Blog Archives

Welcome!

Hey everyone! I’m happy to see you here. Have some of this wonderful pie I made just for you. It’s delish, I promise. There’s also coffee and tea if you want it, so just make yourself at home and let’s get out of this heat for a bit.

Several of you wanted to see a pic of my tatt. Originally, I posted a pic just after I had it done, before the scabs came off. (That sounds gross, huh?) Anyway, when it finally healed, I was disappointed to find that there were spaces with no ink and other areas where the shading was much lighter.

I recently found a wonderful artist and she fixed it all up. Yay! So, here’s what it looks like now….

I don’t know why my phone is taking such fuzzy shots; I tried several different places with different lighting, but this was the best I could get. Sorry about the poor quality. But, as you can see, it’s all one shade, dark, and no empty spaces. I couldn’t be happier. Now, I can plan my next one, squee!!!

Since Honey had the week off (woohoo!), I’ve been terribly lazy about writing. However, Tangi and I stumbled upon a new idea that may help propel her story forward and eliminate even more of the knotty tangles that keep cropping up. So that’s something, right?

Well, I’m off. Gotta do my Saturday stuff and I want to get back before the heat really cranks up. Lots of terrible stuff happening around the world this week. Lots of people in my thoughts and prayers.

I’m really glad you stopped by ๐Ÿ™‚

Stay safe out there!

>News, Updates, And Stuff

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Wow, what a summer, huh? I hope everyone is surviving the terrible heat wave we’ve been having. Although, yesterday and today have been dreamy. For me, anyway.

I have all kinds of news. First, I gotta say-I’m not too sure about the new blogger. The dashboard is weird and creating this post is interesting. By the time I finish this, I’ll now more about whether I like it or not. Anyway….some news.

When I got my tattoo, I was disappointed when the scabs came off. There were spaces with no ink, and parts were lighter than others. Everyone told me that the guy who did it doesn’t do touch-ups for free. His online reviews said the same thing. Sorry. I’m not paying someone to fix their mistakes.

I recently found someone else and had it redone. Guess what? I have ink in all the right places! And no weird shading, either. Yay! Know what else? She said that if there were still spaces or shades, she would fix it. For free. Um hmm. She will get all my business in the future. (Yes, NOW I can plan for my next one *happy face!*)

In other news, my former teacher GOT ME INTO THE CLASS!!!! Yes, Friends, I will be graduating in December. Finally!

Now for writing news. My intended goals have been shelved and that’s okay. I’m not good at forcing creativity. The new shiny I mentioned before is patiently waiting and I really hope to begin working on it again before the summer is over.

To date, I’ve written 4 short stories and I have 2 more that I really want to get completed. I’ve learned a few things during this process. For example, I can’t write humor. My hat is off to those of you who can.

Fortunately, my Muse knows this and steers my path into other directions. Basically meaning that the ideas I’ve started with have consistently morphed into something else. I’ve also discovered how difficult it is to keep short stories short. William found several magazines who want stories between 3 and 6K, and a few more that want them up to 8k. I’m averaging 4+ to just over 6k.

The weird thing is, just like during nano, I’m finding naptime at work to be extremely conducive to writing. Yay for sleeping children ๐Ÿ™‚

Speaking of weirdness, I’m ready for this:

Yep, the rainy, cloudy weather we’ve had the last 2 days has put me in the mood for fall and all its accouterments. Part of it may be my desire to leave summer behind and get on with cooler weather. (Okay, a lot of it!)

Mostly, though, it’s because I like to decorate the house in fall and winter. I don’t really do much decorating in spring and summer….

Lastly, has anyone seen the new Harry Potter movie? If you’re planning to go, a word of advice. Take Kleenex. Especially if you’ve read the books, because you’ll be able to appreciate what’s happening on a deeper level. Yes, there are changes and differences, but it’s still a wonderful ending to the series. I want to go back.

One of the things I really liked about it was these guys finally got their due in the movies…..

That’s it for now. I hope you’re home, cause I’m dropping by for a visit!

>HEY!!!!!

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Well, more like a quick visit to say hello and see what’s going on with everyone. 

It’s been a little crazy the last several weeks. Initially, I took time off to work on my two wip’s. Part of the way in, I realized that Tangi had backed off again, though I did manage to get several scenes written and a few others sketched out. Hopefully, they can be used. ***update: as I was writing this, she showed me something!***

With the nano book, I rewrote the beginning (I learned that agents won’t read anything beginning with someone waking from a nightmare.) The new intro is actually much better than the original, so that’s a plus. Then, I found myself rewriting the whole thing, not something I have time for and it was loosing something in the retelling. So I decided that I would try and just rewrite pages at a time.

Finding how difficult and time consuming that was becoming, I decided to put both wip’s on hold and follow another idea. (Can you spot the ADHD coming into play here?) One that I’m keeping under wraps for right now. But the neat thing was that it would be quicker and aimed at a wider target. Cool, right? Well, it was cool, for about a week. I was 10,653 words into the new project when the A/C went out. During the hottest week in May. (Director’s father said his porch read 103 degrees F.)  And the prednisone was still coursing wildly through my system. Yep, a total meltdown occurred. At one point, I simply started crying and was unable to stop. *Sigh*

Since about the age of 14, I’ve been unable to abide extreme heat. I’m told it’s probably a hormonal thing. I’m no better than a wrung out dish rag. So all writing/blogging/and facebooking came to a screeching halt. Eight days later, we had air again *silent prayer of thanksgiving* but the damage was done. I’d lost all my motivation. The writing train had derailed. Three weeks passed. Not one word written.

Till William came back to the Center for the summer! He’s my only face-to-face friend that writes and understands/gets excited about all things writerly. He’d done some research about short stories and where to submit them. Since we’re both pushed for time, we decided to concentrate on shorts, working on the wip’s when time allowed or the muses insisted. We’re both writing like crazy and I’m finding it fun and challenging. I’m finding he’s also quite the crit buddy!

Since this is a longer weekend, I hope to get a few more written, (I’ve sketched out ideas for several!) then concentrate on polishing them up. I also want to resume work on the new shiny, finishing it if I can. Ambitious, but the summer is passing quickly and I want as much to show for my time off as possible.

That’s pretty much what’s been going on as far as writing goes. During the A/C – prednisone drama, I reverted to my bad emotional eating habits and paid for it in spades. Consuming an estimated 3 to 4 thousand mg’s of sodium caused the wicked-bad migraines to return. Lesson learned. I’ve had my tatt redone (when it healed, there were blank spaces) and Honey finally had time to do some landscaping in the front of the house (I looks a lot better).

Work has been almost non-stop activities/happenings/events, but this week was really mellow. Lots of families on vacay, so I got to come home early yesterday (Friday). A couple of our kiddos are having some serious health issues and could use some positive thoughts and prayers, please. (I can’t mention names or conditions, sorry.)

Right now, I’m going to get some of my Saturday stuff done and then I’ll see if the Muse is with me. If she is, I’ll be writing for most of the afternoon and early evening. Then, I’ll be around to visit. I’ve missed you guys!!!!  If Ms. Muse is absent, I’ll visit sooner!

My weekend plans? To see Transformers! And I’m sooooooo looking forward to HP7 part II. The last trailer makes me cry. 

So, how have ya’ll been?

>Fun And Games Blogfest

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 Today is Alex’s Fun and Games blogfest. If you don’t know Alex, take a minute and check out his blog. 
He reviews movies, keeps us updated on new technology, and is very supportive of his fellow bloggers.
We’re supposed to list our 3 favorite games and why. 
I, of course, bent the rules a little bit…….
 Oh my gosh, if you’ve never played this game, you really should check it out!
On the rare occasions that my family can get all together, we play this. 
It’s totally hilarious and it’s fun trying to figure out what’s really being said.
I imagine it would also be a fun drinking game, ;}
 Pictionary is another game we play when we’re all together.
It’s challenging and fun and sometimes, our talents are um, questionable.
We’re terribly competitive, which makes for lots of fierce hilarity.
A hint: you can go to Lowe’s and have shower board cut.
Makes for an awesome dry erase board for a fraction of the cost!
 Now, here’s where I bent the rules a little. 
Those are games I like to play with others.
Sometimes, though, I need to just de-stress. 
The only game I ever play on Facebook anymore is Country Life.
The crops never wither and die! And it’s pretty mindless, so…..
 I have a Nintendo DS Lite and these are some of the games I have to keep me sharp *wink*
or to just help get me out of my head when I need it…..

I love, love, love Mahjong!!!!
Honey bought me a PC disc with all sorts of variations of the game and it’s likely my favorite.
I also have it on my DS, but it times out on me, hee.
So, those are a few that I love. 
When I was little, we played I Spy and Punch Buggy. Owww!
Wanna share your favorites?
TicTac Toe? Hangman? Global Thermonuclear War?

>Lenny-Lee Fest!!!

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Hey Lenny, guess what? We’re spreading some Lenny Lee Sunshine all over the world by having a blogfest just for you! Pretty cool, huh?
Every time you visit my blog or send me an email, I smile and say to myself, ‘oh, Lenny was here and he left me a comment!’ or ‘oh, cool! Lenny sent me an email!’ And I just wanted to tell you how much I appreciate it when you take the time to visit and comment or write me a letter. 
I love reading your posts on your blog, too. You’re an incredible writer! I especially love reading the interesting facts you share and the advice you give. I’ve actually learned a lot from you. You inspire me, being so young and doing what you love – writing. You’re just super cool all over the place:) Know what? Shhhhh, don’t tell anyone, but I even talk about you with my friends. I tell them about this cool guy who’s a blogger and he’s only 11 years old! Wow! They’re really impressed by that!
So, now, it’s my turn to put a smile on your face.
I love lolcats, so I picked out some funny ones to share with you. I hope you like them! See if you can find the one I made especially for you ๐Ÿ™‚

I also love Calvin and Hobbes. They’re my all time favorite cartoon/comics. I don’t know if you’re familiar with them, so just in case, here’s a rundown: Calvin is a 6 year old with a stuffed tiger he names Hobbes. To him, Hobbes is real and they have all sorts of adventures together. Here’s one that’s funny…..
Here’s a hug from me to you. A big, warm, fuzzy, squishy one. Just like Hobbes would give Calvin ๐Ÿ™‚
Well, minus the claws!
I hope the sun is shining on you today, Lenny!

>Awards: I’ve Been Hoarding!!!!!

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Just before the A to Z Challenge started, I was given some terrific awards. I meant to pass them around the weekend before the Challenge, but spring hit the ground running and I’m still trying to catch up. I had intended to do a whole post, following all the rules and distribute them as I’m supposed to. Thing is, it’s getting busier around here. This weekend is full – with unexpected personal stuff and work stuff. And hopefully some writing stuff.

So here’s what I’m doing. I’m posting the awards, who gave them to me, a link to their blog, and the rules for giving them out. (I’ve actually been working on this post a couple weeks-all the info has been saved in various drafts) Then, I’m asking you to simply take them. Especially the ones you don’t already have. I’m justifying this in my head by thinking about the Tinkerbell post. All of you matter to me. You’ve all been there for me. And if I could give each of you an Oscar, I would. Cause you deserve it.

And I’m asking you to let me be terribly lazy this time.

If you’ve not met one of these fantastic bloggers, I highly recommend you check them out. They’re funny, witty, clever, sweet, and worth your while!

In no particular order, here they are:

This one is from Jeremy over at iZombie. Cool, huh? 
This one gets passed around as you like (up to 10 people)
but at least 2 people need to be bloggers you just met.
Put in their links, and link back on their blog
so we can all meet each other.
Jeremy wants the blogging world littered filled with Zombie Rabbits!!!!
*note to Jeremy-given the reproduction rate of rabbits, this could be the apocalyptic zombie we’ve been dreading!*

This one is from Carol at Under The Tiki Hut. Ain’t it pretty?!!
Very festive and sparkly, like Carol ๐Ÿ™‚
To pass this around, I have to tell 4 truths and 1 lie. Hmmmm…..
1. I write backwards with my left hand.
2. The smell of wood smoke in autumn is intoxicating to me.
3. I love hot summer nights.
4. Cooking is not my favorite thing to do.
5. I once dreamed of being an interpreter at the UN.

Donna Hole very kindly passed this along to me. Wow, thanks, Donna!
The only rule I found was to mention the creator, (Michelle Gregory at beautiful chaos) and then
pass it to those who’ve been there for you
in some capacity.
Considering how Donna is so loyal about scouring the blogs and posting
shouts out and flybys, I’m honored she’d think of me.

Just as a Thank You for following.
Isn’t it gorgeous?!!!
If you haven’t met her, she’s N. R. Williams’ daughter.
No wonder she’s talented!
She creates book covers and has art gifts for sale. 
Check out her blog!
I especially love her Monday Poems and Thursday Quotes ๐Ÿ™‚

All my followers! Who wouldn’t want this beautiful award on their sidebar?!!!
Deirdra from A Storybook World gave me this very lovely award.
She regularly interviews authors and posts interesting writerly stuff on her blog.
Definitely pay her a visit!

Talei from Musings of an Aspiring Scribe gave this one to me, thanks Talei!
I’m supposed to reveal 7 interesting things about me. 
Since I posted 4 true ones above, I’ll list 3 more…..
1. As young as age 5, I held snakes for my uncle. He put them in the barn to keep rats away from the chickens.
2. I don’t like to watch dvd’s if they’re not in wide screen format. I hate the cut offs.
3. Part of the process of our layoff included talking to and taking tests with a counselor. Some of it was pretty in depth. I took this one test…..and stumped her. I’ll just say that my answers depend on what I’m thinking at the moment. Hee!

Well, there they are. Take them. And have a great weekend!
I’ll catch up with you sometime late tonight or tomorrow……..

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I’m no good at making up jokes. So I’m cheating! And keeping it short!

If you didn’t stop by yesterday, be sure go back and pick up the little something I created for you on the Tinkerbell post.
Have fun today, I know I will :))))

>My Tinkerbell Theory (Long-ish, But With A Surprise At The End)

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I do believe in fairies, I do! I do!

You ever have those days when it seems like youโ€™re all alone in your quest for your dream? And everything and everyone is pulling at you from all possible directions and, when you finally do get to a quiet, peaceful moment, youโ€™re too tired or too fuzzy to think creatively?

Iโ€™m not saying that there arenโ€™t people around me who wish me well in my creative endeavor. Itโ€™s just that most of them have a lot going on in their lives and just donโ€™t have the energy. They do want to know how itโ€™s going, but, really, I canโ€™t expect them to get all giddy about getting four thousand words written when they have to spend their evening going to a dozen sporting events, cooking dinner, and making sure everyone’s homework is finished. Some of my friends understand that trying to write something is hard, and they respect that. There are those who believe you can just pull the words out of your head and be published in a few months. I wish! But, really, they donโ€™t understand what it takes, or what it costs.

Itโ€™s just not everyoneโ€™s thing. Like baseball isnโ€™t mine. Honey is a great ball player and I would go watch some of his games if he played in a league. But come the hottest part of summer, Iโ€™d have to think of other ways to be supportive from time to time. Me and summer โ€“ we ainโ€™t cool. And Honey would be fine with that. He knows that summer is not my thing.

Not everyone writes. So people donโ€™t generally understand the emotional highs and lows, the ever plaguing doubts and insecurities, and the need to try, even if the dream of becoming published and successful inches farther and farther away every day.

I do have one friend who gets it, but heโ€™s a college student. My co-teacherโ€™s son, William. Heโ€™s an aspiring writer who plans to masquerade as a history teacher. The rare moments we get to see each other, thereโ€™s not enough time in the world to share our successes and failures and ideas, etc. But itโ€™s good, for a few minutes, to speak the same language, to have the same understanding, you know?

Thatโ€™s just one of the many, many reasons Iโ€™m so thankful to have all of you. Whether you know it or not, you help me. You inspire and encourage me. By commenting and commiserating; by going before and throwing breadcrumbs liberally behind you; and you even take a few minutes to read and offer feedback when I hesitantly put something up thatโ€™s writing, not just posting.

And what makes it even more special, is that you offer your time and support regularly, even with just plain olโ€™ everyday life stuff.

I donโ€™t remember what made me think of Tinkerbell the other day, but when I did, I had this image of all of you. Of us; our little cyber-social world. Most of us are not what I call โ€˜face-to-faceโ€™ friends. Weโ€™ll likely never meet (except if you live in my state, it would really be cool!), but we still get to know each other a bit. I miss it when I canโ€™t visit more regularly. I miss you when youโ€™re gone for a while. There have been occasions when people have left permanently, one way or another, and Iโ€™ve been genuinely sad.

As I thought about Tinkerbell, I began to wonder. Sure, we blog for all sorts of reasons, butโ€ฆ..do you think โ€“ is there a bit of Tinkerbell inside us all? Inside of me?

I can only answer for myself. And I would have to say yes, I do believe there is a bit of her in me. Or, rather, Iโ€™m a little like herโ€ฆ.somewhere. I get weary and tired. Especially when it comes to writing and trying to figure out some of the what ifโ€™s and the what nowโ€™s and so forth. Not to mention the self-sabotaging I do sometimes. And there isnโ€™t anyone who understands. They want to, but, like I said before, itโ€™s just not their thing. I love them for their desire to help and if their support is in the form of clearing the way for me to write uninterrupted and without any fuss because the dishes arenโ€™t washed, then thatโ€™s fabulous to me *waving and blowing a kiss to Honey!*

I think thatโ€™s part of what makes you guys so special. You do understand. When one of us has fallen down because of rejections, or a block, or illness, or whatever, we clap our hands and remind each other that we do believe, we do believe! We remind each other that there are people out there, somewhere, tethered to a computer in a room, typing, and going through similar things. And that weโ€™re not alone.

Hope is offered. So is understanding. Often, sound advice and creative ideas are, too. Sometimes a laugh, which always helps. {{{{hugs}}}} are priceless.

Pretty soon, even if a solution isnโ€™t in sight, a warm glow fills us and we revive, ready to try again. Just because someone, somewhere, believesโ€ฆโ€ฆ.

So thank you, my friends, for all the times you clap for me. Just know that Iโ€™m clapping for you, too. I do believe! I do believe!


So, for all of you who regularly come by and visit, sharing wisdom and laughter and commiseration, this is for you. No rules. Just a thank you. I really, really mean it. It’s yours. Share it with whomever you choose.





BTW, image gotten from imagebase.davidniblack.com. a free image source. Way cool site.

>Caution: Evil Lurking Ahead!!!!!

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Have you ever had the pleasure of taking a significant round of Prednisone? Well, let me tell you. See this kitty on the left? That’s pretty much how it makes me feel on the inside.

All sorts of evil and mean things run through my mind and try to come out of my mouth, but I believe I do a pretty good job keeping them behind my teeth. At least no one has ever told me otherwise. And I’m sure it’s not because they’re afraid of me or anything like that.

See, I was nine days into my antibiotic (for the previously mentioned severe congestion, sinus and ear infections). Nine days. The first antibiotic was omnicef. Not sure I spelled that right. Don’t really care. The point is that one gave me a wicked migraine and, um….tummy issues. So the good doctor gives me a sulfur based one. I took it for nine days. Just one more day to go and I would be free!

Thursday night, I’m getting ready to take a shower and go to bed. A little TMI coming up……I take off my capris and said a couple blue words. I was covered in red, mean looking dots. Holy crap, Batman! They’re all over me, literally, from scalp to feet. And suddenly, I’m aware of them. They itch and burn.

I call Director and we both believe it’s a reaction to the med. Friday at the Center is gonna be a hectic one-one teacher out and another substituting in the lunchroom. Plus, it’s our Mother’s Day celebration in which moms, grandmoms, aunts, and pretty much anyone else is invited to join us for breakfast, lunch, and/or snack. So I can’t be out. Director would never tell me that. I just knew how much she needed everyone to be there.

However, as soon as she sees me, she tells me to stay as long as I feel like it then go to the doctor. Evangeline strongly encouraged me to get an appointment asap (thanks!) and I left as soon as her break was over. The good doc was worried. He said it could be a serious thing to react to a sulfur based drug so he gave me a shot and a big ol’ round of evil making pills.

Except for Saturday, so far, I’ve not been too bad emotionally. Well……I could be wrong. My Mother’s Day post was kind of dark. And this feels a bit whiny. Hmmmm. Maybe I’m not being as vigilant as I thought I was. Sorry. And as I reread this, I think my verb tenses are all over the place, dang! Ah well….

Anyway, all that to explain where I’ve been the last several days, and likely for several more. Plus, I’ve actually been slowly plugging away at the two wips. I’ve added 4k to Tangi’s story and there’s more to put on the ‘puter. I’m doing a lot of longhand writing during nap time (when I can). I have another scene to add to Tangi and I’m sort of rewriting the nano, ugh.

So, that’s what I’ve been up to and where I’ll likely be. I’ll pop in unexpectedly when I can. Till then, take care and be safe! Have a great week ๐Ÿ™‚

OH, PS!!! Guess what my bp was? Well, in spite of the painful condition I was in, as well as the anxiety attacks brought on by the benedryl I was taking (antihistamines do it to me) it was 130 over 80, wow! Yay!!!! Now, I just have to incorporate regular exercise into my new-ish diet and it will be even better *happy dance* ‘K, just wanted to share something good. TTFN ๐Ÿ™‚

>BOLO: Be On The Lookout – For These Fantastic Tales!!!!!

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I made a new lol. You like it? *cheesy grin*

Well, lolcats may have minions to do all their proofreading and editing and revising, but the rest of us don’t. For a lot of us, just getting a basic rough draft completed is a miraculous cause for celebration.

At this point in my writing, I have one rough draft in surgery, and another in the birthing room. Whew! No wonder I’m dizzy and absent minded lately :))

I feel fortunate to have many of you as blogging friends because I learn from you. You inspire me because you don’t give up. Your determination in the face of countless rejections, your faith in what you’re creating, and, mostly, your openness about the whole journey – is what keeps me going. You provide stepping stones, handholds, and candles to light up the dark and murky places.

Where am I going with this? Right here. Many of you have announced upcoming releases of your books and short stories. Others of you have announced that particular books or stories have generated great interest and that the outlook is promising. And I know of at least one sequel in the works that’s going to be a definite ‘must have’ for me…..so without further ado, here is a list you may be interested in – in no particular order:

Theresa Milstein of Substitute Teacher’s Saga has two short stories being published. ‘Daisy’ will be published in the anthology 100 Stories for Queensland. ‘Allured’ will be published in a YA anthology entitled Fangtales, a Wyvern publication. You can read all about it here.

In addition to his wonderful Bear With Two Shadows (now available as an e-book), Roland Yeomans of Writing in the Crosshairs, has also e-published Rites of Passage – the first recorded adventure of the amazing Samuel McCord….
….as well as Adrift in the Time Stream, the second book chronicling Sam McCord’s adventures. All three of these books are available for purchase at amazon.com. For more information, click here. Be sure to check out the awesome book trailer on Roland’s blog!

Elliot Grace of So close, but….. is just about to announce the official release date of his long awaited book, South of Charm. The young man in this picture is his son, reading the promised first copy. Get more details here.

Simon Kewin of Spellmaking received some very exciting news – a publisher is seriously interested in his novel, Hedge Witch. He is currently making some suggested edits and we all hope to hear good news soon. Click here to read an excerpt.

Aubrey Dionne of Flutey Words has just signed a contract with Entangled Publishing. Her space opera series, The Star Odyssey – a three book deal! Read about it here.

Nicole Zoltack of Where Fantasy and Love Take Flight just announced the May 1st release of Champion of Valor, the third book in her Kingdom of Arnhem trilogy. She is currently organizing a blog tour with prizes at each stop. Read here for more details.

 Alex J. Cavanaugh has sent his as yet untitled sequel to CassaStar to his crit partners. The next installment takes place 20 years after we first meet Byron, our hero. I’m told that Byron will meet his match on an alien planet – a woman! Alex hopes to have the sequel to his publisher by the end of June, so let’s all keep our fingers crossed! For more info about CassaStar, and to watch the incredible book trailer, click here!

Talli Roland is following up her delightful debut, The Hating Game,with Watching Willow Watts. As with her first release, Watts will be available on Kindle a few months before the paperback release in November. To get a glimpse of the upcoming mayhem, click here.

E. Elle at The Writer’s Funhouse is hosting a unique and fun blog contest. Here are the rules (copied and pasted):

So, here are the rules for A Song in the Words:
1) Be a follower of the Writer’s Funhouse.  You know how to do this.  Just click that follow button over on the left.  Come on, you know you want to.
2) Pick a song.  Any song.  Seriously, any song in the whole wide world.
3) Write a scene in 750 words or less, inspired by the song you chose.
4) Email the title of your song (along with the artist) and your scene to me atthewritersfunhouse(at)yahoo(dot)com by 6:00 PM Eastern time on Wednesday, May 18, 2011.  If the song you chose is kind of obscure, please provide a link to a place where I can hear it (i.e. YouTube or MySpace [is MySpace still around?]).  If attaching the file, please attach as a .doc, not .docx.  I still operate with Word 2003, lame-o that I am.
That’s it!  It’s that easy!  I’ll take a few days to read the entries, then announce the winner on Wednesday, May 25, right here at the Funhouse.  The winner receives a $30 gift card to Barnes & Noble.  Wouldn’t you like a $30 gift card to Barnes & Noble?  I would like a $30 gift card to Barnes & Noble.
Any and all promotion would be appreciated.  So feel free to grab the button and post it on your blog.  The more entries, the greater the competition, the sweeter the victory. 
What are you waiting for?  Dig into your playlist, get your writing groove on, and enter!


Alex J. Cavanaugh is hosting a fun blogfest, too. Again, here are the rules, copied and pasted:


Itโ€™s All Fun & Games Blogfest, June 6, 2011 – list your three most favorite games and why. Board games, card games, RPG, video games, physical games, drinking games – even mind games! If itโ€™s a game you enjoy playing, itโ€™s worth sharing.

Well, that’s all the news I have time for right now. I hope you all have had a great week. Just as an update, I do feel much better. Thank you for all your well wishes!!!

And for the hopeful releases, let’s all keep our fingers crossed!!! Much congratulations to all the e-book releases and paper/hardback releases, GO WRITERS!!!

Lydia Kang from The Word is My Oyster is co-hosting this blogfest. Copied and pasted rules right here:

Rules are pretty lax. This is fun, after all!
1. Post a joke that pokes fun at yourself, or writing, or your job (including parenting, of course!), or anything personal. Or if that’s too much work, any joke that you think is funny will do.

The point is to laugh a little. And the posts ought to be quick and fun, so you can hop from post to post and lower your stress level a little.

Because let’s face it. Laughter is good for you and has very few side effects (aside from shooting out food particles from your nose or spraying coffee at your computer screen).


All I can say is, you’ve been warned. ๐Ÿ˜‰