Fun Facts about Make Your Own Head Day

This year, Thanksgiving falls on November 28th. Everyone else's blog is talking about turkeys, pumpkin pie, pilgrims and tryptophan-induced naps. 

That's all fine and good, but another holiday falls on the same day. Have you ever heard of Make Your Own Head Day? Neither had I, but you, my dear friends, will be glad I've done some research and enlightened you about this fun holiday. 

Now, you can amaze your friends and family at the dinner table with your vast knowledge!

Who created Make Your Own Head Day? I'm not really sure.

It could have been in 2007 when this Minnesota State graduate, who was immortalized in 50 pounds of butter, had her 15 minutes of fame on David Letterman. You can read about it here

In any case, Make your own head day is a day to make a likeness of your own head in any creative medium you choose. 

You could draw your head with crayons, markers, pencils, or paint. 

You could sculpt your head using clay, Play-doh, tin foil, Rice Krispies, Legos, styrofoam, or even plant matter. Let your imagination fly!

Or since this year, the holiday falls on Thanksgiving, you could be more traditional and use butter. 

Display your head on your dining room table and have your guests use the butter on their biscuits. You may want to take a photo of your buttery creation before everyone digs in, though.

Come to think of it, feel free to send me photos of your work. No matter what medium you use. If I get enough entries, I will run a contest. The photos will be posted in December, and you can all vote on your favorite. The winner will receive a $10 Amazon gift card! You can use it to buy books, art supplies, and believe it or not, BUTTER! 

Send your entries to my e-mail: dee stan 62 @ g mail dot com 

(It's written that way to confuse the bots. Leave out the spaces and replace the word 'dot' with a dot.)

Four For Friday--Christine Fonseca

This week's post is by a returning author--Christine Fonseca! I LOVE when an author requests another spot on my blog. 

Four For Friday is a weekly feature where guest authors choose one of their own characters to complete four sentences. 

Don't forget: you need to click on the Rafflecopter tabs or else your entries won't count! 

This week's post is by Christine Fonseca from her new novel, Dominus

Aydan, the UnHoly, apprentice to Azzaziel, slave to Lillith and the one true love of Nesayiel, the heroine of the Requiem Series.

"I knew the moment I met my love that my life could have no ending but tragedy. But I did not understand that I would be the cause of the tragedy - all of it. Victim to my own youth and impulsivity, I tortured and killed those I was meant to protect - all in the name of vengeance. I allowed my pride to dictate my actions and enslaved myself to the very evil I vowed to eliminate. Until Nesy returned to my life and I again felt hope.
But some sins you can not recover from, and some sacrifices should never be made. My actions - and those of my Master Azza - set a chain of events in motion that can't be undone. No matter how much I want love, no matter how much I am willing to sacrifice, no matter how much redemption may cost I have but one future - one fate that awaits me...
Death." 

 1. The one thing I love/hate about the Fall is…

One thing I LOVE about fall - the cooler weather. There is a general serenity that is reminiscent of Celestium. Of course, we have no seasons there. But somehow Fall here in the Sound makes me long a little more for home.

2. Bonfires make me feel…

Like the flames of Infernum are licking at my skin. I hate them. Everything about them. I just keep seeing Aydan consumed by flames every time I even think about a bonfire!

3. I think football is…

Um...yea....I don't get it. Seriously. I mean, I understand what it is, I just don't get it! 

4. I had a teacher once who was…

I never really had teachers - I had a Master. Mikayel. He is tough and unyielding. He forces me to face the truth about myself - something I seldom "want" to do. It is hard - very hard - being his apprentice. But I owe him my life a thousand times over. He has earned far more than my fealty and respect.

_________________

Christine is the author of Transcend and the Requiem Series in YA Fiction, and Emotional Intensity in Gifted Students, 101 Success Secrets for Gifted Kids and the upcoming Girl Guide in nonfiction.

If you'd like to learn more about Christine Fonseca, check out her Website.

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Four For Friday--Melissa Foster

Four For Friday is a weekly feature where guest authors choose one of their own characters to complete four sentences. 

Enter the Rafflecopter Giveaway for a chance to win a copy of Sisters In Love. Don't forget: you need to click on the Rafflecopter tabs or else your entries won't count! 

This week's post is by Melissa Foster from her Love in Bloom Series.

When I first began writing Danica’s and Kaylie’s story, I felt like I’d met a group of new friends, and I knew that they were too special to let go after just one book. In book three of the Snow Sisters you will begin to meet the Bradens, a family of six hot, wealthy, and lovable siblings. The Bradens will be joining the Snow sisters in this light, fun, and sexy series—Love in Bloom—and I hope you fall in love with Danica, Blake, Kaylie, Chaz, the Braden siblings, and all of their friends, just as I have. -- Melissa

My name is Danica Snow. I'm a big sister and a Big Sister, a licensed therapist, and a little too practical at times. I always make reasonable and appropriate decisions, even if a bit boring. My go-to food after sex is red licorice, though I don't have a need for it very often. I'm the opposite of my sister, Kaylie, but I'm ready for a change. 

1. The one thing I love/hate about the Fall is…

I love the freshness of the fall. The changing of the leaves and the dip in temperature is a sweet reminder that when things begin to feel dull, something new and exciting is just around the corner. 

 2. Bonfires make me feel…

Young and alive. 

3. I think football is…

A silly game, but I do love to see those muscle-bound men in football pants!

4. I once had a teacher who was…

Always interested in what I didn't write in my essays. She used to ask me to tell her "more" about my subjects and characters.

________________________________

Would you like to learn more about Melissa? Visit her website

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Four For Friday--Kristi Dake

It has been awhile since I've had a Four For Friday post, but now that the summer is over, I'm filling in the rest of the year with exciting guests. 

Are you an author? Would you like to do a post with me? E-mail me at deestan62 @ gmail.com. I'll be sure to schedule you in.

Four For Friday is a weekly feature where guests choose one of their own characters to complete four sentences. 

Don't forget: you need to click on the Rafflecopter tabs or else your entries won't count! 

This week's guest is up-and-coming filmmaker, Kristi Dake. The Rafflecopter prize is a DVD copy of THICK HEART--as soon as it's released!

Kristi Dake is an aspiring storyteller, using film as her main platform. She enjoys writing comedy films with strong lead female characters. Kristi went to Montclair State University, receiving her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Filmmaking. She was also presented one of the Filmmaker of the Year Awards at her graduation. 'Thick Heart' is her first film that she will be presenting in festivals. 

Kristi recently finished filming "Thick Heart"--a short romantic comedy about a plus size woman's ongoing journey toward self acceptance which was successfully funded through Kickstarter. Please take a minute and watch the trailer:

Thick Heart Trailer from Kristi Dake on Vimeo.

Hey there, my name is Courtney Daniels. I'm not really the type of person who likes to talk about myself, but I will give it a try. I really like cats, but I'm allergic, so unfortunately I can't really own any. I work at a telemarketing office and I hate it. Having this job makes me wonder why people are so rude to someone they don't even know. Plus, the girls that I work with are the worst. You know those types of people that think they're the best people on earth even though they're really not? Well that's what I have to deal with every day. When it comes to boys, none of them even look in my direction. It's probably because I'm a big girl, not the kind of girl you would see on the cover of a magazine. That's why I tried online dating. There's a bigger selection of guys who could potentially like my shape.. I just don't really post pictures that show the neck and down. All I really want in life is to be loved and treated like a decent human being that can look past my exterior. 

1. The one thing I love about the fall is...

What I love the most is the fact that I can wear layers. It's officially hoodie weather! I get to feel more comfortable with long sleeves and pants. I'm not really a fan of showing too much because I know people are probably judging.

2. Bonfires make me feel...

Warm. Obvious answer, huh? I mean in the welcoming sort of way. It reminds me of when I was a kid, being a Girl Scout on our annual camping trips. That was probably the only part of my life where I felt included. I was just like everyone else: young, scared of the dark, happy, innocent and naive. The second thing bonfires remind me of is my best gay friend from when I lived in Pennsylvania: Rob. He would always put on these bonfire parties where you would bring something you want to burn. I remember this one girl burned the wig she wore while she had cancer. She was so glad to be cancer free.

3. I think football is...

Pretty boring. I think you need an abnormal level of testosterone as a girl in order for you to enjoy it. The best part of it would probably be how attractive some of those men are, their bodies are perfection. 

4. I had a teacher once who was...

An asshole. Pardon my French! He was just all sorts of rude. He was my 8th grade teacher. It was gross because he always looked down the girl's shirts, and asked some girls to stay late after class. It was obvious what he was doing. One day, I accidentally wore something a little provoking. My mom was doing the laundry and it was the only shirt I had. I couldn't help it that my boobs were the biggest in the class at the time! He asked me to stay late after class that one time. I refused, and then told me that I will never succeed in life and called me fat. He was the first real bully I ever dealt with. 

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Author Spotlight--Emerald Barnes

Today, I have a special guest!
Emerald Barnes is doing a blog tour to promote her beautiful new book covers.
She stopped by A Room to Write to talk with us about 'writing from the heart.'

Writing from the heart is important.  I think that we need to write things that are important to us.  They’re the stories that we hold dearest to us.  The stories that we can’t get out of our heads.  These stories will be what captures the attention of readers.  Why do I feel this way?  Because if something is important to us, it’s something that we will pour our passions into.  It will be something that people take notice of.

There have been stories that I wanted to write, but I didn’t have a burning passion at the time to see the words written out.  And every time that I would work on those stories, I’d get the “writing blahs.”  I wouldn’t want to write.  I wouldn’t want to plot.  I didn’t want to do anything, so eventually, I’d stop writing.  When I read back over the words that I’d written, I wasn’t feeling the story.

 So, I’d start writing on a story that had been consuming my mind.  Things I thought were just an idea and that I’d get to it later, but that story had other plans.  It needed to be written.  It had to be written.  So I wrote it.  The words fell out of my brain and onto the paper easily.  I fell in love with my protagonists.  I hated my antagonists.  These weren’t stories.  These were actual beings, actual situations coming to life.  And it was received better than the stories I thought I had wanted to write.  These were the stories that came from the heart.

 Try to listen to what’s on your heart.  If you’re struggling with writing the right story, listen to your heart, not your head.  Not what society wants you to write. This is you.  And if you write what you’re passionate about, then everything will turn out like it should.  What’s your heart telling you to write today?

 About Emerald Barnes:

Emerald Barnes graduated with a B.A. in English with an emphasis on Creative Writing at Mississippi University for Women.  She resides in a small town in Mississippi and has the accent to prove it.
She mainly writes suspense/thrillers in the YA genre, but she dabbles in other genres and her books are enjoyed by all ages!  She's constantly working on new novels and has more ideas than she knows what to do with. 

She blogs at emeraldbarnes.blogspot.com and ebarnes23.wordpress.com which takes up more of her time than she anticipates but loves it so very much! She's also a volunteer at the World Literary Cafe which is so amazing!
She's an auntie to two beautiful nieces and two handsome nephews (and another unknown gender coming by the end of 2013) who take up the other half of her time, but she couldn't imagine spending her time in any other way!

She's a Whovian, a little bit of a nerd, a reader, a writer, and a family-oriented person.  God is number one in her life, and she thanks Him continuously for His love and favor.  

Stay up to date with her at her Website, Twitter, and Facebook. You can also find her on Goodreads, Google+, and stay up to date with her releases on her Amazon Author Page

Alexia Wheaton’s problems go far beyond picking a dress and a date for the homecoming dance.

For seven years, Alex has lived with a painful memory - the memory of her parents' horrific murder. As the sole witness, she has kept quiet about the identity of the murderer to protect herself and her family and friends, but when a journalist over hears her secret and writes about it in the local newspaper, Alex is plagued with fear that her parents' murderer will soon find her - and silence her forever.

Alex is catapulted into a race against time to save her own life and bring her parents' murderer to justice. She will face many secrets, lies, and betrayals before the truth about their murder is revealed.

Read Me Dead

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It’s on the edge of her memory--like a word on the tip of her tongue, but Kandi can’t remember what it is to save her life.

Despite being a cop, Jimmy can’t protect Kandi from the one thing that haunts her. She’s in danger and doesn’t even know it. After it happened, her brain repressed her memories of the accident, and now, she’s taking a Biology class under a man who wants to see her dead. The memories have started coming back, and it feels like she’s miles away from him. How can he protect her when she doesn’t even know she needs protecting?

Can these characters pierce their way through the darkness?

Piercing Through the Darkness

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For more stops on the tour visit: http://www.emeraldbarnes.us/on-tour.html

Four For Friday--Courtney Rene

Four For Friday is a weekly feature where guest authors choose one of their own characters to complete four sentences. 

This week's prize is a SIGNED copy of the printed book!  

Don't forget: you need to click on the Rafflecopter tabs or else your entries won't count! 

Courtney Rene kicked off this fun feature back in January, and I'm happy that she came back to do this week's post from her novel, SHADOW'S END.

Sunshine (aka Sunny) is a seventeen almost eighteen-year-old girl that currently is shuffling back and forth between Earth, known as the water realm, and Acadia, known as the sun realm.  Neither place is all that wonderful right now.  At home on earth with her parents, Sunny is still treated like a child, with rules, and curfews, and school.  Then in Acadia she is expected to be an adult who makes decisions for an entire realm.  A king is after her, along with a rebel force.  How is she supposed to bring peace to Acadia as well as haul them out from the dark ages, when she has important things like blue ice fairies, red people, and prom to worry about?  Sunny has many talents, some of which include aura reading, invisibility, and one of these days she will get the hang of how to control her gift of energy without blasting everything and everyone with a shot of energy strong enough to kill.  Sunny likes to read, take walks in the warmth of the sun, and meet new people from all the different realms, even if they come with sharp blood thirsty little teeth.  Please feel free to contact her at:  ctnyrene@blogspot.com  

1. My favorite flower is...

a daisy, because they are such happy little spots of color.  Don’t you think?  Their little faces reach up toward the sun and dance and wave in the wind.  How can you not love a daisy?

2. This Mother’s Day I plan on… 

trying not to strangle my mother.  She just doesn’t get me anymore!  She is so frustrating!  How am I supposed to be in two places at once?  She doesn’t want me to be a shadow walker, but I can’t help that.  It’s who I am!  Why is she….sorry I digressed a bit there.  For Mother’s Day I plan on having a lovely brunch with my mother.  She likes to spend time with me and that is the gift she asked me for.   

3. The senior prom…

was fantastic!  Lucas was so hot in his tux.  We danced and we talked and we kissed.  It was a wonderful time.  I get all warm and tingly just thinking about it.  Do you want to see some photos?  I have a ton, thanks to my mom.

4. Only one more month until Summer. I…

simply can’t wait.  My life is so busy between school and training and home and Leif trying to aggravate me, and even Lucas some days.  I so need something to give, just a little bit at least.  Finals are coming up.  I can’t believe I am happy about that. Who is ever happy about finals?  Growing up is so hard.  

________________________________________

Want to learn more about this character and author? 

Visit Courtney's Amazon Author Page


________________________________________

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Four For Friday--Andrea Buginsky

Four For Friday is a weekly feature where guest authors choose one of their own characters to complete four sentences. Please be sure to enter the Rafflecopter giveaway. You could be the lucky winner of a Kindle copy!

This week's post is by Andrea Buginsky from her novel, The Chosen

Halli

When Queen Laurali of the elves first told me I am a holy paladin with the power to heal, I was shocked. I’ve read about mystical beings and monsters in my fables all my life, but never thought it was possible that they could be real, and that I was a part of that mystical world. All my life, I thought I was just a plain, shy dwarf. But now, here I am, part of The Chosen, riding around Phantasma, and keeping The Chosen alive while we rid our world of the vermin that is trying to wreak havoc on us.

I’ve come a long way since the day I met Queen Laurali. I am proud to be a holy paladin and a member of The Chosen. They are my family, and I cannot imagine not having them in my life. Especially my beloved Silvor.

1. The best part about Spring is…

 Watching nature come alive.

2. I used to believe in the Easter bunny, but then…

 What do you mean, “But then?”

3. Most of the clothes in my closet are…

 Comfortable and casual.

4. My favorite social media site is…

Facebook. I’m sorry to say I don’t even have a clever twitter handle. I use my name so people recognize that it’s me. I know, boring, but it works.

You can find out more about Andrea by visiting her Website

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Four For Friday--Michaelene McElroy

Four For Friday is a weekly feature where guest authors choose one of their own characters to complete four sentences. Please be sure to enter the Rafflecopter giveaway. You could be the lucky winner of a Kindle copy!

This week's post is by Michaelene McElroy from her novel, 

The Last Supper Catering Company

The Last Supper Catering Company is the heartwarming story of B. Thankful Childe-Lucknow. Turned out with red corkscrew hair, one eye brown, the other green, and gifted with the power to hear the voices of the departed, B. Thankful is cast aside by the town, and lives an isolated upbringing in the woods with Big G, Little G, and Tyler Lucknow.

Tragedy, followed by the discovery of a long-forgotten paint-by-number picture of the Last Supper, thrusts B. Thankful from the safety of everything she has ever known.

Beyond the boundary of her sheltered life, B. Thankful discovers the world's hard edges as well as its beauty. More importantly, with the help of a cast of quirky and tenderhearted souls (both earthly and heavenly), she discovers why God made her special.

1. The best part about Spring is... everything turns green, green, green here in the woods. Flowers spring forth like a bright idea that's bein' lyin' in wait all the winter long, and just needed a little sunshine to bloom.  And I'm free to run wild in the woods, out from under the constant stare and bossiness of my Little G.  I love her more than I can say, but spending the winter indoors side-by-side, day-after-day, takes it out of me. 

2. I used to believe in the Easter bunny, but then...To be true to you, I had never heard of the Easter bunny until I got your note. When I turned to Little G and asked what an Easter bunny was, she said, "Dinner."  

3. Most of the clothes in my closet are... just right for working on the property -- boots, overalls, two pairs of socks, two pairs of underpants, two t-shirts (I don't wear a brassiere like my Big G and Little G 'cuz my breasts are small, whereas Little G's breasts are knocking at her waistline, and Big G has a special bra to accommodate her vestigial third tit. Best not tell my Gs I told you something so very personal or I will be in the d-o-g house.)  Oh, and a straw hat to keep the sun from turning me lightheaded.  I own a few simple dresses that Little G stitched up for me, but I save them for really special occasions, like Daddy's coming home after a long time gone, or our Sunday services we hold down by the river, just the four of us. 

4. My favorite social media site is... Boy, you are full of ideas I've never even heard of until you wrote to me. Social media?  What in the heck is that?  We don't own a phone or Teevee, so the only social we know is if someone drops by, and that's unlikely given how the town feels about me, but that's a whole other story; one that some lady wrote all about me.

You can find out more about Michaelene by visiting her Website

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Four For Friday--Emerald Barnes

Four For Friday is a weekly feature where guest authors choose one of their own characters to complete four sentences. Please be sure to enter the Rafflecopter giveaway. You could be the lucky winner of a Kindle copy!

This week's post is by Emerald Barnes from her novel, Read Me Dead.

I’m Alexia Wheaton.  I’m seventeen, and for seven years, I’ve lived with a terrible secret, a secret that can get me killed.  I even kept it from my best friend, my twin brother, Matt.  I saw the man who murdered my parents, and now, I’m living in constant fear that he will find me and kill me all because some stupid journalist overheard me talking to my friends and leaked the story in the local newspaper.  They all think I’m crazy because I believe he’ll keep his promise, but I know I’m not.  Because I’ve seen him.  He’s been stalking me.

1.  If I found a pot of gold...

I would put it in savings.  Sure, I’m only 17, but college is just around the corner.  But, I would buy my own car.  I’m tired of sharing one with my twin brother.

2.  The color green...

Reminds me of Landon’s eyes.  Landon is my best friend, and he loves me – as more than just a friend.  I thought I could love him back, but my heart belongs to someone else. 

3.  I have a lucky…

Streak.  Unfortunately, it’s bad luck.  It seems as if bad luck follows me around wherever I go. 

4    

f    4.  If I was on the television show, ‘Survivor,’ I would be the one that…

Is the weak link. That is until I can’t take it any longer.  Eventually, I will fight back.

You can find out more about Emerald and her books by visiting her Amazon Author Page.

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Four For Friday--Sylvia Stein

Four For Friday is a weekly feature where guest authors choose one of their own characters to complete four sentences. Please be sure to enter the Rafflecopter giveaway. You could be the lucky winner of a Kindle copy!

This week's post is by Sylvia Stein from her short story, The Curse of King Siddius in the anthology, Giant Tales Beyond the Mystic Doors 

King Siddius is a greedy and powerful ruler who thinks only of material things.  This need for power and possessions blinds him from seeing the real truth.   He does not give the proper love to his only daughter Kalis. 

1. If I found a pot of gold… 

I am King Siddius and I am a very powerful king.  If I found a pot of gold, I would most definitely keep it with my many treasures.  I would not share it .   I would place it in a special room with all my most prized posssessions.

2. The color green…

makes me think of money.  

3. I have a lucky… 

daughter because she has me for her father. 

4. If I was on the television show, ‘Survivor’...

I would have my guardsmen do all the work for me. I would be the one to win it all because everyone would be too afraid to overrule me.   

You can find out more about Sylvia by visiting her Facebook Author Page

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