Here are a few of my favourite things that can be found online, but a few others that have snuck in here.

BOOKS

The First Five Pages: A Writer's Guide to Staying Out of the Rejection Pile
by Noah Lukeman
~ I like this book because it is affordable, useable and useful. He is unlike many nonfiction writers--he gets to the point and gets out. The exercises are doable and do improve your writing. Plus, I haven't had this much 'hard fun' writing since, well, ever.

Size 12 Isn't Fat
by Meg Cabot
~ It's Meg, need I say more? Anything by Meg is okay in my books. And dammit, Meg, is she ever going to get the guy? And in so few words, she makes the love interest sooooo sexy and desirable. That my dears, is good writing. Have I mentioned that Meg is one of my heroes?

Undomestic Goddess
by Sophie Kinsella
~Something about this one, along with Can You Keep a Secret? really made me like Kinsella. Maybe it's all the funny words I have to look up. (Should I admit to that?)

Truth About Forever
by Sarah Dessen
~I read this one over a year ago and I am still thinking about it. Possibly the best YA book out there that is 'higher' level. In other words, it's literary goodness for the young soul.

The Robber Bride
by Margaret Atwood
~I read this one years ago after my husband recommended it to me. I really like the bitch in this story. Don't know why, but it turned me onto Atwood.

POEMS

The Cinnamon Peeler
by Michael Ondaatje
~ Not just because he rocks. The imagery just sticks with me. The simplicity yet the complexity. It is erotic, yet innocent. I just love it. Read it, I can't describe it.

WEBSITES

AgentQuery.com
~ Get the info you need about literary agents. Useable searches. An amazing online social networking area which helps prevent feeling so isolated out in writer's land. I'm totally hooked.

CTV.ca
~Because I don't have satellite or cable.

Dictionary.com
~You can sign up for their word of the day to be delivered to your inbox. A great, painless way to learn new words and beef up your vocab. Plus, you can use their online dictionary, thesaurus and encyclopedia.

NaNoWriMo.org
~Write a novel (50,000 words) in one month. Join up for November--that's when the action happens.

MAGAZINES
I'm not a huge mag reader, but here are two that I don't mind too much.

Chatelaine
~ This magazine continues to surprise me. I did an independent study in university about their advertisements over a thirty year span, expecting them to portray women as the homemaker stereotype. To my surprise, it was very much not like that! They showed women as strong and juggling home life and work. I was impressed as was the feminist inside. I currently subscribe to this magazine, and find most of their articles to be strong, current, relevant and meaningful--not many women's magazines are able to achieve that for me. Plus, their website has music that you can stream. Check out divas. It rocks. Literally.

Self
~ This magazine will get you off your butt and moving. They have a good website that has exercise activities and other self-improvement stuff. They have challenges ever few months that are a lot of fun. Plus, if you require motivation, you can keep track of your fitness online (during challenges) and have them send you pestering emails. No more excuses. Oh, except that the cat ate all my shoe laces again. That one still counts.

BLOGS

This link will take you to my blog. If you look on the left hand side, I have a list of blog links that I like to peruse.

WORKSHEETS

I've been making some worksheets for myself here and there and thought I'd share them.

Who is this Character? Brainstorm and fill out the worksheet to get a better idea of your character's social, ethnic, religious, and educational background as well as a few occupational questions to help round out that character and why they act and talk the way they do (or don't). PDF version, good for printing out. Word version, good for filling out on your computer. Feel free to share them.

Character Core: Consistencies and Idiosyncrasies Worksheet Brainstorm and fill out the worksheet to learn more about your character's characteristics and qualities as well as related characteristics and idiosyncrasies. It will help you round out that hard to pin down character. PDF version, good for printing out. Word version, good for filling out on your computer. Oh, and I added an example with these versions, just in case you haven't the foggiest clue in regards to what I am yammering on about. Feel free to share the worksheet.