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Sunday, August 15, 2010

When I’m not writing… By Leah Cypess & Giveaway

Leah Cypess author photo 1

 

 

I announced last Saturday this new feature, and Leah Cypess is the first author to dive fearlessly in this project! Leah is a debut author, and her first book Mistwood (you can read my review here) hit the shelves on  April 2010. I honestly never would have guessed what she does in her free time, so keep on reading to find out!

 

 

 

notwriting

One of the things I love to do, when I’m not writing, is to exercise. I’ve gone through many types of exercise, with walking and biking being the most constant. I even used to do gymnastics on a very, very amateur level, until I hurt my back trying to learn a forward flip and was told by a chiropractor that “Gymnastics will eventually destroy every bone in your body.” At which point, being sensible, I took a summer off and then went right back to it.

What eventually ended my gymnastics career was not any sense of self-preservation, but my law school schedule. (Which probably wasn’t so great for my health either, come to think of it.)

Fortunately, in law school I moved on to my new exercise obsession: playing DDR, or Dance Dance Revolution. Observe:



That’s pretty much what I look like. Except a little taller and much less cute.

I discovered this game in New Roc City, an arcade in New Rochelle, NY, along with my sisters. It was two dollars per game at that arcade, and we played for several very expensive hours. Then we found out that they had the game in Coney Island, a ten-minute drive or bike ride from our home. Those were only one dollar per game… but we went almost every night. And finally, toward the middle of the summer, we bought the game, the dance pads, and a Playstation 2.

Best investment ever.

DDR is the kind of game where, in order to get good, you have to first look idiotic. I am not naturally very coordinated, so for several months I looked intensely idiotic. It’s amazing to me that my sisters, who are more graceful than I am, not only allowed me to play with them in public but never suggested that I pretend not to know them.

For a long time, I was obsessed with this game. I could close my eyes, hear the music, and envision the flashing arrows. I played for hours at a time. It was much healthier than my previous game addiction, which was minesweeper.

Eventually, though, my addiction faded. I got to the point where I could pass all the games at the expert level, I moved to Boston while my sisters stayed in New York, and then a couple with a year-old baby moved into the apartment below me. Having a one- year-old myself, I am aware that if I interrupted naptime by pounding on their ceiling, no jury would convict them for whatever they chose to do to me. So my dance mats now live forlornly behind the TV.

But recently I was browsing on amazon and discovered that there are new DDR games out, and I don’t even know about them! And I began to wonder if the baby downstairs has a regular nap schedule yet. More importantly, I wonder if it coincides with my baby’s nap schedule. Maybe it’s time to make friends with my neighbors…

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Thank you very much Leah for sharing this tidbit of your life! Maybe I should get one, It sure sounds like a way to stay in good shape lol Not sure my downstairs neighbor would agree though

Now on to the giveaway!

Leah is offering… 1 signed copy of Mistwood!

9780061956997 The Shifter is an immortal creature bound by an ancient spell to protect the kings of Samorna. When the realm is peaceful, she retreats to the Mistwood. But when she is needed she always comes.

Isabel remembers nothing. Nothing before the prince rode into her forest to take her back to the castle. Nothing about who she is supposed to be, or the powers she is supposed to have. Prince Rokan needs Isabel to be his Shifter. He needs her ability to shift to animal form, to wind, to mist. He needs her lethal speed and superhuman strength. And he needs her loyalty—because without it, she may be his greatest threat. Isabel knows that her prince is lying to her, but she can't help wanting to protect him from the dangers and intrigues of the court . . . until a deadly truth shatters the bond between them.

Now Isabel faces a choice that threatens her loyalty, her heart . . . and everything she thought she knew.

Giveaway is open INTERNATIONALY (Thank you Leah!)

To enter, please FILL THE FORM

Leah would also like to know your own most fun or favorite type of exercise, please let us know in a comment!

You don’t have to be a follower, but you are responsible for claiming your prize.

Ends August 21st, 2010

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Enjoyed this post? There will be more “When I’m not writing…” post in the future!

Please visit This Page to find out who my future guests are, and a chance to suggest authors you would like to see featured!

Authors, you would like to visit and share with us?

Please email me at TyngaUF(a)gmail.com

Tynga is a 32 years old mom of two, from Montreal, working as a lab technician in an hospital specialized in heart disease. In her free time, she enjoys reading all things Paranormal and photography.

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40 People left their mark' :

  1. i love this new feature. such a cool idea :) and how cute is that kid? i am too unco for those games, LOL.

    i like going for walks - i live 5 mins from the beach, but prefer the bush (also 5 mins away). my track follows a creek and ususally i see wildlife in there (snakes, goanna, kangaroos, echidna, once - a koala :)

    and thanks for the give-away. this one has been sitting on my wish-list. so, fingers crossed :)

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  2. I'm addicted to martial arts- it's my favorite way to excercise. If you think it's not excercise, try smashing 100 boards in an hour and see how exhausting it is. : P

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  3. Does Reading count? more then likely not could be why my docter keeps telling me to excercise.LOL
    sasluvbooks(at)yahoo.com

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  4. SLEEP! Is my favorite way to excercise... :D
    Thanks for the international!

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  5. I'm not particularly interested in excercising, except that I love going for walks.

    Thank you for the giveaway. :)

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  6. My favorite types of exercise would be running and aerobics. ^^

    vesipisaroita [at] gmail [dot] com

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  7. My favorite exercise is to walk on the wood trails in our town. I see so many animals.
    twoofakind12@yahoo.com

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  8. Using Wii sports with the board is really fun. You can heaps of things like hula hoops, boxing, snow boarding etc. I really enjoy it.

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  9. right now I really like the wii fit. It's so much fun I don't even feel like I am exercising.

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  10. :O lol at considering nap times and making friends to know the napping schedule!

    but anyway, mine uhm.. I don't like to exercise, but I've been forcing myself to jog recently. and if I don't have my headache, then dance like an idiot LOL. oh oh sit ups. I used to play badminton a loooooot, and now I'm trying basketball. Love cycling around :D

    oh and thank you for the giveaway :D

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  11. I never played DDR but it sounds soooo fun! My favorite exercise? I love to play basketball (even if right now I have nobody to play with >_<). I used to be also very good at martial arts, but same story as you with gymnastics. ;_;

    Thank you for making the giveaway international! :D

    Giada M.

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  12. Hmm...i prefer to run. It's good for clearing the mind:)

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  13. I admit I am completely full of the LAZIES! But I guess when I actually do manage to get up and out I love walking with my kids along the waterfront downtown and then stopping to splash in the water at the beach!

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  14. I'm good at table games (that counts?), but my favorite sport is swimming :)

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  15. I dislike just about every form of exercise which is crazy when I consider the amount of dance classes I went to as a kid.
    I did enjoy martial arts many, many years ago.
    Nowadays I just walk everywhere including a mile uphill to work everyday. The walking is OK but mainly I enjoy the view and the fresh air.

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  16. DDR is pretty fun. Hula hooping on Wii Sports is a pretty good short burst kind of workout. I wish the pool in my apt complex weren't so dinky (and full of bratlets) because I used to swim competitively, and swimming to me is just the greatest all-over body workout. And you keep cool and can't tell you're sweating!

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  17. I am not very good about exercising. Haven't found a favorite yet. Tore923@aol.com

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  18. My favorite type of exercise is riding the bike (you know the one where you sit and pedal and it doesn't go anywhere) in my laundry room while watching some sort of tv show. I ride the bike for at least 20 minutes...although I should try for more.

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  19. I like walking. That's about the limit of my exercise! In my free time I like reading and playing on the computer. I do play video games with the boys occasionally. I have a bunch of Burnout games that I love, because the whole point to the game is to wreck! That sure helps burn off stress!

    meredithfl at gmail dot com

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  20. Sometimes my husband, daughter and I will play badminton, but it's so hot outside it doesn't happen very often.

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  21. About 2 years ago, I discovered spinning classes and I'm totally hooked on it. You burn as many calories as running, but with no pounding strain on your joints.

    Thanks for the giveaway.

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  22. I love zumba, step aerobics, and hiking. I actually love to work out and do it a lot. Thanks for sharing your DDR obsession!

    I've been wanting to read this book for some time. Thanks for the interview!

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  23. What a great giveaway! Thank you so much!

    My favorite type of exercise is running or playing outside with my kids. With two little ones there's never a dole moment.

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  24. I like walking, especially in fall.

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  25. I like to play Wii Fit games

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  26. I love DDR but haven't done it in a while. I don't exercise too much b/c I get short of breath really easily. Unless...does playing with my almost 2 yr old sister count?

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  27. No exercise is fun unless I make my sister suffer with me, lol. ;)

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  28. Sounds great! :) My favourite type of exercise is swimming. It's cool (literally) and you don't feel your sweat.

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  29. My favorite type of exercise is softball or hip hop dance class! Thanks for the giveaway!

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  30. What a fun new feature! :) How great of Leah to share her love of DDR! I've only tried it a few times and never made it past the awkward/flailing stage. My favorite type of exercise is walking along wooded trails. Thank you for hosting this giveaway!

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  31. So glad that we can include page turning in this because that is the most excercise I get! Sometimes it exhausts me!

    Great giveaway and thanks for making it international!

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  32. That's a cool way to exercise! I've always wanted to try D.D.R but I think I'd be an epic fail...

    I'm not a fan of exercise...I hate it. But since I bought my Wii I have been doing more and more. I bought the Outdoor Challenge game (Active Life) and it's really cool. And the Wii Fit is excellent for people like me...lazy people that can't stand to workout. I love to do aerobics every morning, but it have a lot of options.

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  33. My favorite type of exercise is Dance Aerobics. But I love anything that deals with the outdoors as well.

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  34. My favorite form of exercise is cycling

    Misha

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  35. I'm very lazy, so I always have to make efforts to move and exercise. But when I do I like to walk/hike and do some yoga :-) (love the meditation, relaxing part best ;-p lol)

    Thank you for the great giveaway!

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  36. I would have to say my favorite type of exercise is dancing. Of course, I hardly ever go dancing anymore now that I'm not in college...which means I never get any exercise!

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  37. hahahaa not much of a exercise person either but if i had to pick one i would say tredmill

    Thanks for making it international!!!

    fantasy4eva@hotmail.com

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  38. Swimming! I love swimming, and I don't be like fooling around in the water, I love to swim laps! :P

    Thanks for the great giveaway!

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