Write that great American novel....

Tumble weeds found in Michigan in sandy soil. Pretty cool, huh. The one in the chair is a double (at least I THINK these are tumble weeds).

CORRECTION: Sign-up is November 1 through November 30 (not Oct 1 thru Oct 30)

Have you always wanted to write that Great American Novel? Well... here's your chance! Here's a website for a novel writing contest - write 50,000 in a month! Yes, they want you to finish 50,000 words in a month. It sounds like they don't care what you write, just so long as you're done in a month - this starts Oct. 1 and finishes Nov. 1, so hurry now, not much time to sign up (by Saturday). Here's the link and you can read it for yourself:

http://www.nanowrimo.org/modules/cjaycontent/index.php?id=2

Now... on the count of three.... one, two.... GO!

10,000th Blogger

I noticed that my counter is getting close to the 10,000th hit registered on this site! Exciting event, no? In honor of this special occasion, if you notice that you're the 10,000th hit, please contact me and I will send you one of my hand-made greeting cards for free. If you think you are close, please contact me anyway - maybe the 10,000th hit will be computer spam, in which case you could win the card. :) (contain your excitement)

Happy 10,000!

Copyright Info

Hello Bloggers:
Time ta git down! Once in a while it seems necessary to post the copyright rules. One day when I was looking through the Ebay art auctions, I saw that another artist (a stranger to this site, not one of my regular bloggers) had taken one of my photos off my blog, made it into an EXACT realistic duplicate in oil paint (even down to copying the pattern on my kitchen tile!), called it her own, and auctioned it on Ebay. I'm happy to report, she didn't get any bids. It could have been a nice collaboration if she'd only just dropped me an e-mail!

PLEASE don't copy my work and call it your own without permission. If you see something you'd like to copy, or a portion of something, just drop me an e-mail and maybe we can work something out. I think it's FUN to trade and work on collaborations with other artists. What I'm talking about is lifting my work and calling it your own without my knowing about it.

Here are the copyright laws - read and HEED please. And here is a link to the US gov copyright laws www.copyright.gov. To wit:

COPYRIGHT INFORMATION: According to the present United States copyright law which became effective in 1978: A work is automatically protected by copyright when it is created. A work is created when it is fixed in an original painting or in a copy for the first time. None of Annie M! Annie M!'s work may be reproduced in any form or by any means without express permission of the artist in writing. Buying, trading or obtaining a painting, print or any piece of art does not give the purchaser any rights that are granted to the copyright holder, Annie M! Annie M! Buying or obtaining a painting, print or other artwork does NOT give the buyer permission to use the name Annie M! Annie M!; does not give permission to create derivative work from Annie M! Annie M! art works; does not give permission to reproduce or distribute copies of the artists works to the public; does not give permission to use any Annie M! Annie M! designs or descriptions or other writings, slogan and poetry without the express permission of the artist in writing. Annie M!'s art is now registered with Ebay's VERO (Verified Rights Ownership Program) which searches Ebay listings and descriptions to protect the artists works and rights from copyright infringement.

NOTE: An original painting or drawing by Annie M! Annie M! may have from 5 to 30 (or more) preliminary sketch steps in the creative process to produce a finished original painting. The entire history of the creative process of each particular painting is kept on record from beginning sketches and original photos straight through to the finished product. Each work of art is a well documented original and is copyright protected. Thank you for respecting the copyrights of all artists.