A question for you! I need some input...

Okay, my lovelies.  I have a question to pose to you, and I'd love some feedback.

I've been thinking about having guest bloggers on my blog.  No, I don't know exactly how I'd go about getting them besides just asking, but this is something I'm considering.  It would just shake things up a bit and make the "voice" you hear a little more varied.  It would also help a great deal so this thing won't sit dead while we're moving or traveling.

I was thinking I'd have bloggers do a post on a topic of their choice, whether it be related to writing, or something else they're passionate about.  Still not sure yet.  Also, I was debating having authors on who are promoting a book they're launching...not just a "buy my book!" post, but talking a bit about the story, etc.

Thoughts?  Have any of you ever done a guest blog post for someone, or had them done for you?  Please leave a comment!  I'd love to get some feedback on this.

xoxo Sarah

Dr. Who and Me. Sort of.

 My husband was out in New Mexico for training for close to half of the year.  In his free time -- the amount of which varied anywhere from having whole days with nothing to do to a precious few hours, plus I wasn't out there to keep him company -- he worked his way through movies and television series to help fill the time.  Streaming Netflix is a wonderful thing.  Having heard some good things about Dr. Who, he began working his way through the latest incarnation of the show.  

The TARDIS.

For those who are unfamiliar with Dr. Who, let me give you a brief overview without giving too much away.  I'm still a relative newbie to the fandom, so bear with me.  It's a BBC program (or programme as they like to say) and enormously popular in Britain.  It's practically an institution over there.  It also has a huge following here in the states as well, even having panels at Comic Con.  The Doctor -- yes, that's his name...just that -- is a Time Lord, and travels around in time and space in a craft called the TARDIS.  Yes, it looks like a police box, but it's much bigger inside than it looks from the outside, kind of like a wizarding tent in Harry Potter.  He's the last of his kind due to a terrible war, and typically takes a companion with him on his adventures.  Various worlds, aliens/creatures, technology, and alternate realities are encountered.  The special effects are reminiscent of something you'd see on the Syfy channel, but the acting is a million times better.  Even better, the series actually has an interesting way of keeping itself alive -- The Doctor regenerates into another form when he dies, or when his time is up.  The show is currently on its eleventh incarnation of The Doctor, because the series originally started in the mid-1960s and ran to the late 1980s.  The series as it currently is started up again in 2005.  

Yes, that's a lot of information, but I'm rambling for a reason.  Hang on.  This is relevant, I promise.

David Tennant as The Doctor and Billie Piper as Rose, his companion.

So, my husband came home and insisted that I needed to watch the show with him.  Most of the seasons are on Netflix, so we've worked our way through watching up through the second season together.  He's seen most of them, but that's where I've left off for now...writing has been my priority, so watching the show has been slow going.  The Doctor in the first season was okay, and the show was enjoyable, but the husband assured me that I'd like the one from season 2 even better.  

David Tennant.  Doctor #10.

The Doctor starting in season 2 is David Tennant.  He's been great to watch so far.  Not only is he adorably handsome, but his enthusiasm for the role is almost contagious.  You can just tell that he loves playing The Doctor.  His excitement for the part is so markedly different than the first season's Doctor that I had to look him up.  

It turns out that David Tennant, as a young child, loved the show Dr. Who and told his parents that he was going to play the role of The Doctor.  Yeah.  They probably had the same reaction upon hearing that as when a kid tells you they want to be an astronaut or President or Warren Buffet.  They probably stifled some laughter, patted him on the head and told him okay, but to have a contingency plan.  You know, in case things...didn't work out.  

But Tennant kept his dream in the back of his mind, taking parts in school stage productions.  He continued doing stage productions, including many Shakespearean plays, and yes, eventually won the role of the tenth Doctor.  He was inspired by the show to act in the first place, and finally the role of a lifetime was his.  

"I've wanted this since I was four!"

Sure, he's acted in other well-known roles, including playing Barty Crouch, Jr. in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire.  You're welcome, everyone who looked at him and wondered, "I know I've seen that guy somewhere!"  He's also currently doing stage work, and I would love to see him live someday.  

Oh fine. One more, if you insist.

The point of all of this, is we (myself included) as writers are often inspired as youngsters.  Maybe it's a favorite book or story that makes us want to tell our own.  Sadly, most of us give up on our dream, and let our contingency plans take over.  Many of us stop writing altogether.  But, even if that's happened, we can still give it our best shot.  Start again, and believe we can do it.  Like David Tennant, we need to believe that success will be ours, and that role of a lifetime -- our Dr. Who -- will be in our hands.  Whether your dream is to write something novel-length, a children's book, or a short story, don't give up.  I constantly have to tell myself this, because, yes, it's hard. 

But making yourself believe you can do it is half the battle.

xoxo Sarah

Ten lashes with a wet noodle?

Oops. It's been a while.  Again.

Yep, I've been a bit of a blogging failure lately.  But I'm brushing myself off and continuing on.  

Just a quick update: sadly, I misread the rules for the writing contest I was going to enter and was unable to make a submission.  But no matter!  I've found another one...and even better, both Shelley and I are entering!  As two different people of course, but the same contest, different categories.  Mine will likely be an excerpt from The Curse (see the "Novellas and Short Stories" tab for more info!), and Shelley's will be in the contemporary romance category.

In case this one goes pear-shaped for unforeseen reason, I will be keeping this one on the down-low as well until all is said and done.  Suffice it to say, the deadline is October 1st, so I will be working my ass off on my entry from now until, hopefully, well before then.  Advance planning and all.  I'm greatly looking forward to reading and editing Shelley's entry as well.  There's nothing quite like a contest to get you motivated.

I'm super excited about this one, as I've never entered a contest before, and I'm looking forward to some feedback, even if I don't make it anywhere near the finals.  The Curse is nearing the end, as I think I'm on the last two chapters of writing.  Of course then there's the editing and all the ripping apart that must be done, but it will feel good to have a completed manuscript.

Off to get some more done!

xoxo Sarah

My first interview EVER!

Okay, folks, here it is!  Here's my very first interview.  It's up on Elizabeth Sogard's blog, so I'd love it if you'd take the time to check it out.  It's about me, my writing, and other such things.  

http://elizabethsogard.wordpress.com/2011/09/05/come-meet-aspiring-author-sarah-allan/

*grins*  

xoxo Sarah

So excited!

Hey, everyone!

Long time, no post.  That's okay, though.  I've been busy, and I know a lot of you have been, too.

Just a quick update to say two things.  The "jump break" experiment works fine, but only "hides" part of the blog entry if you go to the main web address for the blog, not the specific entry.  For example, if you go to www.sarahallanauthor.blogspot.com and look at the entries on the main page, the jump break works and "hides" the part of the entry I've posted after the jump break.  If you go to a specific entry, i.e. clicking on the title so you can only see that entry, then the whole entry shows up.  If I post something that I think some might consider objectionable, I will also tag the title with NSFW or something like that, so in case you do click on the entry and see the whole thing, the title should clue you in that you should read it somewhere where your kids or boss is not, lol.

Thing #2: I've been told that tomorrow, 9/7/11, my first interview as a pre-published (I prefer that...unpublished sounds so negative) author will go up on a friend's blog.  The lovely Elizabeth Sogard was kind enough to interview me, so here's the link to her blog.  I'll post again when I have an actual blog entry link as well.

http://elizabethsogard.wordpress.com/

I hope you are all enjoying the start of fall!  I know I am finding the cooler weather to be great for my muse, and I hope to get my novella done ASAP.  :-)

xoxo Sarah