Oh, joy, it’s teaching time again! How do you take what I’ve learned over decades and boil it down into a half-hour presentation? That’s the hard part of preparing a workshop for beginning writers. I’m not saying that I know everything, or even a lot, but I have been at this for a while and I’ve picked up a fair bit of information about how to write well. Whether I follow it or not is a topic for another day.

However … I have to come up with something for next week. I’ll be reading at the Ladner Pioneer (April 3) and White Rock (April 4) libraries at around 7:00 pm, so come on out if you’re in the area.

So what can I say? I may as well start with a few tidbits I wish I’d had under my belt at the beginning. This would be tidbit number one.

As I see it, if you’re going to sit down and write your first book, just go for it. However, it’s a bit like hiking. If you take along a bit of equipment, you’ll enjoy the experience a whole lot more.

The fact that you’ve got some nugget of inspiration is a given, or you wouldn’t be edging up the keyboard with that glint your eye. I’m not going to talk about inspiration, because it’s unique and precious and it can never be wrong. My only advice here is to hold it tight.

However, there are a couple of things to check into at the same time that you’re writing. Note that I say at the same time and not instead of. Lots of times it’s more fun to talk about writing than to actually do it. Bad author, no cookie. Your first job as a writer is to set a schedule and to actually put words on paper. The rest, including laundry and your day job and maintaining healthy relationships with your friends and family, is secondary to that, at least when you’re on deadline.

So when you’re not writing your pages for the day, think about this: How important is it to you to get published with a conventional publisher? Are you writing for yourself and maybe a few friends? Are you writing for the self-published market? All of these are legitimate goals, but keep in mind that the wider an audience you’d like for your work, the more attention you’ll need to pay to the publishing marketplace and how it works. An author actively pursuing commercial success—whether they’re self-published or writing for a big New York house—has to do a lot of thinking about where their book fits with current trends. That’s not to say it has to be exactly on trend, but you should know what makes your baby the same as or different from everyone else’s baby. Once you know where you fit in among all the genres and sub-genres, you can decide whether or not you’re happy with that choice.

Unfortunately, I can’t tell you whether it’s you’ll be more commercially successful if you are original or stick to a tried and true formula. I can say that traditional publishing is usually more comfortable with something they know has appealed to book buyers in the past.

So, it’s never too early to start looking around at what other writers are doing to appeal to the kind of reader you want. Find writers whose work is kinda sorta like what you want to do. They are a great jumping-off point for your research. As well as reading their books, you can go look at their web sites, read magazines like Publishers Weekly or Romantic Times, and get involved with discussion groups on places like Goodreads. When you go to pitch your book to an editor or agent, one of the first questions they’ll ask is, “Who do you write like?” This is how you start getting ready for that moment.

Because, trust me, if you keep at it and do your homework, that pitch appointment will come.

Currently working on: Revisions read-throughs
Mood:  Critical

We adopted our current dog, Talullah, as a puppy, and you know those cute puppy videos you see on YouTube? Yeah, we never got any of those.

From the very beginning, she was an absolute monster. Hence her nickname, Monster Girl. She was a biter, a runner, a not-listening-to-anything-you-sayer. She fought the leash. She fought bedtime. She fought other puppies. She was the worst puppy in puppy school. For months, she made me swear and/or cry on a daily basis.

What made the situation particularly bad was that our previous dog, Hannah, was The World’s Best Dog ™ so in comparison Talullah suffered. Not as much as she made us suffer, of course.

While reading a gazillion dog manuals — from positive-only reinforcement to shock collars, Cesar Milan psychology to Schutzhund training — I stumbled across a concept used with hunting dogs. The trainer suggested there are hard/soft dogs and fast/slow dogs that (and I’m paraphrasing a bit here) combine into four dog learning styles: hard-fast dogs and hard-slow dogs, soft-fast dogs and soft-slow dogs. Any of those dogs could become good hunters, but each require a different training style.

Something clicked for me. (See? I too can be clicker trained.) Hannah had been a soft-fast dog. She was incredibly attentive and interested in pleasing, and quick to pick up on anything we wanted. She made us think we were awesome dog owners because she was so easy.

Talullah is a hard-slow dog. Corrections that would have crushed a soft dog like Hannah (scowls made Hannah slink away, even scowls not directed at her) didn’t make a dent on Talullah. And though both dogs would set similar get-to-the-tennis-ball racing speeds, Hannah was quicker to master a task. Which is not to say that Talullah is a dumb dog, but she likes to work through problems herself, given the opportunity. It was me that was dumb!

Once I realized that T had her own style — a style completely opposite from her predecessor — we started making progress. T was a slower learner, but we could also work a little longer, where Hannah would have been bored and causing trouble in half the time. Getting through to Talullah had me and her knocking heads a few times, but as a hard dog, she doesn’t give up, and neither did I.

So, when it comes to hunting down your own dreams, what kind of dog are you?

I had a soft-slow dog writer friend. Harsh critiques could shut her down for weeks, and she couldn’t stand to have other people mess with her words on the page. She wanted feedback, but it had to be presented in a certain way, and she wanted to apply the feedback herself. Once she’d made her needs clear, our critique group was fine, but we had a few rough sessions before we learned our styles.

I have a hard-fast dog writing style. Given too long a line, I will run to the end and choke myself. Gentle criticism like “you might want to think about” or “have you considered” won’t stop me; I need to hear feedback like I just received recently: “You can’t do this because you are going to scare the editor.” Huh, okay then.

The trick, of course, is not just knowing what kind of dog we are, but getting other people to give us what we need to thrive. You can’t always get people to play along, so sometimes it helps to reimagine them yourself .

For example, I always take apart the revision letters my editor sends me and make it what I need it to be. My editor is great about giving me praise, but I’m a hard-fast dog A pat on the head is fabulous, no doubt, but I do my best with quick, firm directions. I read the praise, bask in the glow a moment… and then I delete it, so all I have left are the problems that need action steps. I am happy when I have a nice, stark list without warm fuzzies getting in the way.

Whatever dreams we’re after, it helps to know ourselves first. I think we can all be good hunters once we know what we need to succeed.

What kind of dog are you? Do you have tricks to make the world give you the treats you need?

I do love it when a cunning plan comes together.

So, even though I don’t like talking much about books in progress, here we go. It’s my second Nocturne. I haven’t left myself a lot of time for this draft, but that’s okay because for once I think I know where I’m going. Better yet, my characters do.

Last fall, a friend and I took a trip down the coast to go to a convention, but decided not to go through Vancouver and down the I-5, but to take the Port Angeles ferry and some of the less highly-travelled roads. This has three advantages: less of a border wait, less traffic, and more scenery. Plus, some of this is the route my characters travel in this story, which is a bit of a chase story.

If you live in the Pacific Northwest (or have seen the Twilight movies), you’ll recognize the landscape. The further south one goes, the more the trees shift from conifers to deciduous trees, which in the fall (when my book is set) provides some splashes of colour. The other brilliant thing is the number of ferries involved with some routes through Washington. Plenty of opportunities for near-misses with bad guys.

Another setting I’ve already scoped out is the ubiquitous fall fair. I’ve always thought there was a slightly creepy element to midways. Because the story involves a mom and her little boy (as well as a dog, a vampire having a crisis of conscience, and some evil scientists) I thought a fair was perfect for this kind of story. Lots of places to lose a child.

What happens next? That would be a spoiler. Plus, it’s all subject to change. But I have my map, a plan, and plenty of photos, so I’m good to go. I’ll let you know more when I get there!

Currently working on: One trilogy proposal, one novella revision, one novella brainstorming, one Portland stock signing tour, plus convention prep
Mood: Deer-in-headlights mode

Here’s the thing: I know how to say no. I just don’t say it.

Well, that’s not entirely true. I do say it when I want to. Sometimes I say it politely, sometimes I say it with derisive laughter. But lately, I haven’t been saying it because most of the things I’ve had the opportunity to say no to are either too fun to reject or too necessary.

And so I say yes. Sometimes with glee, sometimes with a long-suffering sigh. But either way it goes on my to-do list.

Self-help types make saying no sound so easy. And sometimes it is easy. “You say the toilet needs to be scrubbed? Nah…” But if saying no was easy, we wouldn’t need self-help types. I think my biggest problem is that I secretly like to multi-task. The stress makes me feel more alive. Maybe that’s just my blood pressure rising, but it counts.

Confession: Yesterday, I put something on my to-do list that I knew I wasn’t going to do just so I could cross it off later when I confirmed I wasn’t going to do it. See? I know how to say no.

I like making lists, often in colored pen on colored sticky notes, and even better do I like crossing things off. But it’s gotten to the point where I need a master list to keep track of the sub-lists. This is ridiculous. And March is already half over!

Right now, I’m still holding it together, but I’m afraid just a few more things — or maybe just one more thing if it was on fire — could put me beyond my juggling capacity. So here’s my plan going forward:

1. Triage existing yes’s and back out deadlines to clarify workflow.

2. Rev up the no machine and evaluate all incoming requests/opportunities with an eye on existing schedule.

3. Stock more chocolate.

I’ll let you know how it goes. Or you’ll just hear me screaming.

I’m behind getting this blog up because I had a stressful day yesterday which morphed into a no-sleep zone. I’ve reached the stage of life where staying up all night is no longer entertaining, even for a first-class freak-out. Today I feel—and probably look—like road kill hopped up on bad coffee.

I’m not sure I should be driving a computer under these conditions. Sleep-deprived blogging may have similar effects to drunk dialling, causing right-minded people to flee in dismay. A cautious approach would be to adhere to the safest of topics. A recipe, say, or favourite television shows. However, there’s a limited fun-factor in being completely safe—although I have to say I love having both the US and UK versions of Being Human on at the same time. They’re both brilliant fun.

Failing food and TV, I could make pithy observations, if I had any. I don’t. No grand insights, nor even a little one. As I lay awake grinding my teeth, I tried creating possible slogans/bumper stickers for the occasion:

· In case of stress, take two C-4 and call me in the morning.
· Darth Maul is my therapist. Annoy me at your own risk.
· Do fast zombies drink Starbucks?

Yep, I’m tired. Definitely not my best work.

So, instead of being my ruthlessly clever self, I got up, bought flowers on the way to work, and got busy. The demons win if they make you stumble, and they don’t lie awake worrying about it.

After I post this, I’ll fall on my face for the night. To misquote George Herbert – sleeping well is the best revenge.

Currently working on: Laundry
Mood: Squeaky clean

I’m posting a bit late since I just returned from a week in New York City. I was attending a published author conference and had SO MUCH FUN!… I mean, it was sooooo much work. (Just in case my XY is reading this.)

Our conference hotel was the Millennium Broadway just off Times Square. I feel like I am not a complete rube, but in New York, I am definitely a country mouse. So many people in such a compact space — there are actual pedestrian traffic jams — make me just a little crazy. But the energy is undeniable. Or maybe that’s all the power pulsing through the light bulbs on Times Square.

Since DARKNESS UNDONE officially released last Tuesday, I did a stock

signing tour of every bookstore in Manhattan I could find that carried a copy of the book. If you live in the New York area, you can find signed copies of DARKNESS UNDONE at almost all the Barnes & Nobles. You’ll find me lurking in the vicinity of Nalini Singh and Gena Showalter.

My roommate, historical author Delilah Marvelle and I hiked all over NYC. I Google Pedometered our route afterward; we hiked 8.5 MILES! Truly pounding pavement. But the sore feet were well worth it starting off with breakfast with fabulous bookseller, Stacey of Posman Books. Not only does the store have a glorious romance section, it is located in Grand Central Station. How cool is that?

I also had the chance to meet Carla from Book Monster Reviews who along with book friend Karina joined me, Laurie London and Erin Kellison for a beautiful spring day in Bryant Park. We sat for a couple hours, talking about books and eating Crumbs Bake Shop cupcakes. I think that might qualify as a little slice of heaven. Although the black bottom cheesecake brownie cupcake contains over a thousand calories (according to the placard at the shop) I felt entirely justified because of the aforementioned 8.5 MILES.

From the New York Central Library, a quote  from John Milton:

A good book is the precious lifeblood of a master spirit, embalmed and treasured up on purpose to a life beyond life.

I’m sure he would have added friends and cupcakes too, had he thought about it.

I brought back some goodies to share (no cupcakes though) and am doing a giveaway through my newsletter. Sign up here.

Ah, New York, I miss you already.

[Note from Jessa: I randomly follow people on Twitter who seem interesting. And then I randomly follow people who those people are following. I'm pretty sure that's how Twitter is supposed to work, and that's how I found Michele Fogal. Michele is working on a science fiction series, the Wild Seed series, that reminds me a little of Octavia Butler and got my mind whirling with this quote:  "There is always that one seed that is different from all the others. Within life’s endless genetics, something new and awe inspiring is always ready to emerge. Call it mutation or aberration or divine intervention, it is the wild magic that spurs us forward." Cool, yeah? Today, she's talking about her favorite sci-fi hero. You can read more of her work here.]

When I think of my favourite guy characters, I always think of Miles Vorkosigan from Lois McMaster Bujold’s sci-fi series. He’s not your typical hero, not even close. He’s just over 4 feet tall for starters, not to mention that his bones were compromised when his mother was pregnant with him and was the victim of a political assassination plot. She was poisoned and he barely survived. There’s no rippling abs here, no tall, no dark, no handsome. Quirky is just one of the first impressions you might have, but if you’re like me, you’ll wind up at HOT just like I did.

It’s not his hunchback that does it, nor his disproportionately large head. It’s not even his beautiful eyes that keep me hooked book after book to his struggles and triumphs. It’s his spirit. He is so damn relentless and uncrushable. Sure he gets crushed, hell often his brittle bones are stomped to dust, but he comes back again and again with a razor sharp wit, a genius level intellect and his uniquely tuned emotional compass that leads him in and out of trouble. He’s a raw human man. He’s seen real tragedy and hardship and he’s survived it.

Maybe it’s his embarrassment at times about his appearance that won me over, or the swift jutting up of his chin as he refuses to be snubbed, or his hilarious snarky come backs, or his deep understanding of real suffering, or the way he can talk an upset child out of a locked bathroom, or his unending energy to make things right… but really, I’m not just trying to be PC or pitying him when I say that he is the most attractive male character I’ve ever read. I have a serious book crush on him. If he were physically real (and I weren’t married) I’d be all over that action. (Note that I couldn’t bring myself to say that he’s not in-some-way real).

The series that he stars in is also unique and quirky. Each book is a stand-alone that covers a particular time in his life, and like no other series I know of, you REALLY CAN read them in any order. It’s like meeting someone really interesting. You don’t have to know all about their childhood on the first date. The pleasure is in finding it all out, a piece at a time. If you want to read about the great love of his life (that could be a spoiler) I’d start with “Miles in Love” (a title and cover I’m not thrilled about but oh well). It is a compiled tome of 2 of her books, “Komarr” and “A Civil Campaign.” There are lots of other books in the series that feature good love stories, but even those without the romance kept me rushing forward headlong without missing this element that is normally essential in the books I read.

There’s great world-building without long boring descriptions and explanations, there’s intrigue and mystery, suspense and action, amazing character building and most of all, a growing or mounting sense of getting to really live inside the world that Bujold has created. She really is a master storyteller, and this isn’t her only series or her only super-spicy leading man!

As a Sci-fi writer myself, I would say Bujold is one of my largest influences. If you give her a try, I’d love to hear what you think! Thanks so much to Jessa Slade who invited me to rant about this! I think Sci-fi in general is about to come around to more spicy romances, and I’m doing my part to make this happen.

You can find my blog here: www.michelefogal.com (I just launched it and am super excited about it!) And I’ve got more about books and all things Sci-fi & Fantasy on Twitter, Goodreads and Facebook.

Question for our readers, who we know appreciate paranormal romance: How do you feel about science fiction romance? Are there aspects of SFR that attract you or tend to turn you off? Or do SFR (science fiction romance) and PNR (paranormal romance) seem very similar to you since they both contain “fantastical” elements?

Are libraries what they used to be?

Opinions abound. I’m not a librarian, but I am a patron and an author so I find myself listening with intense interest. And it’s not just the tax dollars/budget part of the discussion I take note of. It’s the very nature of libraries that’s fascinating to me.

This past summer, I had the opportunity to visit the New York Public Library and say hello to the famous lions. All the little collections want to grow up to be this marvel. It’s more than a collection of books; it’s a breathtaking monument, a gallery of historical treasures, and a repository of knowledge so vast it’s breathtaking. NYCPL is far more than our typical definition of a place to go borrow books. Like New York itself, it’s a destination.

On the other end of the spectrum were my childhood libraries. Way back then, the Edmonton Public Library children’s section had a little petting zoo with doves, rabbits, and guinea pigs. As a kid without pets, I was there every weekend for my bunny fix. The outing was always as a family, and everyone walked out with a stack of reading material. I think this is one reason why I became a great reader—some households did the mall or the skating rink, we did books and that little collection of furry friends.

My school library was no less important. The school was an open plan, the library at the centre. Any assemblies—whether for singing carols or holding parades or (for some reason I can’t recall) rolling giant string balls around—happened in and around the shelves of books. It was at the middle of everything. Okay, so these childhood libraries weren’t New York, but they were every bit as significant in their own way. They reflected and formed a huge part of my school years.

The thing is, libraries aren’t just books, or ebooks, or DVDs, or whatever else we decide to loan. Done right, they’re an expression of the community they serve. Some will be an expression of civic pride. Some will be a place for kids to play. Others, like the one across the street from my workplace, will be a place where office workers like me can catch a breath on their noon hour. Everything moves faster in that branch, like the whole building is caught up in the downtown bustle. And let’s not forget the collections springing up on-line. Where we go, so too go our libraries.

So I wonder when folks say these institutions aren’t what they used to be. Of course they aren’t, and that’s not necessarily a bad thing. We change. They change to mirror us. It’s up to us, as a community, what we see. Our responsibility is to ensure they reflect our values.

Currently working on: Packing!
Mood: Yikes!

As you read this, I am probably in an airport, longing for free wifi, or maybe on an airplane in between Portland and New York which are REALLY far away from each other if you consult a map. (It’s also possible that as you read this, I am still packing since I’m typing this sorta late on Sunday night. But there’s no point going to sleep since I’m going to be up at OMG o’clock to be at the airport at 4:30 a.m.)

All this week I’m attending the PASIC industry conference where a bunch of writerly and publishery types get together and talk books. In New York! Heaven!

My excitement is all the greater because book 4 of the Marked Souls DARKNESS UNDONE releases on Tuesday. While I am in New York! If ever there is a place to celebrate a book release, it must be New York. There are COUNTLESS (trust me, I tried Google mapping them) bookstores on the relatively small island of Manhattan; these people love their books. I’ll be stocksigning every copy of DARKNESS UNDONE I can find in Manhattan, so if you live there, off you go.

If you live elsewhere and would like a signed bookplate instead, please contact me.

Shameless plug:

Amazon | Book Depository | Barnes & Noble
Powells | Indie Bound | Indigo | Blackstone Audio

Since I AM still packing (hey, it’s not even 11 p.m.!) I’m going to cut this short, but you’ll find PLENTY of my words as I’m guest posting all over the blogosphere this week and next, so please come say hey and comment for a chance to win books ‘n’ stuff.

Today:

March 5: I’m being interviewed at My Bookish Ways (hopefully sounding erudite and/or readable). And check out the fabulous review!:

“Jessa Slade has created a rich, dark, complex world and populated it with equally complex characters.”
– My Bookish Ways

Coming soon:

March 6: Wherein I reveal that I am a terrible liar at Paranormal Freebies.

March 7: Sharing the love for nerd heroes with the Book Reading Gals.

March 8: The important of first — and second — kisses at Romanceaholic.

March 9: “Clothes make the man” (so where are my heroes’ shirts?!) at Seeing Night.

March 12: Seeing the good in bad guys at Good Choice Reading.

March 13: Pull up a chair, a book, and a cup of tea at Tea & Book.

March 14: Delving historically deep with Vanessa Kelly.

And if you missed them:

March 1: I’m at Book Monster Reviews today talking about the visual side of writing.

March 2: Mayhem at SciFi Guy! Choose your favorite weapon!

From:  LolCatMan
To:  Lynn Viehl
Subject:  Darkyn Shopping List

From Richard Tremayne by the Grace of God High Lord of the Darkyn, Chosen Ruler of the Realms, Territories and Jardins, Defender of Truth and Eternity, to Our highly annoying and damnably persistent mortal ally Lynn Viehl, greetings.

We have learned that you have chosen to entertain the masses with new tales of our personal lives, and once more risk exposing our existence to the mortal world.  While we should feel extremely displeased with you, we are in a mood to be generous.  As long as your readers continue to believe these “Darkyn novels” to be fictional we shall not trouble ourselves to hunt you down and persuade you to desist.

Since you are thus determined to revisit our dark world for your own profit, we would have you employ a portion of your earnings to obtain certain items for which we have pressing need.  Following is our first list of these products which, if they do not presently exist, should be invented immediately:

Copper Detector:  It is the only substance on Earth lethal to our kind, yet you mortals use copper in damn near everything:  coins, autos, laptops, telephones, door handles – do you know how often we have burned ourselves simply changing the batteries on a TV remote?  A small proximity alarm device we might clip to our scabbards would prevent future unwanted injuries.

Crystal Dark:  You mortals have some ten thousand flavoring mixes to add to bottled water; we Kyn simply want the same variety to add to the only beverage we may consume.

Fang Block:  Our warriors have complained loudly about the inconvenience they suffer when a nubile young female they mean to seduce suddenly draws back in horror and points a trembling finger at the razor-sharp canines protruding from their mouth.  Some sort of fitted covering that the men could pass off as a whitening strip would probably work best.

Insta-Tan:  We understand that the pallid look has become utterly passé, so we request for our lords and ladies a spray-on product that can tint their immortal flesh a temporary golden brown (but will not leave unsightly streaks on their god-like countenances or turn their medieval battle scars orange.)

Irreversible Mortgage:  You have neglected to note that all banking institutions close long before the Kyn rise to walk the night.  Walking about through the night is all my many suzerain and their warriors shall be doing in the future if they can’t obtain the proper credit to purchase residences and property of their own.  Consider as an incentive the fact that the Darkyn are the only beings on earth who may now live long enough to actually pay off these mortgages.  No adjustable rates, please.

Multi-Use Personal Groomer:  As you are aware our hair and nails grow spontaneously to annoying lengths, which presents no difficulty when we are at the stronghold and can summon a housewench to give us a trim (for my own needs I personally employ ten barbers.)  While on extended journeys away from the jardin, however, waking up with four yards of new hair and nails that could poke out an eye on the next block is somewhat more challenging to explain.  This device should be small, powerful and simple to operate.  Please remember to coat the edges of the blades with copper or we shall destroy the device the first time we use it.

Photo Stop:  One simply cannot escape the endless barrage of smartphones and point-and-shoots being wielded by mortals, and we are quite weary of seeing the immortal visages of our kind show up on Flickr vacation photostreams.  Please develop a program that will allow us to instantly delete any unauthorized Kyn image on the web and deliver a massive electrical charge to the originating device or the nosy mortal who posted it.

Scent Masker:  While we appreciate the many benefits provided by l’attrait, the pheremonal fragrance exuded by our eternal bodies, the effects on mortals in crowded spaces can result in our being mobbed by hundreds of inadvertently adoring love slaves.  Please make this neutralizer available in containers sized appropriately for pocket, vehicle and stronghold use.

Scotchguard for Armani:  Have you even the slightest idea as to how impossible it is to get bloodstains out of a designer silk jacket?  I thought not.

Zealot Anger Management and Immortal Tolerance Online Courses:  It is true that the Brethren are homicidal fanatics who for the last seven centuries have been hunting, torturing and stealing DNA from our kind, but we also understand that no mortal is perfect.  Please provide us with a copy of all the e-mail and ISP addresses of those who enroll in these much-needed courses so we can stop in to offer our personal support.

We trust you will attend to this at once, Lynn, else you can be sure you will hear again from us in a much more personal and painful fashion.

Dictated at Ì Àrd this first day of March in the nine hundred forty-sixth year of our reign.

Tremayne

P.S.  Éliane sends her love, and asks if you were able to locate your grandmother’s recipe for brazo de Gitano, which she wishes to serve to the next mortals who visit the island.  I confess, I also find myself quite interested in the makings of this dessert – must one chop off the arm of an authentic gypsy to properly prepare it, or will an upper limb from any mortal suffice?

*     *     *

Dear readers, now it’s YOUR turn to help out the poor vampires. Come up with a useful product for vampire-kind and post your comment for a chance to win Provence flower-themed goodies plus a signed copy of NIGHTBORN.

Need more helpful info about Viehl’s vampires? Check out NIGHTBORN at:
Amazon  |  Barnes & Noble  |  Books-A-Million

Included in the giveaway:

A signed copy of NIGHTBORN

A book tote (hand quilted and beaded by me)

A decorative bird pillow with a real lavender sachet (also hand made by me)

A tube of lavender incense

A bookmark with a seed-embedded component to plant and grow into flowers

(Winner will be drawn Sunday at midnight Eastern time. Contest open worldwide!)