with everything going on in my life that year, I did not get a chance to watch another episode until months later in, coincidentally, November.

A Journey Through Time – And Space!

Drawn by Christine D. in 2008.
Artwork Credit: Tenth Doctor, drawn by Christine D. in 2008.

Once November came around, and I realized how long it had been since I had watched The Runaway Bride (with the last line haunting me – and still doing so to this day – due to the great deal of emotion tied to it), I made an agreement with another friend to use it as one of my word count incentives during my 2nd attempt at NaNoWriMo. December came soon after and I was already making icons from Doctor Who screen captures and owned the first series on DVD. A few days before Christmas, I wrote my first fan fiction (though it was very short, less than 500 words), and on Christmas morning my parents gave me the second series on DVD. I had quickly become rather… well, obsessed. And invested. I had not yet heard the term ‘Whovian,’ and I’ve no idea when I finally did, but looking back it had taken me about two weeks from the time I watched the Ninth Doctor’s first episode until I became one – though David Tennant was, and still is, my Doctor.

Alas, there was one problem with The Runaway Bride being my very first episode. I sort of knew what was happening in the series two finale (seriously, do you remember that line I mentioned in the last paragraph?!?!?) and, as such, I dreaded watching it unfold on-screen. And, because of how much I dreaded it, I waited almost three weeks before I finally watched Army of Ghosts and Doomsday. However, there was a light at the end of the tunnel, if you will, because once I watched them, I changed my entire LiveJournal layout so it was dedicated to the Doctor and Rose and that beautifully heart-wrenching “wall” scene.

From there, I came across a little problem. A dreaded ‘what to watch?’ dilemma because I could not decide if I dared watch series 3 or check in with Torchwood’s first series to see what Captain Jack Harkness was up to. Ultimately, I decided on Torchwood. Why? Two words. John. Barrowman. That and the fact he returned to Doctor Who at the end of series three in Utopia, but mostly because I wanted to see more John Barrowman. And Captain Jack. Although I am not a big fan of violence and gore, I did somehow manage to get through the first series – do not ask me how, but my answer will probably be ‘the promise of more Captain Jack.’

Once I finished Torchwood’s first series, it was onto series three. Which I will unashamedly admit I finished in two days. TWO. DAYS! I finished it just in time too, because series four started airing four days later so I could watch along with everyone else! And, in between episodes, I could watch Torchwood’s second series, and the first series of The Sarah Jane Adventures.

I cannot even begin to explain how much I loved Doctor Who’s fourth series, or how much it broke my heart. Actually, in a way, I can….

Full-Time Whovian

Drawn by Christine D. in 2011
Artwork Credit: Ninth Doctor, drawn by Christine D. in 2011

The fourth series was over, there was no new Doctor Who until Christmas and I was distraught. The kind of distraught that only happens after you spend a little over half a year getting caught up with a show that you have quickly fallen in love with only to find you have to wait almost as long for just one more episode. ONE. So I did something only dedicated fans would do – I delved further into the world of Doctor Who.

I was not yet interested in attempting to watch Classic Who because the sheer amount of episodes, not to mention the amount of missing episodes, was incredibly daunting), so instead I dived into the fandom. I made icons, I wrote another short fan fiction, I read fan fiction, I looked at fan art, I drew fan art (two of which I’ve included in this post)…. And then I did something crazy. I’m not even kidding, ‘crazy’ is the only word I can use to describe it. Don’t believe me? I made a website. A completely fan-run website. Dedicated not only to Doctor Who, but also Torchwood and The Sarah Jane Adventures. All pretty much on my own, to boot.

A Side Note: Before I go on, I have to say that while this Whoniverse website of mine does still exist and you may be able to guess what it is, I have had to largely abandon it. This is due not to my no longer being a fan (because oh my god, am I still a dedicated Whovian!), but the fact that I spent so much time on it, keeping it updated on every aspect of the Whoniverse, and had to do so all on my own even when others promised to help, that it became more of a job than the hobby that it once was, and every time I try to update it I feel this overwhelming pressure to ‘get it right’ and it just shouldn’t be that way. Neither can I update it to say that it is closed or on an indefinite hiatus, because it literally pains me to do so. This website was “my baby” for so long that I cannot imagine giving it up and so I leave it up as it is, with the promise of updates to come, in the hopes that one day I can sit down in front of my computer and just fall back right into it, experiencing once again the joy that updating it (or simply finding something to update it with) brought me.

Now that series four was over, and I was caught up with the Doctor Who spinoffs until The Sarah Jane Adventures’ second series started airing in the fall, I continued my exploration of the fandom, and experienced a great deal of dread and sadness during 2009 due to David Tennant’s announcement he was leaving the role and the lack of episodes until 2010. During that time, there was a glimmer of hope. It wasn’t Matt Smith, whom I fell in love with from the first time I watched his interview following the announcement he was taking over the role from David Tennant, but the fact that I was able to watch the majority of the second series with my best friend in celebration of my 21st birthday (May 29, 2009) and see her enjoy most of those episodes for the very first time. Though I can’t say I introduced her to the show, as she had previously seen a few episodes, I can say that I played a major role in her own journey to becoming a Whovian. I have tried to do the same with my father, but he only saw David Tennant’s farewell story a month or so ago and has yet to watch any of Matt Smith’s tenure – which is a shame, given Peter Capaldi is taking over the role at the end of this year’s upcoming Christmas special.

Today, and Awaiting the 50th

Now its November 2013, almost a full six years since I watched the episode Rose (alas I don’t know the exact date), and I am still very much a proud, somewhat crazy, Whovian. I have a DVD tower next to my desk with the two top shelves dedicated entirely to Doctor Who, Torchwood, and The Sarah Jane Adventures. I own all the soundtracks, along with quite a few Doctor Who (new series only) novels and audiobooks, along with a bunch of other memorabilia (including some fan-made ones), and my brother recently sent me a collectible bust of my Doctor he bought me as a gift when he went to Comic-Con which I am still trying to find a place of honor for. I’ve also watched some Classic Who, including the majority of Jon Pertwee’s tenure as the Doctor whom I fell in love with simply from watching clips featured in Doctor Who Confidential – a show which I still miss greatly.

As I await the airing of the 50th anniversary special on the 23rd, I have fallen in love with a fan fiction a friend wrote that features the… well, to avoid spoilers, mystery character seen at the end of The Name of the Doctor and am planning on writing a few “deleted scenes” and a sort of “spin-off” to go along with it after NaNoWriMo is over and I have taken a short reprieve from writing. I also purchased tickets to see the 50th anniversary special in 3D at a movie theater in the area on November 25th with the same best friend I had the series two marathon with in 2009. I’m also looking forward to the next 50 years of the show, as I do agree that it is a show that can go on forever, but as far as the near future goes, I am looking forward to Peter Capaldi taking over the controls of the TARDIS.

I fear I do not have the words to properly end this post,
so instead I will leave you with this, because I find it fitting:

“I always rip out the last page of a book. Then it doesn’t have to end. I hate endings!”
~The Eleventh Doctor, Angels in Manhattan

Are you a Whovian? (akin to Christine)

OR a Nu-Whovian? (akin to Jorie)

{CONTRIBUTOR POST: by Christine for Jorie Loves A Story}

{SOURCE: Badge post lovely provided by Shabby Blogs, with edits by Jorie in Fotoflexer.}

Copyright © Jorie Loves A Story, 2013.

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Posted Tuesday, 19 November, 2013 by readerlymusings in Alternative History, Contributor Feature or Post, Doctor Who, Fan Artwork of TV | Film | Book, Sci-Fi November, Science Fiction, TARDIS, Time Travel, Transportation Devices, TV Serials & Motion Pictures

World Book Night : from a Giver’s Point of View

Posted Monday, 21 October, 2013 by greylen , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , 0 Comments

JLAS_ContribGreylen

Hello all!

I am Greylen, a long-time friend of Jorie’s and a fellow voracious reader. Luckily, my path in life led me to become a librarian, so I get to be around books all the time. I don’t always get too much time to read, being also a homemaker, wife, and cat Mom, but I am forever trying to bring my life back into balance to allow more reading time!

Although I spend a lot of time giving out books and other materials that are free to borrow if you return them on time. Once a year, I enjoy giving away free books that do not have to be returned. For the past two  years I have been a volunteer Book Giver for World Book Night. WBN began in the United Kingdom and Ireland in 2011 and came to the US in 2012. It is always on April 23. April 23 is the UNESCO International Day of the Book, as well as Shakespeare’s birthday. It was also chosen in honor of Miguel de Cervantes, author of Don Quixote, who died on April 23, 1616 (the same day as Shakespeare).

World Book Night’s mission is to reach out to infrequent, reluctant or non-readers of all ages and socio-economic classes. The books are carefully chosen each year to include a mixture of genres as well as a gender, ethnic, and geographical balance. Also, for practical reasons as all WBN special editions are trade paperbacks, the titles must be available in paperback form. When signing up to be a Giver, you must choose three titles in order of preference.

You may say, well, you are a librarian, why not just direct people to the library? WBN is about meeting people where they are and bringing books to them. Libraries are awesome, but not everyone gets there easily. You may live in an area without much public transportation, for example, as I do. If a person has no car, they can’t get to the library. Also, for someone like the clerk at the local Subway who is working there as their second job in addition to going to school, they don’t have time to seek out what to read for pleasure on their own, but if you put it in their hand, there’s a good chance they may read it in the spaces in between the busy parts of their life.

In 2012, I received my first choice book, Just Kids by Patti Smith. Among 2012’s 30 titles to choose from were The Stand by Stephen King, The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins, I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou, and The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot. I have admired Patti Smith’s music and poetry for many years and read the book when it first came out. It is a memoir of her life as a young artist in New York and her close relationship with photographer Robert Mapplethorpe. It is about art and freedom and all sorts of amazing things. I distributed my books with my husband on the campus of his Alma Mater, The University of Maryland, College Park. We distributed books to members of the University’s board gaming group and all sorts of other random people walking around campus or eating dinner and hanging out in the student union. I was sad to keep hearing “who?” when I mentioned Patti Smith but hopefully the people I gave the book to will check out some of her music and be able to answer their own question!

For 2013, I got my third choice book, Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury. I am a big fan of Bradbury so I kind of picked this just because it was him. It had been a long time since I read it. While it is science fiction, it is an incredible story about knowledge and censorship and freedom of information and it is a really ironic yet awesome choice for a program focused on giving out books and spreading knowledge instead of restricting it. There were also 30 titles to choose from for 2013, but two were available in Spanish as well as English this time– Paolo Coelho’s The Alchemist, and Sandra Cisneros’ The House on Mango Street. Other titles included Bossypants by Tina Fey, Playing for Pizza by John Grisham, and Good Omens by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett.

More of my friends participated this year– one friend who is a massage therapist in Los Angeles gave out Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale and another friend who works at a homeless shelter gave out Walter Mosley’s Devil In A Blue Dress to her clients and co-workers.  Yet another friend who is an elementary school teacher gave out Norton Juster’s classic The Phantom Tollbooth to the more reluctant readers among her students– you know, not the ones begging their parents to go to the library like I was, but after they get hooked on reading, they probably started. One book can change a life.

My husband’s involvement with the board gaming group at his University has pretty much ceased so we stuck to more local places in our neighborhood to give out books in 2013. A local coffee shop was our launching pad, followed by the waiting room of an urgent care walk-in clinic (what a terrible place to be stuck without something to read!) and just popping in to random stores in a local shopping center. Also a couple of pre-teen girls playing in the woods near our house received copies. It could be a bit beyond their reading level, but being someone who was reading the Complete Works of HG Wells at age 8, I try not to assume anything.

I fully intend to be a Giver for 2014 as well. It is a very simple exercise. You sign up entirely online and your books (20 copies of whichever title WBN has chosen for you) are sent to a local bookstore or other collection point (I picked up from Barnes and Noble) the week or so before WBN. There is no cost to you other than whatever gas you use driving around and giving out books. It is very rewarding and engages you with people of whom you might not talk to otherwise. When people realize you’re not trying to sell anything or convert them to your religion (I make it a point to say I am not giving out religious books), they are pleasantly surprised for the most part that someone is giving out something so cool for absolutely nothing in return.

On October 23, six months before WBN 2014, World Book Night will be hosting a live unveiling of the 2014 titles at 6:30 PM EDT. Giver applications open up on October 24 and I will be signing up on the first day, however they are open until January 5, 2014.

Have you ever given or received for WBN?

Do you plan to sign up for 2014?

{CONTRIBUTOR POST: by Greylen for Jorie Loves A Story}

{SOURCE: Badge post lovely provided by Shabby Blogs, with edits by Jorie in Fotoflexer.}

Copyright © Jorie Loves A Story, 2013.

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Posted Monday, 21 October, 2013 by greylen in Art, Contributor Feature or Post, Freedom of Expression, Freedom to Read, Literacy Advocacy, Literary Event, Photography, Poetry, World Book Night