My Bleeding Ink Bio Explained

Did you see my bio in Bleeding Ink - A Collection of Dark Tales? If so, you probably have some questions about it. Bios are suppose to be true. Well, let me explain.

"Madeline Barr haunts Southern Ontario"Yes, I'm in Southern Ontario, alive. I don't think I need to expand on that.

"...the keeper of critters..."I have a pet guinea pig name Beanie and a leopard gecko named Amigo. I love my critters. Sorry, no gremlin or demons.

"and the breaker of bones."Um ya, this one takes a little explaining. You could see it as I break wishbones, as most of us have. I've also broken a few of my bones....and....I broke someone else's bone. Ok wait, let me explain. He was a friend..oh, I guess that didn't help. It was an innocent accident. We were teenagers pushing each other into the snow banks and when I shoved him he slipped on some ice and broke his arm. He was our school's drummer and he was unable to play at the Christmas concert. He never blamed me and he forgave me. Though I did get razzed about it for years.

"...When possessed, she writes articles about lizards or ghosts..."
Writing is not my full time job. I have a day job and when the feeling strikes, I write. I like to write. I had a children's non-fiction article about Amigo, my lizard, published in WeeOnes magazine and one article I wrote about ghosts for the Perspective newsletter was recognized by local news paper.

"...conjure up the occasional sci-fi poem..."
Bleeding Ink was not the first sci-fi poem I've had published. I've had one previously published in Scifaikuest in November 2009 and another will be published again in Scifaikuest in August 2012.

So there you have it. My creepy bio broken down into not so freaky facts. Don't be too disappointed, I do have a mysterious dark side that very few know about. Hang around, you'll see it when I feel possessed to reveal it.

I am so excited to announce ...

Bleeding Ink - A Collection of Dark Tales (Ink Babes Press) was released in ebook format through Smashwords on July 3, 2012.

There are nearly 40 contributors to this anthology. Look for my ghostly poem titled, YOU ARE NOT MY CHILD.

If you're interested in dark and creepy stories and poems I'm sure you will find this book gruesomely satisfying with a hellishly low price.

The ebook can be purchased on Smashwords:  https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/178855

The official press release for the ebook can be found at http://bleedinginkanthology.wordpress.com/2012/07/05/press-release-for-bleeding-ink-now-available-at-smashwords/#comment-243

Happy Canada Day!

Grim Reaper Image made in Photoshop

I enjoy working with Photoshop so during my lunch hours sometime I try to teach myself something new. Based on this tutorial http://photoshoptutorials.ws/photoshop-tutorials/photo-manipulation/how-to-create-a-grim-reaper-scene-artwork-in-photoshop.html I created the image below. Most of the images in the compilation came from stock.xchng

Helmet-cam: Peregrine Falcon Chicks Banded in Hamilton

Yesterday, Bryan Thomas got the unique job of belaying down the side of the Sheraton Hotel in Hamilton, Ontario to retrieve 3 Peregrine Falcon chicks from a ledge nearly twenty stories up. And if that wasn't difficult enough, he had to defend himself from repeatedly being dive bombed by the chicks' mother, Madame X.



See the retrieval from Bryan's point of view
Video Via: The Hamilton Spectator 

Once the chicks were safely retrieved they were weighed and banded by Anne Yagi, MNR management biologist. Madame X and her partner, Surge, were proud parents of 3 baby boys - Beckett (682 g), Felker   (671 g) and Tiffany (641 g) - named after 3 of the many waterfalls in Hamilton.

After their exams and some media attention, the chicks were returned to their nest.

After the ordeal it was confirmed all 4 boys were in good health - Beckett, Felker, Tiffany and Bryan Thomas, who escaped the wrath of Madame X with some holes in his shirt and a scratch.

Credit: Hamilton Community Peregrine Project and Falcon Watch site
http://falcons.hamiltonnature.org/

Editing a NaPiBoWriWee Picture Book Draft about...

I'm currently working on editing a picture book draft I wrote during NaPiBoWriWee. I'm not going to tell you too much about the story (yet) but it's about my two little critters, Amigo and Beanie.

What? You've never met the real Amigo and Beanie?

Well, here they are!

The original Amigo,

and the one and only Beanie.
I'll have to post an updated picture of Beanie because she's much bigger than this now.

UPDATE: Recent picture of Beanie

Author Tara Lazar first vlog - Taking a Break (But Not Really)

Author Tara Lazar

A couple of days ago I visited the EMU's Debuts Blog where Tara Lazar posted her first "Vloooogg!" - Taking a Break (But Not Really)

Not only is her vlog post entertaining, she also provides some very useful information for writers. She talks about how taking a break helped her land her second book contract.

I highly recommend you visit EMU's Debuts Blog and check out Tara Lazar in her comical vlog performance, Taking a Break (But Not Really)

Also be sure to visit Tara's Blog at http://taralazar.wordpress.com/

NaPiBoWriWee: Day 3,4,5,6 & 7

Here we are at the end of NaPiBoWriWee! Congratulations, you made it! How did you do? Did you pound out 7 picture book manuscripts? Did you get one manuscript done? Maybe you just got some ideas and jotted them down in point form.

Here's an important question: Did you win a prize from Paula Yoo?

I did ok this year. Not as well as I was hoping but under the circumstances, I think I did good. Just attempting the NaPiBoWriWee knowing there potential challenges that week had in store for me makes me successful in this event. I managed to write 2 completed picture book manuscripts drafts, point form for another 3 and titles for the last 2.

I did not win anything from Paula Yoo so I guess I'll just have to try again next year.

Thank you Paula for hosting this event once again.

Day 2: NaPiBoWriWee

Day two of National Picture Book Writing Week is done and I did better.

I finished a very rough draft of manuscript #1 and jotted down some ideas for manuscript #2.

I'm probably going to hold off on blogging for a few days and post a summary at then end.

Day 1: NaPiBoWriWee

Day one of National Picture Book Writing Week is done and how did I do?

Not so good.

Did I fail?

No. You can't fail NaPiBoWriWee.

After a busy day at my full time job (worked through my lunch), some not so good news - which threw me for a loop, and a long dental appointment in the evening, after I put the kids to bed I had nothing left to attempt to write a picture book draft. Excuses? Maybe. Reasons? Ya.

That does not mean I didn't think about it. So now, today, I have to roll into overtime and try to catch up. Excuses? Ya, I have a whole bunch more I could use but I won't. I am not going to leave this blog post short and see what picture book (or 2) gets written today.