Better late than never. It’s still Thursday and that means it’s time to share the blog luv.

Blog Out Loud:

• Blogging is hard work. We can all suffer disillusionment and burnout. I think Roni Loren did a great post on the life cycle of a blogger. It helps to recognize that even if you go through a period where you are down on blogging (or way up, like moi) that there’s ebb and flow to it and we just gotta hang in there.

Write Out Loud:

• Have y’all seen Amy Shojai’s series on media tips? They are fantastic. The last one has what I consider to be some of the best tips yet. With over 10 years in the biz, I can tell you, she’s hit the nail on the head. Check it out and be sure to scan through for the rest of her posts on the subject. Wonderfully useful!
• Patricia Sands did a wonderful interview with writer Torre DeRoche that is a must-read if you haven’t already seen it. It also includes a wonderful post by Torre on her journey to find the strength and determination to finish writing a book. I think you’ll all love it!
• Have a little fun and check out Jennifer Meaton’s blog and her post on Wordle. I hadn’t heard about it until Jennifer introduced me to it but how cool! You load something you’ve written into it and it gives you a visual representation of the frequency of your words; the bigger the word, the more you used it. I think this would be very useful if you are looking for repetitive words in your books.
• Shea MacLeod was invited to be a part of the recently released Indie Chicks: 25 Women 25 Personal Stories. It’s an amazing story how the book, which features personal stories from each women as well as excerpts from their novels, came to be.
• I loved loved loved Roni Loren’s guest post Stop, Collaborate, and Listen: Plot Building for the Character Driven Writer by Ashley March. Having just started out with the plotting thing, and been SUPER excited because I am an UBER planner, I was devastated when things didn’t just jive. How do I know what would come next, I don’t know what that character would do?!?!?!?! The pantsing/plotting technique Ashley describes in this post sounds like the exact mesh of plotting and simultaneous character development that would work for me!

Laugh Out Loud:

• In need of giggles, you have to check out Jenny Hansen’s the “Undie Chronicles” – The Final Episode. The post is a riot and the comments, totally rock. Hubby and I kind of blogjacked her.

Life Out Loud:

• Do you know how to say no and put yourself and your priorities first? This is an area where I struggle and Steena Holmes reminded me of how important and powerful the little word “no” is. Her post was poignant and had a way of cutting right to it. Definitely check it out!
• Home exchange. I’ve seen it in the movies but never thought it happened in real life. Marcia Richards teamed up with Patricia Sands to do a fantastic post on how this real-life vacation option is actually a viable and safe option to consider. The idea of swapping homes and jet setting off to France or Europe for a couple of months sounds wonderful! What do you think?
• My beautiful friend Jillian Dodd shared a heartfelt and heart wrenching post about how the death of one dream doesn’t have to mean the end of dreams entirely. Once you’ve healed and grown, you can learn to dream again. And even see some come true!

I hope you enjoyed this week’s line-up of fantabulous blog posts. Stay tuned for next week’s. I promise to go and spend oodles of time (time away from friends and family I’ll have you know…) to bring you this do-or-die information…My god…you guys must really love me!!

Got any ditties of your own to share? Let me know and maybe they’ll be featured as part of next week’s line-up…