AWARDS and OTHER NEWS ...

Happy Friday, everyone.

First I would like to thank all of you for your comments on my Flash Fiction piece. I tweaked it from your suggestions and sent it on its way to the Esquire magazine.

These past few weeks have been abuzz with new awards from new blogger friends. So it is now time to pass them on to other deserving blogger friends.

Anyone who has been blogging for a while most likely will have these awards, so I searched through my list of blogger friends for those who have not been awarded and deserve to be.

This past week I have been awarded the Versatile Blogger award from two wonderful bloggers. Please drop by there sites and say hi. Lady Gwen and Michele Helene. Both ladies have unique and fun blogs and shouldn't be missed. Thank you both for the award.

Of course, this award comes with rules... Well, since most of you know tons about me already, I won't bore you with that. But you should tell seven things about yourself and thank the person who honored you ... which I did. SEE. I can do rules ...

Next honor this award to fifteen blogger friends. Well that will be difficult, because most of you have this award, but I will try.

Jen Daiker's, The Beginner Housewife. Jen has a new blog which most of you might not know about, so if you' likes so fun tips about life and home drop by her fun new blog.

Giggles and Guns. My new bud Mary is a hoot. If you'd like to start you day with a good laugh and a smile start with this blog. You'll LOVE her.

Marcy @ Mainwords is a newly discovered friend. Her blog features lovely photography and kind words. She and her friend Diane (Who's next) do monthly insightful first page critiques. (How wonderful of them. Right?)

Diane @ In High Spirits. Diane just signed a contract for her new book THE CAGED GRAVES. Congrats Diane! Her blog is a fantastic mix of everything from book reviews to writing tips. A must stop.

Laura Diamond. DIAMOND-LUCID DREAMER. Laura is a fascinating woman and blogger. Her Monday posts on mental health are outstanding for all us who write about characters with mental issues. She is also a positive and upbeat writer that gives so much to our community.

Margo Benson. Margo Benson. She has finally retuned back to us after several months departure. WELCOME BACK MARGO... We've missed you. Fun, with immense flair, Margo treats her readers with the charm and grace of merry old England itself. So stop by and introduce yourself to her.

Mood @ MOODY WRITING. I know Mood has this award already, BUT, I have to honor this blogger because of his amazing, insightful, and all so helpful writing posts. Mood is a MUST to visit daily.

Holly @ My POV. I am so glad to see Holly doen't have this award, which I am shocked by. She deserves to. I met her on the A-Z Challenge and her posts on gems of all kinds were amazing.

PK @ PK HREZO. Shock of all shocks... PK doesn't have this award? UNBELIEVABLE. She is stellar in our community and has offered her readers endless words of advice and encouragement. I has been such a pleasure knowing her in my first year of blogging.

Wendy @ Wendy Tyler Ryan- Author. Wendy is another long time friend who amazingly doesn't have this award and should. A self published author, Wendy has given us so many of her experiences on her road to success. Thanks Wendy.

Ann Best. Blog of Ann Best ... Ann is an amazing woman with an amazing story. Sweet, kind, and caring, Ann is a wonderful blogger and friend.

Milo @ in medias res. Milo is another blogger I met on the A-Z Challenge. His knowledge of the short story magazine market is unsurpassed. An amazing writer. Don't miss his blog.

Well all, that is twelve. The other's I wished to award this to, already have it multiple times. I do have other awards to give, but I will do that on another post. This is THE most time consuming of tasks, but it is well worth it. We must always acknowledge the people that so deserve to be.

Don't forget to check out my sidebar for fun events you might want to take part in.

In other news, I have two author interviews and one blog book tour. First on October 7th I will be featuring Mary "Monty" Sikes with her new book JUNGLE JEOPARDY ... it's a must read. Please drop by her blog. You'll love her and her book.

Then on October 13, I'll be hosting the very talented author Eliot Grace for his book tour of SOUTH OF CHARM. Another must read. A wonderfully sensitive story.

Drop by his blog for an excerpt and more information here. El is one amazing author. It's a reading experience you don't want to miss. His words envelop you, caressing you in his emotion and imagery.

The blog tour will start on October 3rd and continue until the end of the month. El will be giving away some awesome prizes too. So don't miss out.

I hope the day is treating you well.


HAVE A WONDERFUL WEEKEND ALL!

RAINY DAYS AND TUESDAYS ...

Hi all,

Since the first day of fall it has rained in Chicago. I must admit I am missing the sun right now. This morning when I peeked out my window I had noticed the trees were still. Something not so common in the "Windy" city.

Even though there was a constant drizzle, I decided to venture out on my usual power walk. I was inspired from what I had experienced today and I would like to share it with all of you.

I had been wanting to enter the ESQUIRE magazine short story contest. Here is the link for anyone that is interested. It is quite the challenge. It has to be only 78 words. Not easy to do with a short story. I wouldn't even call it that. It's more like flash fiction.

I didn't know what I could possibly write about until earlier today. Here is what I'd like to enter. PLEASE if you see any grammar or punctuation issues, let me know. There is only one sentence I am not certain about. It's the sentence with the semi colon. Is this correct or should it be a color or comma?

I hope you like it. You have until October 7th to enter. Here is mine. Please let me know what you think.

Elongated fingers of mist caress Chicago’s skyline on this murky September day. 

Waves crash with a vengeance as heavy drops of rain wash away the last vestiges of summer. 

The running paths and beach no longer echo laughter. Just the distant screech of a lonesome seagull pierces the silence. 

I coast along, repelling the rain with the swipe of a drenched hand. Something is missing, some inscrutable life force. 

The wind kicks, and I disappear into its folds.

I hope you all have a great day full of sunshine. If not, try to make your own.

A SPECIAL THANKS ...

Hello all,

I would first like to thank all of my blogger friends who have entertained us with wonderful stories and pictures of their summer vacation.

The variety of everyone's summer really was remarkable. If any of you would still like to keep summer going just a bit longer than feel free to scroll down and read the many fun adventures of our blogger friends.

I would also like to welcome my new followers, Reinhardt, Carrie, Ciara, Rebecca, Magnoliabebe, J, Mel, and RJR. Thank you all for joining my blogging family.

As you all can see I am only 45 friends away from 500. As I have mentioned before, that at the end of next month is my one year blogoversary which I am SO excited about. I will be doing something special so I hope to see you all. Here's hoping I make 500 by then.

I appreciate all of you caring enough to stop by whenever you can. So here's to all of you. This has been a most memorable year and I have you to thank for it.

You all might find this bit of information interesting. This past Saturday I went to a local SBCWI mini seminar on how to find the best agent for you.

The speaker was a published author and was quite knowledgeable on the different avenues of research available to us and how to use it to our full advantage to nab that coveted agent.

But a question was asked and the answer surprised me. The question was about social media. How active should an author be in twitter, blogging, etc.?

She said that she WASN'T that involved and her agent and publisher were more interested in her writing books.

I raised a brow and totally disagreed. BLOGGING is necessary especially for any novice writer. This year I have learned SO much and met THE most amazing people. I don't know what I would've done without it and all of you. So keep blogging, keep tweeting, stay connected. This community is too important to ever let slip away.


Have a wonderful day everyone.

WHAT I DID ON MY SUMMER VACATION BLOGFEST ...

Hi everyone. Well today is the start of a fun weekend, starting with my blogfest.


How cool will this be to see how everyone in the blogosphere has spent their summer vacation. So don't forget to hop around to the other bloggers who signed up. 


There is still time if you wish to join in and share your summer with the rest of us. Simply write a 300-500 word essay on "What I did on my summer vacation. Just like we did in grade school. Add some pictures for a visual. 


This weekend is the last of summer let's keep it going. So sign up now.


As most of you know I've had quite the busy summer. It started with meeting some of my wonderful blogging friends. First, eighties enchantress Nicki Elston. Then a month later I met with Abby Minard, who visited Chicago for a fun weekend. 

After Abby, I took a drive to Wisconsin for the weekend to visit with Christy of erica and christy. And then finally the Watery Tart herself, Hart Johnson, for a fabulous lunch and tour of Ann Arbor, Michigan.

Of course the highlight of my summer was visiting Niagara Falls, Montreal, Quebec City, and Toronto, Canada. Hundreds of amazing scenes. Scroll down to my previous posts if you'd like to see some of them.


But I will never forget the wonderful time I spent with blogger friends. It's amazing how natural it is to jump into hugs and conversation as if we'd know each other for years. If you ever get the chance to meet a blogger friend it is worth the effort, so DO it!


I hope to meet a few more before the year is out. I already have plans to do so next month and in November. Blogging friends are THE BEST!


Don't forget today is the last day to enter into Brenda Drake's "Can You Hook a Teen" blogfest. Enter the first 250 words of you finished manuscript in Y/A or M/G. Some great prizes so don't miss out. You have until midnight tonight, MST.

PLAYING CATCH UP ...

Hi, all.

In today's post I would like to catch up with all my wonderful blogging friends. First and foremost, I am inching my way to 500 followers and I couldn't be more excited especially since my one year blogaversary is coming up next month ... a definite cause for CELEBRATION!

I would also like to formally welcome my new friends to my blogging family. I have done this from the beginning and I don't intend to ever stop. It's important to me that all of you know how special you are to me.

Welcome ... Sarah P.. Mary, Brittany, Kathleen, Angelina,  Lady Gwen, K. M., Cat, Sommer, Jeigh, Claire, MG, Eve, Michele, Lola X, Maeve, Jennifer, Janice, Morgan, Li, Alleged Author, Gary, Coleen, Carol, WB, Michael, Jules, Dianne, Robert, and Amy... Phew! Man it has been a while. I can't wait to get to know all of you better and I will be visiting all of you the first chance I get. I know I have been to a few of your blogs already, but I will make the rest sometime this week.

So today I want to hear about what YOU are doing. It's all about YOU today. Tell me, amuse me, excite me, or if it's a bad day, I want to know that too. We are all here to cheer each other on in our writing endeavors as well as in our lives.

You can .... mischievous grin here, tell me about your summer vacation. Hint ... hint ... OR you can save it for my uber fun blogfest. You still have a few days to write your "What I did on my summer vacation essay. Let's have lots of fun with this. Be creative, write as your ten-year-old self... Or whatever your muse tells you.

I see lots of you have already entered, but I want MORE! lol. Sign up on the linky below. It's all for fun and I think we can use some fun before summer is officially over.

Have a great Wednesday everyone!

Here's something just for you!

THREE DAVES and an ALEX ...

Well, today is quite the banner day. So much is happening in the blogosphere I can't keep up! Even my blog is packed with TWO exciting events today.


First, my good friend and fellow Chicagoan, Nicki Elston has dropped by today to continue her fabulous relaunching of her book THREE DAYS. With a brand spanking new cover, we can now all visualize what the 80's were like.

Welcome Nicki ... Take it away!


Thanks, Michael.

If you’ve read any of Michael’s excerpts from his Young Adult manuscript, The Blinded Gardener, then you know his main character Aidan has some excellent one-liners. Totally T-shirt worthy! 

And so, as part of my Blog Blitz to celebrate the brand new cover for my 1980s Chick Lit/Romance Three Daves, I’d like to share with you some one-liners from the book that I think would look good on a T-shirt…or a coffee mug…or what have you.  Here goes:    

C’mon good girl, be bad.

-Dave

I know every guy here, and they’re all pretty much jerks.

-David

I asked my interior designer to give me something appropriate for defiling virgins.

-David

I’m not sitting back here with another dude while there are two perfectly doable females in the car.

-Joe

Well, a lot’s happened since I last showered.

-David

You’re supposed to pinch yourself – not the one you’re dreaming about.

-Big D

Me? I go wherever the wind blows…and wherever the whiskey shots are half price.

-Dave

I suggest you icksnay on the artalecsmay.

-Jen

Paperback, eBook, Kindle or Nook 

Bee tee double-yew, these are all listed at Goodreads, so if you like one here you can “like” it there too. ;)  Aaaand, Three Daves is only 99 cents in Kindle, Nook,eBook and ePack through September 30 as part of Omnific Publishing’s Back-to-School Sale!   If you’re a book reviewer, A Tale of Many Reviews has opened up sign-ups for a Three Daves book tour.

So how about you—got any one-liners from your work

that cracked you up as you wrote them? 

Thanks for stopping by!  And thanks for having me, Michael.

It was my pleasure Nicki. Anytime.

Now for the second part of my post ... The illustrious Alex J. Cavanaugh is hosting another fun blogfest. The TEN WORST MOVIES you've ever had the misfortune to watch.

Here are my top ten in no specific order .... They ALL were a waste of time and money.

Mommie Dearest .... 1981... Could Faye Dunaway have been MORE aweful?

Showgirls .... 1995... What was Elizabeth Berkley thinking? She should have stayed in school ( Saved by the bell).

Glitter .... 2001... Mariah Carey, PLEASE stick to singing!

Meet the Spartans ... 2008 ... HOW could YOU demean such a pivotal point in ancient history? Let’s stick with 300, shall we?

Eragon ... 2006 .... When did Jeremy Irons lose his talent? What a letdown. LOVED the book hated the movie.

Speed 2 ... 1997 ... Some movies should be left with only one. After the original, NEVER make another. Rule of thumb. 2 of any movie is usually a disaster.

Jaws ... 1975 ... From the first to the last ... WHY? Could that shark be any more plastic? People actually fell for it? (shakes head)

Norbit ... 2007 ... Eddie Murphy at his worst ... Could this movie be more crude and insulting to the view’s intelligence.

Dumb and Dumber ... 1994 ...  The title says it all!

The Cable Guy ... 1996 ...  Just when I thought Jim Carrey sunk to his lowest, this movie came out. THE WORST EVER!

Well everyone that is my top ten worst movie line up in no particular order. I could go on for days with bad films. There seem to be more bad than good ones produced these past few decades.

Thanks everyone for stopping by. Don't forget to drop by Nicki's blog and say Hi. And, if you want to see more bad movies drop by Alex's for the list of other entries.

Have a great Monday and let me know if you've seen a horrid movie lately.

AND finally if you haven't heard about my What I did last summer blogfest, it's time you have. Enter now! Find out the details by clicking the badge to the left.

  

WONDERING WHAT'S WHAT WITH WILLOW WATTS ...

Well as you know our wonderfully talented friend, Talli Roland, launched her new book on Wednesday and so far it is an instant sensation ... very much like Willow Watts herself.


Have you ever wondered what it would be like to go from a passive, simple life only to be thrown in the mixed of paparazzi and adoring fans as a U-Tube superstar?


Willow Watts certainly does. Innocently donning on a cheap bleached-blond wig and a stretched out moldy dress for a local charity event in the small town of Belcherton, Willow is coaxed into singing Marilyn Monroe's signature "Happy Birthday Mr. President" song.


Filmed by the head of the town's tourist board, Simpson Dyer, who is desperate to put his dull, non-descript town on the map, doctors up the film by adding a picture of the real Marilyn floating through Willow's performance.


Willow cringed at the whole production, hoping to forget about her humiliation and find a way to help support her father's dying antique business.


Simpson posts the video on U-Tube, claiming it would help in exposing the world to Belcherton. At first his plan failed with only two hits all morning. Then on comment posted and changed all that. This one comment about Willow being picked by the ghost of Marilyn Monroe to be her predecessor ignited a four-alarm-fire. Later that day the hits rolled into a hundred thousand and growing.


People from all over the globe flocked into Belcherton to pay homage to the "new" Marilyn. Of course, this was the last thing Willow expected and couldn't believe any of it.


This is just the beginning of Willow's new "life." As you can well imagine, with success brewing and endless opportunities on the horizon, Willow encounters all sorts of people good and bad.


Jay Bellamy slithers into town. A has been agent, trying to land Willow for his next client. Jay's only thoughts focus on taking full advantage of Willow's naivete. Slick, good looking, and oozing with charm he sets out to seduce WIllow any way he can. Will she fall for his charms and be his next victim?


Across the great pond, in Carter, Georgia, Bette Johnson, relaxed in her living room, sipped Dom, and thought about her idol Marilyn Monroe. Pushing sixty, she felt a closeness to Marilyn Monroe. He hum drum life as a newly divorced woman left a lot to be desired. As she listened to the news a reporter excitedly spilled out information about the "New" Marilyn discovery. Betts in on a plane the next day for Belcherton, England and a new adventure.




Now you ask, what could possibly happen next? You might guess correctly, but then ... you might not? You don't want to miss out on Roland's charming tale of what Watching Willow Watts is all about.


What I loved most about Talli Roland's new novel? Her cast of characters. She paints rich, detailed, funny, crazy, lovable and most of all, memorable people who kept popping up throughout the story, starting with Willow's BFF and local beauty parlor owner, Paula.


I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Not an avid reader of "Chick Lit," I would have to say Talli might just make me one. So download your copy from Amazon or Amazon UK. You will have a blast this weekend with some new literary friends.


Have a GREAT weekend everyone. AND, if you haven't signed up for my WHAT I DID THIS SUMMER Blogefest, I suggest you do.

WHO STARTED YOUR DREAM ...

Greeting everyone. Today a group of bloggers have been formed together by Cat Gerlach. She is the mastermind behind this fantastic blog thread, so to speak. I met her through Rach Harrie's Campaign; we are in the same y/a group. So drop by Cat's blog and say hi...

We are asked to tell our blogger friends which books we most like to read and which authors inspire us. For those of you who know me well enough, this is a no brainer. However I would like to tell you about another author whose work I admire and have throughly enjoyed reading over the years.

The author is Terry Brooks. I don't know how many of you are familiar with his work, but his stories are masterpieces of fantasy. They border on high fantasy, but young adults and kids love to read about the amazing worlds he's created. He has written several series. Start with the Landover series. I found them to be most magical and great for younger readers. Then work your way into the Sword of Shanara series... then the countless others. He's written dozens of books and you will really enjoy his amazing writing and world building. If you like elves, druids, and mysticism you will LOVE these books.

Brooks influenced me in one major way: Description. Many of my "fans," as I us this term loosely, admire my descriptive prose. I am a stickler for beautiful detail with a lyrical flow. This I learned from Brooks.

From JK Rowling, who everyone knows I adore more that words could say, I learned about how to create wonderful chemistry between characters. Will you ever forget Harry, Ron, and Hermione? Their chemistry is magical. Rowlings is the queen of chemistry amongst other things.

I not only love fantasy, but I love the classics as well. Dickens, The Bronte sisters, Austen, Alcott, Anderson, Poe, and even Dostoyevsky. But I write fantasy and contemporary. At least for now. Both y/a and m/g.

Now please hop over to Robyn Campbell's blog here, and then Bonnie Ray's blog here, to continue the chain. For those of you who do and leave comments there are some amazing prizes from several of the people in this chain. Critiques and books, who could ask for anything more. You have until Sept. 22nd to comment.

Don't forget to sign up for my blogfest on Sept. 23rd A quick click on the linky and you're in. Don't let summer end yet.

Have a great day everyone.

WATCHING WILLOW WATTS ... THE ULTIMATE LAUNCHING PARTY!

Now THAT's a book cover. In honor of our friend and fellow author Talli Roland, I am writing only in PINK today. 


Haven't you ever dreamed of being anyone else? WELL, TODAY is the day to make that dream come true!


During this AMAZING launch party blogfest you could be ANYONE you want to be.


In Talli's own words "If I could be anyone, I'd be ..." Fill in the blank. "Come dressed as that one person you've always admired, longed to impersonate, or just plain envied. Now is your chance to make your superhero, film-star, or Rock God fantasies come true (okay, maybe not all your fantasies...)."


So there you have it. Post a pic of the person you wish to be and tell us why.


There is one person, an amazing author, I wish I could be, and not for the reasons you think.


This author is ... JK ROWLING. The reason why I chose her is NOT for all the fame and billions of dollars she has earned but because SHE has influenced millions of readers and several generations of children to read. Her writing brought me back to reading and if it wasn't for her influence I never would have written my first novel... which happens to have Willow in the title too! But today is Talli's day.


So here is a picture of MY favorite author and an amazing woman JK Rowling. Ah, if I could change the world like she did .... Nice dream, eh?

Good luck Talli with your fantastically whimsical new book. It will be ALL THE RAGE! Be sure to drop by for my review on Friday.


Don't forget to sign up for my WHAT I DID ON MY SUMMER VACATION BLOGFEST... It should be a hoot.


Sign up on the linky below.

WHAT I DID ON MY SUMMER VACATION BLOGFEST ...

Hello everyone.

Welcome all new friends and Campaigners.

I hope you all had a fantastic weekend. For those of you who dropped by and commented on my Quebec City post, I'm glad you did. It is my inspiration for my new Blogfest. What I did on MY summer vacation.

My fantastic trip to Canada was on of the best vacations I've had in years. I got me to thinking about how every year after summer vacation the teacher would have us write a composition of what we did over the summer.

Since yesterday was a stunning eight degrees and sunny,  Summer is holding on for just a bit longer... YAY! So now I am the teacher. I want you to write a 300-500 word composition to what YOU did on your Summer vacation. Now for those of you who haven't had a vacation in years, I understand, but you can still join in the fun and post on what projects you worked on this summer.

Pictures are a must! I had posted dozens of my pics for all of you to visit gorgeous Canada with me. Let's relax and have a bit of fun. It could be about a great BBQ you had on the Fourth of July. Any memorable moment that took place over the summer.

I WANT TO KNOW and so do your blogger buddies. Since we are all crazed with the bazillions of things in our lives I'll set the blogfest for the official last day of summer which is Friday, September 23rd. (I just looked it up, so it is official. LOL.) How perfect is that, the beginning of the weekend so we have lots of time to blog hop!

SO, are you in? Don't disappoint me now. We ALL need to hang onto Summer a bit longer and P-A-R-T-Y!

I would also appreciate your help spreading the word. A mention or post in your sidebar would be awesome. You guys are the best!


Please sign up on the linky below.... I feel a picnic in the park coming on ...

PARLEZ-VOUS FRANÇAIS? QUEBEC CITY ...

Happy Friday everyone. Well, I finally downloaded the endless pictures I took on my visit to the glorious Quebec City. If anyone wants a feel for France and not want to hop over the Atlantic, one only has to venture to our sister country, Canada.  

Quebec City has all the charm of Paris, only more intimate. Sit at a cafe and watch the soft light form around the stunning architecture and friendly people. Although French is the preferred language almost everyone speaks English and with a smile. Parisians are well known for their uppity attitude, but you will NOT find that the case in this lovely city.

So sit back, relax, grab a latte, and enjoy a walking tour of this fair city.

Ah, where to begin? I must have taken at least two hundred pictures ....

Why not with the location .... situated on the St. Lawrence river.

Venturing up the many stone staircases winding skyward from the river, the stunning architecture certainly reflects the classic country French style.

Don't you just love the hanging flower planters? They are everywhere along the riverfront streets.

At the top of the FIRST plateau ...

The goal ....

The view along the way... make sure you wear comfortable hiking shoes. Phew!

Finally! It is so worth the effort! Just look what's all around you.

Can you believe these vistas? So beautiful.  I can go on forever with more, but I will be posting all day. But I must finish the tour with a bit of whimsy. Even in side alleys one could see extraordinary art. Here are just a few hidden treasures of this amazing place.

Although not in an alley, this sculpture is truly awesome...

Well friends that concludes our tour of Quebec City....  I'm sure you could tell by the smile on my face that I had an amazing time on my visit to Canada. If you ever have the chance to visit this wonderful country I hope you do. You will not be disappointed in any way.

My trip inspired me to host another blogfest... A non HP fest for the first time. I will post about it on Monday... but think about what you did on your summer vacation. Remember? The first assignment returning back to school is always "What did you do on your summer vacation?" Let's hold onto summer  just a bit longer ... shall we? I want to know ALL. Pics are a must. So start looking through all your fun summer photos and get thinking. A three to five hundred word essay will be due....

Have a great weekend everyone!

INSECURE WRITERS SUPPORT GROUP POST... BETTER LATE THAN NEVER

Hi, friends.

As most of you know I have been out of the country for the past ten days. Canada is a truly a wonderful country with friendly people, stunning landscapes, and incredible architecture. I will be posting pics tomorrow of Quebec City, so please drop by.

But until then, please forgive me for not having my post up in time for the Insecure Writers Support Group. This incredible idea has been fathered by our friend, Alex J. Cavanaugh, who is an amazing blogger and one of our communities most treasured friends.

Alex created this concept to help fellow writers who, at times, have issues during their plight for publication. Advise from seasoned published authors and talented newbies can now help each other during their frustrations at pivotal points in their writing.

We have all been there. The plot is not flowing, the characters are flat, the dialogue is sketchy, or the dreaded "What the hell was I thinking when I wrote this!"

During my first year as a blogger ... yes, my one year blogavesary is coming up ... I have learned SO much about SO many things. But mostly I have learned that with patience, determination, and dedication, we CAN reach our goals. Many of my blogger friends have finished novels that are either published or will be soon. These wonderful authors and friends (you know who you are) have given us so much more that just their novels; they have given us pieces of their heart and soul.

Alex... Thank you for your big heart and your presence in our community. You are one of the reasons why this community is so great.

Friends please drop by Alex's blog here for more wonderful posts in this amazing series. There is so much inspiration at our figure tips, we just need to click onto a fellow blogger for it. Now, could that be any easier...

Have a wonderful day everyone.

MONTREAL - PAR DEUX!

Here's a special post for Saturday. One could never have too many picture of Montreal .... Today's post features the stunning architecture and historic beauty of this stunning city.

Located literally a few blocks from my hotel, The Musee Des Beaux Arts De Montreal houses some exquisite collections. Unfortunately it was under construction and only the annex featuring Gautier creations was open. However the stunning fluted columned limestone building could still be viewed.

Several cool free form sculptures of black onyx decorate the front facade.

  

LOVE the port-o-potty. It makes a tremendous artistic statement.

Talk about gorgeous ...

Another great sculpture.

Past and present living harmoniously together.

                                 

Architecture ... Architecture ... Architecture

And even more! 

How about just one more.? The most beautiful example of all ...

THE BASILICA OF NOTRE DAME.

And now it's time for my afternoon iced latte.... Old Montreal is dotted with tons of charming cafe's so sit down, relax, and join me.

Thanks for dropping by. I do hope you enjoyed an architectural tour of Montreal. Enjoy your weekend!

JE T'AIME MONTREAL ...

Happy Friday everyone...

Yesterday I left Montreal for Quebec City... but ... I took a part of it with me. I ADORE Montreal. I hadn't visited since I was a kid ... so who could remember all it's international charm?

Montreal has an incredible and diverse society. It's a true melting pot. Hearing French, English, Spanish, and different dialects of Middle Eastern adds to this amazing conglomeration of cultures within one culture.

And I can't begin to tell you how well organized the metro system is, allowing an inquisitive tourist easy access to Montreal greatest treasures.

What really makes this city special is the typography. Layered in different levels, it has a San Francisco feel without the cable cars. Walking/hiking up the many hills really keeps you in shape. SO eat those croissants and enjoy the cuisine, because YOU WILL work it off. I actually lost two pounds...YAY!

The most memorable trek was climbing up to Mont Royal Parc. My hotel was located just one tier lower than the park. Well, after twenty minutes on this insane incline and I was dripping wet, but it was SO worth it. You will find out why in just a moment.

Another thirty minute walk down the hills and Old Montreal greeted me with it historic charm and a world gone by. The Basilica of Notre Dame is one of THE most amazing churches I had ever visited. It certainly rivals many from Europe.

So friends sit back and relax and enjoy one of Canada's most beautiful cities... Let me know what you think.

Have a great weekend everyone. What will you be doing this weekend while I'm exploring medieval Quebec City?

(Please remember friends, all my photos are original and I would appreciate you asking permission before using them.)

Let's start with the view after hiking up to Mont Royal Parc. At the entrance some of Montreal's most stately mansions perch at the entry to the park.

After another few staircases and an uphill hike on a serpentine road, I arrived at the lake ... so beautiful.

As I continued to stroll through the park, I had a deja vu feeling. Something about this park felt so comfortable and familiar. I later found out that the same landscape designer who created New York City's Central Park is also the designer of Mont Royal.... It's such a small world.

I found an empty picnic table and shared my lunch with a cute new friend ... he really liked my nuts.

As I strolled through the park toward the Chateau, fantastic free form sculptures dotted the landscape.

Finally, the Chateau ...

And now.... THE VIEW!

Perfect foliage to frame this amazing city-scape.

Gorgeous view of the city, river, and surrounding hills.

The Chateau ...

and Gardens.

After hopping on a bus for about a ten minute ride, I arrived at the Plateau .... For those of you who like a "village" feel,  you will love it here. Along the main thoroughfare you will find amazing clothing shops, cafes, and this incredible kitchen store, featuring some of the most unique items I've ever seen. I bought THE coolest dish draining board and porcelain teapot.

I hope you all enjoyed Mont Royal Parc... Drop back tomorrow for some of Montreal's most incredible architecture.

Have a great weekend.