World of My Imagination

Flash Fiction Photo Prompt - Are You Inspired?

2013-05-22T06:00:00.000-07:00

It's that time again and this week I have the reigns! Yay! It's been a long month for me so far - and I have a new goal to write a story to a photo prompt once a month at least. I think I can do it - how about you?

Anyways, before we kick off the prompt, make sure to check out the amazing prompts from last week-

Imagined Dream World by Scott Taylor
Camel Man by Leanne Sype
Home Coming by Sally Stackhouse

Aren't they awesome??

Okay, now make sure you grab a copy of our Flash Fiction e-book.

Ready?

Here's the rules:

Here are the rules:

1) Use the photo and the 5 words provided in your story

2) Keep your word count 500 words or less.

3) You have until next Tuesday to link up your post.

4) Link up with your blog hostess (Nicole, Carrie, Tena or Leanne) when you’re done via the inLinkz linky below.

5) Have fun, don’t stress, let those creative juices flow.

This week's photo:

The words:

T-Shirt

Paddock

Spacestation

Pyramid

Zip

Oh, this should be so good.

When you're ready, post your link below -

Prepare to Evict Earth...With Some Complications of Course (A Book Review)

2013-05-20T05:00:00.000-07:00

I am such a sucker for science fiction that gets meshed in with our own reality. The funny thing is when I first got the email about this book, all I could see was the subject line that read: EVICTION NOTICE. I got the twist of panic (I'm awful with credit card bills these days) until I realized, "No, that's the title of the book."

Of course, I wanted to read it.

You first meet Alice Able, a young woman who is miserable over her life. She's preparing to end it all, but first, she has to prepare her house. She places sticky notes all over the place with notes on where things should go after she passes, until there's a knock at the door that interrupts her...

...but before we go into that, we also meet a group of teens preparing for the ultimate senior prank - crop circles. The crop circle prank serves as an homage to another great senior prank so many years ago. Hoping to cause a simple stir in the morning papers, the teens go to bed that night wistfully dreaming of the honor and respect that will come from their classmates once everyone catches on...

As bizarre and different as the two stories seem like above, the choices and lives of these characters bump into each other and create a fantastical situation that can only be found in the world of fiction (a world I love so much). Alice Able gets jolted out of her demise and thrust into the role of leader of our free-ish world. Meanwhile, our group of teenagers follow along a brilliant little creature that was found from a fallen spaceship.

And a little town of Ogden, Iowa becomes the center stage for the end of the world as we know it (cue REM music)...or is it?

Eviction Notice by Robyn Wyrick is quite the ride, and while there were moments I had a little trouble keeping track of who was who, it was a lot of fun. Make sure you go to Amazon and grab your copy today! You can also grab it at Barnes and Noble. And don't forget to check out Robyn Wrick's website for updates.

Disclaimer: I received this book in exchange for my honest review.

Find the Right Internet and Cable in Your Area

2013-05-19T06:00:00.000-07:00

I don't know about you, but one of the most irritating things in the world is having to battle with my cable company (I won't say who it is because I'm not sure how cool that is...but I'm sure you know who I'm talking about ).

I am trying to save money regularly and this month is an especially tough month to save money (two family members out of work). Too many expenses means stress. Stress means my creative energy is down. Which means I"m miserable. And this is not a good thing.

So, how about taking the "searching" for a deal out of your hands and letting someone else do the work?

Sounds good to me!

Take a look at the site "Connect Your Home." It lets you type in your address and let you know the good deals going on in your neighborhood. It shows you everything from current cable deals, to home security to internet. Basically, it shows you how to save with the most expensive things you end up spending your money. Not to mention, it also shows home phone services you can take advantage of, too. Now I just wish it could pay my student loans for me.

So now that the stress seems to be eased a little bit...

...I can get back to writing! And that makes me happy.

Disclaimer: I received compensation for this post. All opinions are my own.

What Should I Do With 100 Postcards?

2013-05-18T14:16:00.000-07:00

In a contest last year - or maybe it was something I received in exchange for something - I was awarded 100 post cards.

One year later, I still haven't claimed my prize. Why? Well, first of all, I have to do the design. And I want to do something different with it, and not just make a postcard of something I'll never actually use.

I thought at the time it would be a great opportunity to put my future book on the card and promote it that way. But in reality, I'm kind of tired of it just sitting there. I want to do something different, unique, challenging, or inspiring with the cards.

So, what do I do with 100 post cards?

So...give me an idea of what I can do with them. And they are not 100 different postcards, but 100 post cards that say one thing. I have to design it, too.

And I'm open.

What I probably won't use them for - thank you cards, save the date, announcement cards or "I'm moving" cards. I'm not that social.

What should I do with 100 postcards?

What Would Your Super Power Be?

2013-05-18T10:42:00.002-07:00

So, I decided to join in the writing prompt from a really popular - and interesting - blog network called "Trash Can Bloggers."

The writing prompt this week -

If you could have any super power, what would it be?

Okay, this is serious business, people. I've often thought about this, and here's how I break it down -

I wouldn't want read people's minds.

Seriously, if you are on Facebook or Twitter, you read people's minds enough. Can you imagine all the crowded thought traffic that would come through if you read people's minds?

I wouldn't want to travel with the speed of light.

I mean, don't we all know the expression, "It's not where you go, it's how you get there?" Or something like that. Well, one of my favorite ways to travel is lengthy road trips, so you can thoroughly take in scenery and enjoy every step of the way. So, sorry Superman (and Superwoman), I like to take my time.

I wouldn't want super strength.

This is a vanity thing. I'm already pretty tall for a female, the last thing I need is to be stronger than most men too.

I might consider the superior climbing ability thing.

While you'd never find going rock climbing, I think it might kind of cool to be able to swing between sky high buildings with the greatest of ease or what not. But then again, I do have a slight fear of falling so maybe this isn't a good idea.

I might consider the ability to travel through time.

I think this would be so cool to be able to go back through time and witness pretty awesome historical events. But then again, if the movie The Butterfly Effect taught us, it may not be a good idea. I mean, I wouldn't want to go back and step on an ant and come back to the present realizing we all live on the moon or something. Although...

So, if you could have any super power, what would yours be?

Save Money on Text Books - CampusBookRental.com

2013-05-18T06:00:00.000-07:00

Just talking about this makes me miss college.

But back in the day, I remember spending about $200 to $300 on books, which is a steep, steep price for a college student. It's places like CampusBookRental.com that makes the cost of each quarter of text books that much more manageable.

And not to mention, if you've actually coughed up the money towards your text books, you might just be able to make money off of renting your own text books.

And doesn't that leave you all warm and fuzzy inside?

It sure does me.

Simply visit CampusBookRental.com and see how much you'd have to pay for your course's text books. Not to mention, by getting your texts from this site, you are also contributing to programs like Operation Smiles as well as helping fund their scholarship fund.

I think I need to go study now.

Disclaimer: I received compensation in exchange for this post. All opinions are my own.

Flash Fiction Photo Prompt - Are You Inspired?

2013-05-15T06:00:00.000-07:00

Hi friends! So much excitement bubbling around our Writer Wednesday Blog Hop community! First-- Our winner for the ad contest is Sally over at Sally's Scribbles! Here is her button to display on your site to support her blog!

Second-- Flash 500 is now available for free via here (and in time will be available across a variety of reader platforms--stay tuned)!

This book a selection of blog hop stories from the first year of the Writer Wednesday Blog Hop. A huge thank you to our blog hop co-founders Nicole Pyles and Carrie Sorensen for all their many months of hard work and research to put this together!!

Third-- This week's photo reveal! Here are all the stories from last week:

Burned by Cindy Cagle
What a Day by Sally Stackhouse
What's Evil by Carrie Sorensen
The Childhood Home by Scott Taylor
Dancing by Leanne Sype
The One that got Away by David Bastiani

Here are the rules:

1) Use the photo and the 5 words provided in your story

2) Keep your word count 500 words or less.

3) You have until next Tuesday to link up your post.

4) Link up with your blog hostess (Nicole, Carrie, Tena or Leanne) when you’re done via the inLinkz linky below.

5) Have fun, don’t stress, let those creative juices flow.

The photo courtesy of our fellow blog hop writer Cindy Cagle

Mandatory words:

dock

cannon

anchor

camel

credit card

Can You Stump Google?

2013-05-13T06:00:00.000-07:00

Last summer, I started a feature on my blog about "stumping Google." I wanted to ask my readers the questions that you can't seem to find the answers to - and actually, I had some great successes with this feature!

I want to "bring it back from the dead" so to speak and offer up a chance for you to "stump" Google.

Here's how it works -

Submit your question to me via email and I'll pose the question to readers. I want the question to be something that you've never been able to find via Google. Whether it's a book or movie you can't think of the name, a gift idea you need help on, or a product that you just can't seem to find anywhere. Really - anything under the sun that you've never gotten been able to find the answers to.

I will give my readers one month to find the answer - and within that month - if someone does find the answer, they will win one month of ad space on my blog! If no one finds the answer, the person who asks the question, gets the ad space.

Okay, now it's time for me to ask - can you stump Google? Send me your questions at npyles86 at gmail dot com!

Support Artists and Inspire Yourself - Novica.com

2013-05-11T15:00:00.000-07:00

In partnership with National Geographic, Novica features artists around the world. From Bali to Peru to West Africa, you can purchase beautiful items handmade by these talented artists and support an ongoing effort to improve the lives of creatives all around the world.

I had the opportunity to become familiar with Novica's site and their products. One of their most inspiring - and fun - and addictive features is the curation section. Curation allows you to put together products and images as part of a gallery to showcase items you enjoy. It reminds me a lot of Pinterest, actually, and it allows you to search out the site and "curate" items you want part of your collection.

For this special occasion, I made a curation gallery entitled, "A Writer's Supply Closet." Here's a screen shot of what I put together -

The items you can find on this site are incredible! I can spend hours - and several hundred dollars - on this site alone. They have lamps, notebooks, kites, and even really pretty silver pendant necklaces I couldn't resist perusing. If you do purchase through the site, I must say that I highly recommend it because not only are the products amazing, the shipping prices are incredible too.

I also love that you can purchase a loan for the artists that Novica features. It's a way of contributing to a better lifestyle for artists around the world and making yourself feel warm and fuzzy inside. Isn't that a great feeling?

So, take time today to take a look at this site - and create your own curation page! I'd love to see what you put together.

I'm also excited to announce that I am giving away a $50 certificate to Novica for an item of your choice!

Here's how to enter -

1) Required: Go to Novica.com and let me know in the comments which item you would like to buy, either for yourself or for someone else!

2) +5 Extra Points: Sign up for Novica.com and register for an account and create your own curation page. Once you've created yours, leave me the link to your page (and include a valid email address as well, so I know how to reach you)

3) +1 Extra Point: Go to Novica's Facebook page and "like it." Let me know which name you used to like their page.

4) +1 Extra Point: Follow Novica on Twitter and let me know which Twitter account you followed them with.

Contest ends on May 24th.

Disclaimer: I received a $50 gift certificate in exchange for this honest review.

Flash 500 - The Anniversary Edition - Download Your Free Copy Today!

2013-05-11T07:00:00.000-07:00

It's here!! Okay, well right it's only 10:57 pm on the West Coast, so we're not technically late on the publication date

I'm scheduling this post for the morning though to catch everyone while you're drinking your morning coffee - that way you can download your copy of the anniversary edition of the weekly writing prompt!

Download Flash 500 today! It's a free book and it's awesome! It's also a lot of work and a lot of learning experiences along the way (makes sense, though doesn't it?)

Anyways, thank you everyone for your hard work submitting this week and a big huge thank you to Carrie for doing so much work on this!

Flash Fiction Photo Prompt - Are You Writing Today?

2013-05-08T06:00:00.000-07:00

Happy Wednesday! It's almost to the end of the week and I'm so glad. Beyond it being an exhausting - and bizarre few months - I am also looking forward to this weekend! Anyways, I hope you get inspired this week and make sure to catch my story from yesterday! I am also pretty excited about the photo this week - the wheels are turning in my head!

My favorite part - I have a winner to announce!

Sally @ Sally Scribbles!!

Congratulations! I'll send you a note and you can let me know if you have a button or if you would like me to make one. We'll have it up by next Wednesday. :D

Last week's prompt produced some amazing creativity. I have the proof right here:

Contains Strychnine by David Bastiani

Four Years by Scott Taylor

Of Books and Fighter Planes by Anne Organista

The Power of Books by Sally

Books and More Books by Tena Carr
Untitled by Vicki Paulus

Fantastic! There are lots of new and old faces this week, and all the stories are wonderfully matched to Leanne's great photo choice. :)

On to this week's prompt - first, the rules.

1) Use the photo and the 5 words provided in your story

2) Keep your word count 500 words or less.

3) You have until next Tuesday to link up your post.

4) Link up with your blog hostess (Nicole, Carrie, Tena or Leanne) when you’re done via the inLinkz linky below.

5) Have fun, don’t stress, let those creative juices flow.

This week's photo is courtesy of Flikr Commons:

The 5 must-use words:

butter

evil

wardrobe

rescue

ballroom

And a quick plug - Don't forget about Flash 500 coming out on Friday via Amazon!! :-)

See all the unique takes on the prompt below and link up your own.

Good Use of the Word, Darling - A Bit of Short Fiction

2013-05-07T06:00:00.000-07:00

I was determined to write a story for the 1 year anniversary! It's about a month late, but I figured it was appropriate since this week we kick off the anniversary book. This can pretty much stand alone, but I hope you catch a few familiar characters in this piece.

"Darling, it doesn't seem like we've missed a thing," Bruce said.

Rava strolled forward and sniffed the air. "That damn ham smell is gone, too."

Bruce nodded his approval. While the ballroom was filled with the usual money grubbing snobs he liked to rub elbows with, an odd pair stood out by the buffet table.

"Rava," Bruce yanked her back to his side. Rava fell backwards and scrambled to gain back her footing.

"Bruce, for the love of God, what the hell are you -"

"Rava, who are those people?" Bruce pointed towards the buffet table.

While most of the guests in the ball wore elegant costumes for the black and white ball, the three men Bruce spotted wore plain clothes of casual jeans, pants, and sweaters. One young man, who seemed to be the most shocked of the three, wore a jacket with a college name stitched on the lapel.

"Go find out what they're doing here." Bruce demanded.

Rava brushed Bruce away. "Bruce, why the hell would I -"

"Rava, go spike the punch."

She rolled her eyes. "Bruce, really -"

Before anything could be said, the shortest one of the three hobbled over to the couple, and finished the last bit of tuna roll on the napkin he carried. He eyeballed the dancing ladies and as he got closer, he brushed off his hands.

"Pleasure to meet you both," he stuck out one of his chunky hands. "Mine name is Figaro. We have to crash your party."

"Parity?" Rava asked, ignoring his hand.

"Party," he corrected. "Do you know where we can find our way out?"

Rava and Bruce pointed behind them in the direction where they were taking everyone's coats. Before anything else could be said, a flustered skinny man rushed forward, looking furiously at the short man named Figaro.

"Figaro, where did you lead us this time?" he hissed. Realizing the company, he straightened himself out a bit, and stuck out his hand alongside Figaro's. "Mine name is Marco, and this...this is....I'm sorry, what is your name?" He was talking to a curious young man who was gazing about like a buffoon.

"Where - how - who?" the young man repeated over and over again, his eyes wide and searching all over.

"We're not sure what his name is," Marco laughed nervously.

"What, did you fall from the girders? Where did you come from?" said Bruce.

"Oh, good use of the word, darling," Rava said.

"Ah, I see our exit. Excuse the interruption, and I hope you enjoy the evening," Marco said. He headed off towards the coat check, followed by Marco, who pulled along the young man who still hadn't absorbed his surroundings yet.

"Odd trio," Rava muttered. Disinterested, she gazed down at her dressed and picked off a piece of lint. "I should never have bought this dress on sale - "

Bruce tugged on Rava's arm again. "Rava, what on earth are they doing?"

To be continued....

Word Count: 493-ish

Best Experience Gifts for Mother's Day (for under $25)

2013-05-05T17:30:00.002-07:00

It's Mother's Day coming up!

I tend to overly obsess and plan about holidays. Literally, I start thinking about a month in advance over potential ideas. So, this Mother's Day, I have been thinking a lot about what I'd like to plan that doesn't cost too much money, but can make the day special. My mom is my best friend and I want to do something that stands out just a bit.

But the question is - can you have a memorable Mother's Day under $25.00?

Yes, yes you can.

1) A day trip.

Okay, granted the price of gas these days makes a "day trip" less and less attractive, but if you plan right, you can budget your costs. Use fuel calculators to track how much fuel you will use for the trip (try this). Plus, by packing a picnic and homemaking some goodies for the trip will save you money.

2) Breakfast in bed (or at home, in the backyard, or at the park in walking distance).

Restaurants charge too much, are overcrowded and everyone else will be at the same place at the same time. Reduce the stress and increase the relaxation by making breakfast yourself. You don't have to overcomplicate it at all - bring some fresh fruit, good bread, and figure out some great (simple) egg recipes and you have breakfast!

3) A "girl" day.

While a day at the nearest massage spa would be nice, most of us can't afford that type of gift. Treat your mom to a special day by bringing by a tote bag full of beauty supplies and create your own spa day together! Paint nails, put on tear-jerker movies, and get some recipes for facial masks.

4) Hobby supply gifts.

Okay, I got this idea from Martha Stewart, but it's actually a pretty good idea. Get your mom started on a hobby she's always wanted to do. It can be easy to pick up the supplies too, especially if you shop smart (think garage sales, Goodwill, and thrift shops for some deals on the basics). If it's something outside of the "craft" realm, maybe it's line dancing, or seeing more plays, visit sites like Discover A Hobby, to get ideas of what you need. Spend the day learning the line dancing moves together and learning the craft together.

5) Go to an event!

Sometimes the best days are ones that are spent outside! Visit sites like Eventful and see what's going on Mother's Day. A lot of the events you can find have very little cost to them and this would be a great memorable day!

Anyways, I hope this gives you a few "outside the box" ideas for Mother's Day! And don't forget, getting creative and even homemade items can be cherished and remembered for a long time! Step outside the box and make it a day your mom will never forget.

This post is an entry for a chance to win $1,000 on NerdWallet's Mother's Day Contest. Click here to find out how you can enter to win.

The Real Writer's Muse - Featured Coffee by Aroma Ridge

2013-05-04T14:05:00.000-07:00

I am a coffee drinker and I have had many late nights where my coffee has come in handy - whether it was meeting a deadline or putting in the last few edits in my work in progress. The best tasting coffee I've had is when you can taste the flavor of the coffee bean while still getting the perks (literally) of the caffeine inside.

I reviewed Aroma Ridge coffee recently and this was incredible coffee experience.

I tried their Black Gold coffee blend and sometimes the experience of a dark roast means you are losing out on flavor. When I tried this, I found the flavor of the coffee to be in tact and the taste to be rich.

Quick Coffee Tip: Make sure you like how your water tastes! I often use filtered water for my coffee instead of tap, because I hate the taste of tap water. Using filtered water really improves the taste of coffee!

Now, not only does Aroma Ridge provide amazing coffee flavors, they also provide tasty treats, such as their Wicked Jack's Tavern rum cake -

This is so tasty! It's a light sweet flavor and I highly recommend putting this in the freezer for about a half hour to make it a cold treat for the summer. You will definitely want more! And for some reason, I just love when a treat reminds me of a story (can you just imagine walking into a place called 'Wicked Jack's Tavern'? It's like something out of a fantasy story!).

And they also provide some awesome biscotti's -

The biscotti's are really crunchy and my personal favorite are the chocolate covered ones. They are perfect with coffee and not too sweet either.

And now, my favorite part! I have the opportunity to giveaway 1 pound of Mama's Roast coffee (perfect for Mother's Day!).

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Flash Fiction Photo Prompt - Anniversary Publication! #Flash500ebook

2013-05-04T06:00:00.000-07:00

I am so proud to finally announce what has been an ongoing work in progress by myself and Carrie over the past several (and more) months -

The Anniversary Edition of Writer Wednesday Blog Hop

Also tiled, Flash 500.

Check out the cover -

I am so proud how this is all working out!

Our publication date - and mark your calendars - is May 10th! And it actually looks like we will actually make the deadline!

It was so tough going through the stories over the past year and figuring out which ones to publish in the anthology. If you don't see yourself on the list of writers that made their way in, please continue to contribute to the blog hop. We are so honored by everyone who contributes each week. This was an impossibly difficult decision.

Anyways, a special thank you to the writer's who contributed their work to the publication -

Anne Organista - anne-writersspace.blogspot.com

Carrie K Sorensen - chasingrevery.blogspot.com (WWBH co-host, co-editor)

Cindy Cagel - thewoodenrollercoaster.blogspot.com

Emily Jean Roche - emilyjeanroche.blogspot.com

George Beckingham - whyhowwhatif.blogspot.ca

Heather Musk - readingwritingeverything-heather.blogspot.com

Krystal Wade - kyrstalwade.blogspot.com

Leanne Sype - leannesype.wordpress.com (WWBH co-host)

L.T. Dalin - chessnysilth.blogspot.no

Melissa Gardiner - unpublishedworksofme.blogspot.co.uk

Randy Lindsay - randylindsay.blogspot.com

Scott (and Roman) Taylor - scottywattydoodlealltheday.blogspot.com

Sydney Aaliyah - sydneyaaliyah.wordpress.com

Tena Carr - jottingsandwritings.wordpress.com (WWBH co-host)

Tony Roberts - writingforfoodinindy.wordpress.com

Yolanda Tong - whereslanda.wordpress.com

A huge thank you to Carrie for taking on a lot of the work in compiling everything together! (I owe you a mojito! ;))

We hope to see everyone at our next writing prompt! Here's the link to our recent prompt if you want to join in on the fun!

How Do You Manage a Busy Schedule? How Do You Break Free from Stress?

2013-05-01T22:59:00.000-07:00

I stumbled across a blog hop while perusing the latest posts of some blogs I follow and I thought...hey, this sounded fun!

You answer two questions, post two of your own! And try to answer some of the questions of the other responders.

Questions from the Host Blog

Question # 1 - Does exercising come naturally to you? What do you do for exercise?

It does! For the most part anyways...since I was a young teenager, I have exercised in some way. My mom and I started out by walking around the block, then racewalking, and then gym time. It has evolved in it's own way, but it's been a consistent for me.

Lately, I walk a half hour during my lunch break Monday through Friday. I know I need MORE exercise than that, but it's something.

Question # 2 - Where do you do your exercise?

The area around my work! It's actually a really pretty area, and I love the shops (walking past them, of course, ha ha) Plus, there are decent number of hilly places, so I get an extra workout in that way. It's a nice way to spend my lunch break and it's easier to do with the sunshine.

Questions from another blog

Question # 1 - What would you have done if you knew what you know now about blogging and social media?

I would say that I am still learning about blogging and social media. I would say remaining engaged has been my biggest success with these things. Always be willing to evolve and redesign how you approach things.

Question # 2 - Would it help you carve your niche faster?

Uh, niche? What niche?

My turn!

Lately, I have been really bogged down with a high amount of stress and a lot that I have going on. I try to do a little bit of my projects each day and I've even been able to work on my fantasy novel during my bus trip home, so I'm not missing out too much on creative time.

But there is still so much to do! And I can't help but feel overwhelmed (which leads me to writing late night blog posts, such as this...I'd like to say this post has been productive, but...I'm not too sure...)

So, my two questions for this prompt -

1) How do you manage a busy schedule? How do you still manage to fit in "you" time?

2) How do you break free from stress?

I hope I did this right, and if you are curious on how to join in, visit the blog hop prompt page for more details!

Flash Fiction Photo Prompt - Are You Inspired?

2013-05-01T06:00:00.000-07:00

Some exciting things are happening around these parts! More to come later, but it's so fun to see how this weekly prompt has evolved (and will evolve!). Anyways, I'm hoping to get some time to respond ta a prompt this week...and I hope you do too! Leanne has the reigns this week, so here we go!

Aw yeah! It's Wednesday which means two awesome things:

1) We're halfway to Friday!
2) It's time for the Writer Wednesday photo prompt!

We have two story submissions from last week's photo, and you should definitely read them. :)

X Marks the Spot by Carrie Sorensen
Low Risk, High Value by Leanne Sype

Whether we have two stories or 12 stories, we love them all and invite you to join the blog hop community. It's a great way to meet fellow writers, exercise your fiction-challenge writing muscles, and let others know about your blog. Here's a little button to add to your site if you like being a part of the blog hop:

Alrighty... here's a brief rundown of how all this works:

1) Use the photo and the 5 words provided in your story
2) Keep your word count 500 words or less.
3) You have until next Tuesday to link up your post.
4) Link up with your blog hostess (Nicole, Carrie, Tena or Leanne) when you’re done via the inLinkz linky below.
5) Have fun, don’t stress, let those creative juices flow. And now for this week's photograph:

(Randomly generated) Mandatory Words:

mole

napkin

poison

concert

neck

The Ultimate Question and Answer Game - Play @Crowdini (Plus, Enter to Win an Amazon Gift Card!)

2013-04-26T06:00:00.000-07:00

A few months ago, probably around November, I discovered a new online question and answer contest, Crowdini.com.

Oh my God, for anyone who has twenty seconds to spare, this is a game you must play.

It's pretty simple actually. You enter the game and you are part of a group of people answering a question.

You answer just one question a day and you find out the next day if you get to the next round. You advance in the contest, if you have answered in the majority.

By the end of the game, if you are the only one left - you win a prize!

It's will be the most addictive 20 seconds of your life.

The questions are often times both simple and difficult at the same time. They can leave you laughing and leave you wondering...how the heck do I choose just one??

Here's an example of today's game -

Most of all, the game leaves you wanting more and you are excited to return to the game the next day.

What I like about the site is that it provides stats on users who have won, how long the game lasted, etc. It will also show you the the contests you've entered and not to mention, if you are curious about how come you didn't advance and the results of your contests, the site shows you what the majority answers were for the game you played.

And now for the fun part!! I get to give one of my readers a $10 Amazon Gift Card!

All you have to do is go to Crowdini.com, sign up, come back and let me know what you think of the site. In your comment, you must provide your Crowdini user name to for your entry to be valid.

Contest ends on May 6th.

CONTEST WINNER: The username sohamolina is the winner and has been contacted. Thank you for entering everyone!

Disclosure: In the interest of full disclosure, I have received compensation for this post. In addition, I also run the Twitter account for the site, and I have not played the Crowdini.com game since hired. The opinions in the post are my own.

5 Libraries and Bookstores on My 'Must Visit' List

2013-04-25T06:00:00.000-07:00

Okay, I have a fascination and love for libraries (and bookstores). I happen to be near one of the largest independent bookstores in the United States (yay Powell's Books!).

And now I'm spoiled.I want more. More. MORE.

So, I went in search of some library porn. No, not an erotic novel. But amazing, beautiful libraries that I want to visit one day. I don't have a lot of money to travel right now, so I may as well put that rumored library on Mars on my list (hey, we have no real proof that there ISN'T a library on Mars - so why not just believe that there is?).

1) Livraria Lello & Irmao

Also known as one of the most beautiful libraries in the world.

Can't you guys just see me descending down that unbelievable staircase with an exotic gown with a long trail and white doves flying in back of me like some goddess...sorry, right, the books.

It is technically a bookstore, but it's considered one of the most beautiful in the world. It's located in Portugal and has been open since 1906.

2) Shakespeare and Company

Okay, also not a library - but how can I not visit a bookstore created after ANOTHER bookstore (now closed down) where famous writers such as Ernest Hemingway visited (the original closed down during German's occupation of Paris and never reopened).

To me, this is bookstore heaven. I known it looks cramped, but I love that style. I could spend hours - HOURS - browsing/buying/maxing out my credit cards - in this place.

3) The Willard Library

I want to visit this library - not for it's architecture or it's connection to a famous writer - this library is haunted.

YES and there is even a website you can go to where this a Ghost Cam. You can see if you spot the ghost.

I know where I'll be going first if I win the lottery tonight. Heh heh.

4) Stockholm Library

There are two reasons I want to visit this library. First of all, it's gorgeous inside. It reminds me of that scene in Disney's Beauty and the Beast where the Beast shows Belle his library. This looks like that library -

There is a second reason I want to visit this library. Some time ago, the Architecture School of Paris designed this "wall of knowledge" -

Unfortunately, it doesn't exist. But this should be built - although I'm fairly certain I'd have to cling to someone as I walk across a walkway to get to the actual books because I'd fear I would fall to my death.

5) Kosovo Public Library

Last not but not least, one of the ugliest libraries in the world - the Kosovo National Library -

Okay, this is one of those libraries that I had the worst time finding information about - but it was posted on Reddit and the best information I found out about it was on someone's blog.

This is the creepiest building I've ever seen and I have to see it. I'm just not sure I feel like I could go inside of it - it's a little freaky.

Okay that's my list! Are there any libraries or bookstores on your "must visit" list?

Flash Fiction Photo Prompt - Are You Ready?

2013-04-24T06:00:00.000-07:00

I have been exhausted lately - like literally, exhausted. Between the high levels of stress in my life right now (my mom lost her job recently) and the fact that I'm not getting enough sleep...my eyes hurt I'm so tired these days. But here's hoping the week ends with a creative kick! Hope this writing prompt inspires you today! Tena is writing today's post!

YEAH It's my turn this week to take the WWBH wheel (I so wanted to say reigns but I've been using "wheel" so I'll stick with that).

It's been a crazy few months for me. as I've mentioned in several of my blogposts, we recently moved from Texas to Arizona. Had quite an adventure on the trip (you know I still don't think I ever wrote on that trip).

Since I was driving one of the vehicles on the our move here, I did not have too many opportunities to really get any good photos. Most of the time when we stopped it was to take care of something gas, food, etc or stopping for the night (by which point we were both pretty well exhausted). I figured that this picture taken on the one that we took during our pre-move trip (what do you call it when your checking a new place out to see if you would want to live there?) back in December of last year would be fitting.

As for the words, I know I could go online and find something that gives me random words, but I just used the dictionary and the old close eyes and point - that's the word (times 5) that I will use. I do not pre-plan in anyway the words I choose... Whatever 5 words I point at, that's what goes in - HONEST!!

So this weeks words are:

Letterhead

Quantity

Construction

Huff

Crock

You've got about a week to write your story and submit it below (see the blue froggy) 500 words or less using the 5 words and based on the photo above.... Can't wait to see what you all got. so get those creative juices and may the MUSE be with you.

Good Luck!

It's Crayola's 110th Birthday!!!!!

2013-04-23T21:26:00.002-07:00

I don't care how old you are, there is nothing like a big, brand new box of crayons. And to me, Crayola is the household name for crayons.Not to mention, the utter nostalgia associated with that brand.

For me, I remember so many afternoon's spent drawing pictures, coloring them in, looking for the Macaroni and Cheese color, trying to think of ways to use the Midnight Blue crayon and trying to balance all the broken pieces carefully into their place in the crayon box.

Way back in Kindergarten, I remember this kid used to go around to all the tables and take all the gold and silver crayons (remember how important that used to be??).

Plus, when I was growing up, I used to have this big huge Crayola (homemade) poster on my wall. I had that for years until I donated it to Goodwill as a teenager.

For me, Crayola crayon is a huge part of growing up. And what better way to celebrate their 110th birthday, by going to their birthday bash?

Okay, no, I'm not invited. Yet. They are hosting a contest over on their Facebook page, for you to enter to win four tickets to their birthday bash! If you win, you will get experience their interactive exhibits and fun attractions - oh my God, I am feeling giddy. Are you giddy? I'm giddy.

You will get a three night stay, all expenses paid trip to experience their celebration on May 24th!

So, make sure you go by the Facebook page to enter - you will make everyone (including me) totally jealous if you win.

Disclaimer: Crayola provided me with the necessary information for this post.

Go Incognito with Your Spy Tec Sunglasses - (Also, Check Out My Newest Video!)

2013-04-23T06:00:00.000-07:00

You guys know how I love to be creative and I love the opportunity to use unique things to explore my creative self.

So, when I had the chance to review the Inventio-HD Video Sunglasses by SpyTec, I thought a few things. First - Ohmahgawd, I get to be a spy girl. Second - I'm fairly certain I can find something really awesome to film with these. Third - how would I explain wearing these indoors and would they look good on me?

Anyways, here's what the sunglasses look like in the box. There's a little yellow button on the side that you push to record. Very chic and obscure. I felt like I was in touch with my inner Charlie's Angel.

What to Know First

These sunglasses film in fifteen minute increments. You can always keep filming if you want a lengthier period, but just know it will be in fifteen minute sections.

The glasses film in an slight upwards direction. So, wear them a bit lower on your face, if you want a certain direct, straight forward angle.

And What to Know While Filming

If you happen to be moving while you are recording, I have learned that these sunglasses really capture - and somewhat exaggerate, it seems - your movement. I found the filming went best if I was filming something moving in front of me, rather than filming how I was moving, if that makes sense.

These sunglasses work better when you are filming with a lot of light, whether it's natural or lamp lighting. It can capture darker scenes, just know that it may not be as visible as you'd like to see.

Overall...

The sunglasses had amazing picture quality and captured each and every color I saw and enhanced it. It was incredible. I was extremely impressed.

And now, what did I end up filming?

Well, that's the fun part. I take the bus home and there is a scene that I absolutely love right outside my window - it's all these beautiful trees and I'm lucky enough to get on the bus early so I can get a window seat. This is perfect for when I want to daydream or just drift or when I want to dwell on a story idea.

I added music to one of my favorite songs (and the lyrics) , "Catch the Wind" by Donovan, to enhance the experience. Hope you enjoy!

I had so much fun making this!

These sunglasses are definitely worth buying if you are an outdoorsy type (or just want to get in touch with your inner James (or Jane) Bond). Make sure you check them out here!

Disclaimer: I received these sunglasses in exchange for my honest review.

Keep Calm Candle Giveaway

2013-04-21T12:35:00.000-07:00

I love helping out with giveaways, especially because giveaways are a fun past time of mine! This one is for a new candle company that creates candles based on this awesome (and often times funny) "Keep Calm" phrases! It definitely caught m

Welcome to the Keep Calm Candles Giveaway Event

Hosted by Budget Earth & A Spectacled Owl

Do you enjoy treating yourself to a nice smelling candle? How about candles that not only smell great but can easily be cute room decorations? If so, we think you will enjoy Keep Calm Candles. These candles were designed around the concept of the 'Keep Calm' meme and feature some of the cutest sayings that just about any woman would enjoy. Not only do these luxurious soy candles have the cutest sayings, but they can also be customized, allowing you to make the perfect candle to match your room decor so you can display it just about anywhere.

While we all love the concept of having beautiful and cute decorations in our home, we also want high quality products. With Keep Calm Candles, you get just that - high quality candles made right here in the United States. Each of their candles is hand poured using quality soy wax and high end fragrances that smell absolutely amazing. What also makes them unique compared to their competition is the fact you can actually choose which fragrance you want in your candle, allowing you to have your favorite keep calm saying with the fragrances you know and love. Their current fragrances include:

Apple Spice
Banana Cream Pie
Blackberry Sage
Blueberry Muffin
Bottle of Wine
Buttery Popcorn
Caramel Apple
French Vanilla
Fresh Cut Grass
Fresh Leather
Fresh Strawberries
Gummy Bears
Jelly Beans
Lemon Drops
Mulberry
Peaches And Cream
Pina Colada
Pineapple Jasmine
Pumpkin Spice
Strawberry Shortcake
Tangerine And Lemongrass
Unscent
Vanilla Lavender
Watermelon Kiwi
White Tea And Ginger

Want to know where you can purchase one of these adorable candles? While Keep Calm Candles hasn't officially launched yet, they are offering our readers a chance to try out their candles for free with this awesome giveaway. Two of our readers will win one of their amazing candles - which retail for $28 a candle or $38 if you decide to design one of your own Keep Calm Candles!

If you can't wait to try out one of these candles, Keep Calm Candles will be open for business by the end of April. To learn more about these amazing candles and all of their customization options, check out Keep Calm Candles Website.

Ready to enter this giveaway? Make sure to read all the rules below before entering the Rafflecopter. Good luck everyone!

Keep Calm Candles Giveaway Event

2 Readers will receive a Keep Calm Candle.
Open to US Only
Winner will be chosen at random through Rafflecopter via Random.org.
Giveaway ends May 12th at 11:59pm.
Winner will be notified through email.
Winner will have 48 hours to respond before new winner is chosen.
Must be 18 Years or Older to Enter Rafflecopter.
Entering the Rafflecopter Means You Agree to Terms Above.
Good Luck!

Disclosure: World of My Imagination did not receive compensation for this giveaway. Facebook, Twitter, & Pinterest are in no way associated with this giveaway. Prize fulfillment and shipping will be handled by Keep Calm Candles.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

[M]y Favorite Time of the Week - [N]ow Introduction - [O]ur Writing Prompt

2013-04-17T06:00:00.000-07:00

Okay I cheated a little bit. Three letters in one post is pretty impressive, though, right? Well, I had a horrid Monday. Not to mention that awful news on the East Coast. Oh well, 2013 is bound to perk up right? I hope so. I think we all deserve it. Anyways, I am a tad disappointed I didn't manage to get the writing prompt from last week, but maybe I'll try to get one out this week.

Outraged and Devastated

Leanne Sype suggested the prompt we put together this week be in honor of Boston. To be honest, I loved the idea, but I was not going to do it because everything I read made me cry and I didn't think I could do it. Until I saw this.

http://www.buzzfeed.com/erinlarosa/boston-marathon-tragedy-met-with-amazing-acts-of-kindness

It corresponds with what I read a few days ago, a quote by Fred Rogers that says, "When I was a boy and would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, 'Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.'"

So, I will put together a post with that in mind. I have found a lovely photo, though I believe it was taken before the bombings, it is open to many interpretations, not just for the marathon.

But first, some happier news. We have chosen the winner of our $25 Amazon Gift Card. Congratulations to

Yolanda Tong

We are so thankful to each person who participates in our weekly prompt. Please keep coming back, or write for the first time! We welcome everyone and can't wait to read all the stories like the ones from last week.

Mystery Man by Quinn Nielsen
After the Gala by Scott Taylor
A Grand Surprise
Her Dad's Shop

Now, quickly into the prompt. We'll start with the rules.

1) Use the photo and the 5 words provided in your story.
2) Keep your word count 500 words or less.
3) You have until Tuesday to link up your post.4) Link up with your blog hostess (Nicole, Carrie, Tena or Leanne) when you’re done via the inLinkz linky below.
5) Have fun, don’t stress, let those creative juices flow.

The Photo, Courtesy of Soniasu

The Words:

Threat

Vitamins

Summer

Quarry

Eating

Sometimes I feel like I should take a screen shot of the creativity games site I use to generate those words, just to prove they were randomly selected by the internet.

But enough of that, it's time to get writing. Make sure to link up below so we can all share in your talent. :)

[L]istia - Bid With Points, Win Your Prize

2013-04-13T13:26:00.001-07:00

For over six months or more, I have been using Listia. I discovered it last year and I've been using it actively ever since.

What I like the most about this site is that it's like going into a garage sale and bidding on the items you want the most. Most of it used stuff, but you don't end up paying a dime if you win - at the most you'll pay shipping. Plus, you can gain more points by putting your own stuff for bidding (or pay for points $5.00 gives you 1,500 credits).

Now what exactly do you win?

Okay, here's photos (taken from the site) of actual stuff I've won -

I won the movie Mr. Books for 500 credits, no shipping costs. Worked perfectly.

I won the movie Red Eye for only 606 credits, no shipping costs. Worked perfectly!

I won these three movies for only 20 credits, shipping $5.99. Worked perfectly!

Stir of Echoes video for 25 credits, $6.00 shipping - worked great!

And that is just the beginning! More recently I won these really pretty wine glasses (499 credits; $3.70 in shipping) and a used DVD player (2,020 credits; $10 shipping) just for the cost of shipping (and I purchased additional credits recently - one $5.00 worth; and one $10 worth of credits).

I think if you are looking for an item in particular, you would do best with this site. Looking around for just anything, you will get overwhelmed, I promise.

It isn't like there isn't crap out there either. I won a "mystery" prize which turned out to be an envelope with a couple of stickers in it. I also won a sync cord for my iPhone which fell apart in a couple of weeks. I also tried entering a few of the low credit perfume sample giveaways which had astronomical shipping costs, and I didn't follow through with them.

But I seriously think it's worth a shot, so sign up for Listia today! Use this referral link and get 100 credits (and I get credits if you sign up!).