Tag: blogger

ending agony (WQW)

areadingwriter23 Comments

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I’m participating (finally) for the first time to my dearie Jade‘s Writer’s Quote Wednesday (WQW) and my first quote is from the Still I Rise woman, Maya Angelou and her words that have been “the force” that pushed me to write this blog almost three years ago. (Woah! Time flies! :D)

In my first post, Agony published August 28, 2014, I quoted her and said:

“It has been eight years since I dreamed of having a blog. Something I can call my own. Honestly, I have fears of bashers and grammar Nazis. People who might critique my write-ups. People who might oppose my opinions. Yes, it took me those long years to have the courage to publish my thoughts, my views and my what-not’s. Now it will be all available for the viewing and reading netizens. I am now ready for either praises or rejections, for either wow! or boo!, for anything that this blogosphere has in store for A Reading Writer like me.”

I closed the first post with: “Now my agony has ended.”

Fast forward almost three years after pressing that publish button, I am clearly far from the blogger who I was before. I’m just a reader before. A book reviewer. A fangirl of Nicholas Sparks and Mitch Albom and Jason Mraz and Sara Bareilles.

Now, I am still a reader. Still a fangirl. Still a dreamer. But now, a poetess (or I assume I am :D), a self-published author of my first baby “Between My Bleeding Lines” (a struggling one for that matter), a writer by profession and by hobby.

Has the agony ended? In telling my story, not yet.

For each day opens up a new poem. A new story. A new blank page. A new clean slate. A new struggle. A new battle. A new courage. A refilled bottle of bravery.

To write.
To live.
To dream.
To breathe (words).

For there is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you.

Let’s breathe some more, shall we?

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FLYLēF turns 2!

areadingwriter28 Comments

And the baby of my darling Lonna named FLYLēF just turned 2! To celebrate, an amazing group of bloggers and I have planned posts for you to enjoy, all centered around the theme…

FRIENDSHIP

Please make sure to visit them, and perhaps make a new friend along the way.

 FRIENDSHIP 

I am delighted when I learned the theme of Lonna’s anniversary blog tour is about friendship. Why? Because I value friendships a lot. 

In as much as I want to think, I am not so good in making friends, but I am good in maintaining them. I have kept some friends from my elementary, high school and college days. I can also say I am still friends with my co-workers from my two previous jobs. And I intend to keep them.

I know there is strength in living alone. In doing things on your own, but I find it comforting to have souls to share, experience and learn with. 

My upcoming book, Between My Bleeding Lines, is a product of friendship. If not for the great writers here whom I become friends with, I would never be the writer that I am today. I would never be able to be brave and be courageous and write my own book. Got to give some shout out for them:

Between My Bleeding Lines and this blog exists because of them my faraway best friends.  That I think is enough proof of how valuable friendships are for me. 

 TESTIMONIAL  

And of course, Lonna is part of the WordPress community who showered me with love and fueled me to write and write some more. 

I remember seeing her blog for the first time and falling in love with her graphics and her book reviews. She writes so well that she can make you run to a bookstore and go check out a book. She balances the good and the not so good part of the book in between beautifully crafted yet truthful lines. 

But aside from that, I adore her bubbly personality and kind heart. ❤ She never fails to make me smile and warm my heart. Cheers, darling, for more years! ❤ 

  TOUR SCHEDULE  

❖ May 15th – Bookfever: Spotlight / Giveaway

❖ May 15th – A Reader Writer: Spotlight / Giveaway

❖ May 16th – Milky Way of Books: Spotlight / Giveaway

❖ May 16th – Lisa Loves Literature: Spotlight / Giveaway

❖ May 20th – A Kernel of Nonsense: Spotlight / Giveaway

❖ May 21th – SUSANLOVESBOOKS: Spotlight / Giveaway

❖ May 23th – fallxnrobins: Spotlight / Giveaway

❖ May 27th – Utopia State of Mind: Spotlight / Giveaway

❖ May 28th – Book Briefs: Spotlight / Giveaway

❖ May 30th – Foxes & Fairy Tales: Spotlight / Giveaway

❖ June 1st – The Caramel Files: Spotlight / Giveaway

  ABOUT FLYLēF  

Lonna Yen the creative mind behind FLYLēF (pronounced like flyleaf) who enjoys reading late into the night to satisfy her insatiable addiction to mostly young adult and adult novels: romance (contemporary and historical), fantasy, and paranormal (especially vampires). She believes in the magic of spellbinding words coming together to build breathtaking worlds in our minds’ eyes. Happiness is just a book away, find it at FLYLēF.

Lonna also the host of FLYTIP and Book of Choice Giveaway Hop, and co-host of The Comment Challenge.

April Coffee Date

areadingwriter58 Comments

Hello, my darlings! 🙂 I just figured that the last coffee date I posted was last November. (ugh).

I so missed doing this, so please grab a chair. 🙂 I prepared a cuppa coffee, tea, or beer (if you want. :D)

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CALM MARCH

Finally, after epic roller coaster monthssssss, March has been so kind to me. 🙂 I was able to write for my two favorite prompts:

I was also able to join several tags (which I loooved a lot! :D) I miss doing Three Line Tales though. 😦

HOPEFULLY KINDER APRIL

With the summer kicking off, I am hoping April will be as kind or even kinder to me! 😀 Because I want to continue with dVerse and FFfAW plus, I signed up to NaPoWrimo! (Except the weekend prompts because I am mostly offline on weekends. :()

BOOK UPDATE

Finally, I plan to do the TITLE REVEAL of my upcoming debut book this month. 🙂 (It’s been months since I started with this project and I am excited to share this with you, guys! <3)

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It’s your turn! What are your writing/blogging/anything plans for April! Will you join NaPo, too? 😀

 

The Rule of Eleven (aka The Blue Sky Tag) Part 2

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After answering the 11 witty questions via The Rule of Eleven (aka The Blue Sky Tag) from Jade her blog, my dear NJ joined in the fun and answered my questions! 😀 And to keep the getting-to-know-you posts, I will answer NJ’s questions too!

So…

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  1. What is your name and the name of your blog? Why did you choose it as your blog name?

I am Rosemarie Gonzales of A Reading Writer. My author name is R.C. Gonzales. My friends here fondly call me Rosey or Rosema or Rosemarie. (any will do :D)

A Reading Writer is a result of a random thought that struck me when I was thinking of a blog name. I do not want to try hard, thus, I resort to a simple phrase that constitutes my prominent interests, reading and writing.

It should have been A Reading Writer Who Sings, because I am a singer as well, but I thought that would be too long. I choose the article ‘A’ instead of the ‘The’ as I am not a ‘The’ yet. 😀

  1. What, according to you, is your best quality? Why is it so?

For me…. *thinking*… I think it will be my being kind? I always get the comment that I am sweet but for me, I am just kind. There are too much hate and sadness on earth so I want to stay kind as much as possible. 🙂

  1. Choose a movie that describes you and tell us how?

Tough question. HAHA. Hmm… I would pick Still Alice. It is an empowering story about a woman with Alzheimer’s and the main message is to make each moment count. And that is what I am trying to do. 🙂 (P.S. This is based on a novel by Lisa Genova and it is a great read, guys! :))

  1. What’s your favourite dessert? And why?

Cheesecake!!!! Because I looove cheese and I loooove cakes and when you combine them we’ll get, tadah! Cheesecake! 😀

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  1. Are you a forest or a beach person? What is it about your choice that you like?

Beach! There is something calming about the cerulean sky and the deep sea. The way the waves hugs the shore. The way the birds sing. The way the sun sets as if it is being eaten by the sea…. (there. :D)

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  1. If you were born as a tree, which tree would you pick? And why?

I want to be a wisteria because it bloooooooms and ages beautifully. ❤

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  1. If today was your last day, name one person you’d like to say something to? What would you tell him/her?

I would like to say I love you and thank you to my parents. 🙂

  1. Which is your favourite childhood game?

It would be………….. scrabble! 😀

  1. If you could be an inanimate object, which would you pick? And why?

I want to be a pen! Because it’s a weapon that cannot kill but can breathe life back!

  1. What is your favourite mode of travel?

Buses! It is where I do most of my writings. 🙂 (I wrote about it here.) 🙂

  1. Who is your 3AM person? And why?

For now it is myself. But someday, *with dreamy eyes* I hope to share my 3AMs and beyond while ceaselessly sharing thoughts and banters with that someone. (Where are you? I’m waiting…)

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That’s all for now.

Please participate if you want. 😉

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Note: Photo and gifs are not mine. 😉

The Rule of Eleven (aka The Blue Sky Tag)

areadingwriter30 Comments

And my darling Jade of the ever-lovely blog named after her tagged me recently with The Rule of Eleven (aka The Blue Sky Tag). And because I consider her one of my bestest far-away-friends, I treat her tag as a friendship card which I have no choice by to accept and comply. (super smiling emoji because I am kidding. :D)

So here are my answer to her 11 witty questions:

1. Pick one of your scars. What’s the story behind it?

I have an invisible scar on my chin which is only visible when I do some weird facial expressions. 😀 I am an “accident prone” kid (and teen and adult. Some things doesn’t change, I think) and the scar is a result of a bad fall when I was in third grade.

I was walking and then tripped on someone’s foot and the first part that hit the rough ground was my chin. (YEP.) I cried like mad for hours (because I am darn afraid of blood and yeah, it’s painful!) and my teacher was compelled to call my mom for rescue. 😀

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2. What is the most random thing you’ve ever watched on TV?

The latest random thing I’ve watched was the CNN documentary about Melania Trump. (DISCLAIMER: I am not a fan of his husband. ;))

3. How did you meet your best friend?

I met my sisters/best friends when I was in college. We were classmates in all subjects and we got along so well because (1) we love to eat; (2) we don’t know how to dress up; (3) we don’t know how to put up make-up and (4) those three are still us until now. 😀

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4. If you were to go to the movies by yourself, what movie would you watch?

I would watch a cute chick flick because I have never ever watched a horror movie. If I would watch one alone no one would know I am dead. 😀

5. If you could pick any celebrity, dead or alive, to play you in a movie, who would you pick?

Hmmmmmmmmmmmm. I want to be Anne Hathaway. Because eep. She is gorgeous inside out! (Plastic surgery will be part of the package? HAHA)

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6. Where is your favorite place to go on a weekday afternoon when you have no plans or obligations?

I stay under a tree near my aunt’s home with a verdant green view made of swaying grasses and floating pond water lilies.

7. What’s your favorite cheesy pick-up line? (Come onnn, I can’t be the only one who likes cheesy pick-up lines!)

Er. -_- HAHAHA. I would pick the pick-up line I wrote:

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8. Have you ever danced in the rain?

I did! And sing and dance actually. 😀 😀 😀 (quite a performer. HAHA)

9. You are designing your perfect pizza. What would it be?

Cheese. Meat. Cheese. Meat. and some more cheeeeese! 😀 (yep. A mouse. :D)

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10. If you had to be named after a city, state, or country, what would your new name be?

Nami (for Nami Island in South Korea) because it is my dream destination and Nami is also a Japanese word which means divine. (am i? HAHA)

11. Pick a fellow blogger. Describe that person in 5 words.

Of course I’d pick you, Jade! ❤ and here are my 5 words:

She’s definitely beautiful, inside out!

There you go! 😀

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So instead of tagging anyone, I would like to spread this fun tag to ALL of you! And here are my 11 questions:

1. Describe yourself in ONE word.

2. When and why did you start blogging?

3. Is there a person that you look up to? Who is it and why?

4. What’s the perfect pair for a book, is it coffee or tea?

5. Aside from blogging, name one activity that you truly enjoy.

6.  In your bucket list (or if you will have one), what country/place will be on your top spot?

7. Do you have a phobia? What is it?

8. What’s the weirdest wish/hope that you have secretly said?

9. What is your favorite season and why?

10. What is that one book that touched you in a very special way?

11. What’s your favorite song lyric? Why?

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I would love to know more about youuuu, guys! ❤

Note: Photo and gifs are not mine. 😉

Hello, 2017! Miss You, Friends!

areadingwriter39 Comments

And so in between a hard-core editing session with my boss, I am writing this post after I visited some of you,  who are close, close, close to my heart, and I almost, almost cried because I miss everyone!

I know I am nine days late but here’s to a lovely 2017 for everyone!!! 🙂

Thinking about 2016 makes me nostalgic and melancholic. I have lost someone I thought I would be keeping forever but I am happy, don’t get me wrong. 🙂 It’s just that last year has been a rollercoaster ride. So the holiday break was spent hibernating, like 12 to 15 hours sleeping. (Er. HAHA)

And when I came back at work this month I was swaaaaaaaaaaaamped with work. Sigh.

So… I hope to be back regularly my dearest ones! ❤ I miss you, you, you, all of you!

I have to make this month kinda a treat because this month is my birth month too!!! (Er. Getting older. HAHA)

See you, my darlings! ❤

Miss youuuu a lot! I hope to be back!

Sending hugs and love your way,
Rosema

 

 

Coffee Date: November Edition

areadingwriter34 Comments
Breathe in. Breathe out. Repeat until you calm your restless heartbeat.

Hi! I am glad to finally be able to seat with you again. Order your coffee now, or maybe tea, or maybe beer? 🙂 Lend me some of your precious minutes and let’s talk. 🙂

Time is fleeting. 2016 is now down to two months. (can you believe it?) So… as usual, let me tell what I did last month and what you can expect from me this month. 😉

OCTOBER

I was able to…

It was a packed month and if you will ask me how did I do that, I surely don’t know. HAHA

NOVEMBER

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  • I am also doing Sunday Songs with my dearest sister Stella where we share inspiring songs every Sunday. 🙂
  • I am not sure if I will be able to participate in other writing prompts this month because there is a major client event coming. 😦
  • I am also cooking something “heartmelting” with a dear friend. 😉 Announcement soon! 😀

BOOK UPDATE

Lastly, the book title will be revealed SOON! 😀 😀 😀 Book cover is on its way too!!! YEEEE! 😀

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By the way, please do get a copy of two of my best of friends here on WordPress who are both EPICALLY talented novelists! Their books are:

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Cheers to an awesome NOVEMBER my dearest friends! ❤

– Rosema

Quick Coffee Date!

areadingwriter35 Comments
Rushing and rushing because the days are turning, turning as the sun keeps on shining and setting!

Would you like to seat for a few minutes and take some needed breather and talk, of course, have tea or coffee or beer with me! 😀

So September ended swiftly and there are not scarlet and almost bare trees! (Blessed are those witnessing the beauty of the fall! :D)

SEPTEMBER

Here is my corner, I was able to do this month:

  • Post my throwback posts!😀 And I am thrilled that you love them especially my fictional series! ❤
  • Participate in blogging prompts especially dVerse Poets Pub, Flash Fiction for Aspiring Writers and Three Line Tales!

OCTOBER

This month will be extra busy because I have a big event in my work. So… my plans are:

I am not sure if I will still be able to participate with my favorite prompts but I will try! 🙂

BOOK UPDATE

The book is still, sadly, in its editing phase! BUT I was able to talk to a potential artist, a fellow Filipina, who will do the cover. ❤

I will also be unveiling the title anytime soon! ❤

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By the way, please do get a copy of two of my best of friends here on WordPress who are both EPICALLY talented novelists! Their books are:

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I pray for a terrific October for everyone! If you want to share your plans with me, please do so! 🙂

Sending some love from me to you! ❤

 

 

Coffee or Tea, anyone?

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An update and an important announcement. ❤

2016 feels like flying speedily as the 1st quarter will be ending soon.

Spring has somehow arrived in the west part of the earth, (according to the poems that I read :D) while summer is about to start here in the Philippines.

I invited you for a coffee before Feb starts, and now I would like to give you an update and make an important exciting announcement. 🙂

UPDATE: Blog Schedule ❤

I showed my planned calendar for the year before February ends. I was confused and a bit torn if the calendar is a bit wishful and if making one will make my blog predictable.

Thankfully, I got the words I need to hear and they helped me and touched me a lot. 😉

Some of them are:

I admire your dedication to starting a blogging calendar. I thought of it before, but with my work schedule and hours, it’ll be challenging for me to to meet it. I had to cut one weekly feature, and even that was running on a Sunday! I write based on what I feel that day… So I wouldn’t want to feel constrained. Whatever you decide to do, make sure it’s what you like and want to do. Yes making your readers happy is important but first you need to be happy too. Good luck, my dear!

– Annie of What the Woman Wrote

and

I commend you for having such organized plans as opposed to me since I’m a cluttered type of person: no calendars, no scheduled posts. I couldn’t agree more from what they’re all saying. I just want you to be happy with your blog without a trace of pressure in your every post. We’re all here, excitedly waiting for them- whatever they are. 😀 As for the fictions, I really am happy to see you joining them but like what I’ve said don’t put pressure in them. I, too, have to pass (though I really try not to as much as possible) whenever I ran out of creative juices. You don’t have to write it within that specific day, just within the time frame. 🙂 Also, more than just being balanced, I would prefer you being carefree. Just the happy reading writer who freely shares her thoughts and feelings as they are. Smiles! 😉 :*

– Maria of Doodles and Scribbles

After reading a lot of lovely and insightful comments, I learned that I should write what I love to write, without any pressure, without any pretensions. 🙂

So my current blogging schedule is:

Monday: Monday Musings and Sunday Photo Fiction by Alastair Forbes

Tuesday: Top Ten Tuesday by  The Broke and the Bookish

Wednesday: Flash Fiction for Aspiring Writers by Priceless Joy

Thursday: Three Line Tales by Sonya

Friday: Friday Fictioneers by Rochelle Wisoff-Fields

Saturday: The Great Book of List by  Laduchessederat

Sunday: FREE Day! Poem Day! 😀

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ANNOUNCEMENT: The A-Z Challenge

I am joining the A-Z Challenge April 2016! 😀

WHAT IS IT?

It all began with my post from Saturday March 27, 2010 when I set forth a challenge to all bloggers for the month of April.   Can you post every day except Sundays during this month?  And to up the bar, can you blog thematically from A to Z?

Most of the time if you subtract Sundays from April, you then have 26 days–one day for each letter of the alphabet.  When April 1st lands on a Sunday you begin on that day which will be the only Sunday you would post during that month’s challenge. 

 Using this premise, you would start beginning April First with a topic themed on something with the letterA, then on April second another topic with the letter B as the theme, and so on until you finish on April thirtieth with the theme based on the letter Z.  It doesn’t even have to be a word–it can be a proper noun, the letter used as a symbol, or the letter itself.  The theme of the day is the letter scheduled for that day.

Most of you are probably familiar with Sue Grafton and her best selling series of detective novels known as the “Alphabet Series” that started in 1982 with “A” Is For Alibi up to her most recent “V” Is For Vengeance“.   She has made a franchise with the series and there have been  other authors who have taken similar approaches.  This Blogging From A to Z Challenge will be in the same vein.

MY THEME IS:

Poetry from A-Z! 😀 (Thank you for sharing informative poetry links, Thomas! :))

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That’s it! 😀 I would love to know your thoughts and if you would want to join any of these exciting challenges. It will be fun if we do it together. 😀

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Photo credit: Unsplash.com

Ten Resolutions, Plans & Goals as a Reader, a Writer & a Blogger

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Am I believer of new year’s resolution? To be honest, I’m not.

For more than two decades, I have not created nor written such. That doesn’t mean I hate them, it’s just that it has never been a habit. 🙂

So for this year, because of The Broke and the Bookish, I would like to give it a try. (Operative word: TRY!) 😀

January 5: Top Ten Resolutions We Have For 2015 (can be bookish, personal resolutions)

I don’t think I can write ten (10) bookish resolutions, so this list will include my plans and hopes and yes, resolutions as a reader, a writer and a blogger. ❤

—Reader—

  1. To (FINALLY) give Harry Potter series a try.
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Please don’t be angry Potter fans. I have nothing against J.K. Rowling or Harry Potter or anyone from this series. It’s not them, it’s me! 😀

  1. To (HOPEFULLY) read 50 books this year.

I am ashamed that I was not able to finish the PopSugar 2015 Reading Challenge. 😦 I am two books away from wrapping it up with flying colors… but… I failed.

  1. To read a classic with a happy heart!

I have proven that I am not an old soul when it comes to books, but this year, I hope to read even just one classic. 🙂 (Hey, I read two classics last year! Maybe three?!) But I admit, I am not happy when I read them. So I hope I will be happy to read one next year. Any recommendations? 🙂

  1. To read more of local books proudly written by Filipinos!

Patriotic as it may seem, I plan to give local writers a try! It’s because out of 159 reads, only 2 are locals. It’s a shame!

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  1. To try new authors!

I’ve done that last year and it proved to be exciting! I have stumbled to new found gems and I hope to discover more gems this year! Again, any recommendations?

—Writer—

  1. To read more!
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A Reading Writer’s tagline is “I read because I write. I write because I read.” So that explains it. 🙂

  1. To go out and write out of the box.

I have tried a lot of new things this year! Thanks to Writing 101 and 201, this blog has been more diverse and exciting to visit. I want to keep the juices flowing and I hope I can write more without sacrificing quality,

  1. To write book reviews, more book reviews!
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It is a bit of a shame that I have so few reviews here. The writer-part of A Reading Writer is in full force last year but the reader-part isn’t. So I hope to put a balance on it.

—Blogger—

  1. To blog more consistently. (Weekly features, ahem!)

I tried so hard to blog and to do that, I set weekly features that I can follow. But still, I failed! So this year, I hope to change that. HOPE!

  1. To follow more, comment more, inspire more, write more!
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It’s self-explanatory, right? 🙂

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How about you?

What are your plans, goals and changes that you would want to do this year?

Can you relate?

I would love to talk to you.

YES, you!

😉

~