Friday, January 31, 2014

Have Fun At Work Day!

I'm diving back into the edits today so Happy Chinese New Year, good luck to whichever team you want to win in the Super Bowl and today is Have Fun At Work Day, so have a laugh on me!






Wednesday, January 29, 2014

Stormy the Weather Gnome is looking for A Few Good Gnomes!


It's me, Stormy!

I'm taking over the blog today because I'm in need of ... friends!

Friends that can help me, and that Heather lady, during the 2014 Blogging from A to Z April Challenge!

Friends that can give me a couple of hours of their time!

Friends that want to make more new friends and see some new blogs!

So, if you think you've got what it takes to be a 'Stormy Sidekick', leave me a comment (or send me an email: hgardner28@gmail.com) and I'll send you the coolest badge on the planet, made by the coolest artist I know, Jeremy at Being Retro! (HE ROCKS!)

Join me, and we will rule the blogiverse together!

***

Heather here.

I just had to share some of Stormy's campaign slogan fails...

Stormy and his Gnomies

Stormy’s Gnomeland Security

Stormy’s Ge-gnome Project

Once you go gnome, you'll never go home

Team Alpha Super Awesome Cool Dynamite Wolf Squadron

***

Just a quick reminder that my publisher is giving away a paperback copy of Maguire's Corner on Goodreads! 

Less than a week left to enter!

***

Working hard on my edits this week. Why do these seem to take longer than writing the actual book?

As most of you know one of my 'editors' is Suz, AKA Mom.

I was telling my husband that it's like I'm bipolar when I go through her edits.

Page 1: "No, Mom, I'm not gonna change that. That's stupid. Why would you write that. You suck!"

Page 2: "Oh, that's a good idea."

Page 3: "Hello? What makes you think you know what I want to say there? You don't! I'm not changing that!"

Page 4: "I like that word, that's a good replacement."

It's really terrible of me, I know. I don't have nearly the same problem with edits from other people. Sorry, Suz. :)

I'm going back to work.
Have a good day!
HMG

Monday, January 27, 2014

BIG GNEWS!! It's the 2014 Blogging from A to Z April Challenge SIGN UP day!

I've had some BIG moments in my life.

Being proposed to.
Hearing 'I do' at the altar.
My husband handing me our son.

Those were HUGE!

Getting published.
Seeing my book on Amazon.
Holding my book in my hands.

Those were REALLY BIG!

Being asked in 2013 to be Alex J. Cavanaugh's minion?

Amazing!

Being asked in 2014 to be a Co-Host for the Blogging from A to Z April Challenge?

Well now, that, that's hard for me to articulate.

I'm humbled, honored, ecstatic, nervous, excited and thrilled.


And on that note...

Welcome to the 2014
Blogging from A to Z April Challenge!

 

Please read and follow the sign-up instructions outlined below so you sign onto the list correctly!

The brainchild of Arlee Bird, at Tossing it Out, the A to Z Challenge is posting every day in April except Sundays (we get those off for good behavior.) And since there are 26 days, that matches the 26 letters of the alphabet. On April 1, blog about something that begins with the letter “A.” April 2 is “B,” April 3 is “C,” and so on. You can use a theme for the month or go random – just as long as it matches the letter of the alphabet for the day.

We recommend short posts, turn off Word Verification, and visit five blogs (or more) a day beginning with the one after yours on the list.

To streamline legitimate blogs from advertisement blogs, the Co-Hosts will be visiting each blog on this list throughout the Challenge. Blogs on the list showing no activity once the Challenge starts will be removed.

There are categories for those looking for like-minded blogs. Select ONE category code and enter it after your blog’s title/name. The code applies to your blog, not your theme for the Challenge and is purely optional. However, if your blog has adult content, you MUST mark it (AC) or it will be removed from the list. Codes are as follows:

1. WRITING: (WR)
2. BOOKS: (BO)
3. FILM: (FM)
4. PHOTOGRAPHY: (PH)
5. GARDENING: (GR)
6. CRAFT: (CR)
7. ART: (AR)
8. MUSIC: (MU)
9. CULINARY: (CU)
10. LIFESTYLE: (LI )
11. FASHION: (FA)
12. PERSONAL: (PR)
13. SOCIAL MEDIA: (SO)
14. GAMING: (GA)
15. EDUCATION: (ED)
16. POLITICS: (PO)
17. HISTORY: (HI)
18. SCIENCE: (SC)
19. HUMOR: (HU)
20. TRAVEL: (TR)
21. MISCELLANEOUS: (MI)
22. ADULT CONTENT: (AC)

Be sure to grab the badge and display it in your sidebar so we know you are participating and link to the A to Z Challenge Blog.

For more information we recommend you follow the A to Z Challenge Blog and the hosts:

Arlee Bird @ Tossing it Out
Ninja Captain Alex J. Cavanaugh
Author Stephen Tremp
Tina @ Life is Good
Damyanti @ Amlokiblogs
Jeremy @ Being Retro
Nicole Ayers - The Madlab Post
M. J. Joachim's Writing Tips
Heather M. Gardner
AJ @ Naturally Sweet
Pam @ An Unconventional Librarian

We also have a Facebook Page.
Email address is:  infoatoz2014@gmail.com,
Twitter hashtag is #AtoZChallenge.


Sign up below and join us for a month of alphabet fun!






                     *** 

Stormy the Weather Gnome will be back in full force this year writing challenge posts.

I will be looking for a few gnome-friendly helpers before the challenge begins so if you have an interest, and the time to visit extra blogs every week, please let me know by leaving a comment or emailing me directly. (hgardner28@gmail.com)

                     ***

FREAKIN' AWESOME, RIGHT?

I KNOW!

There is much more to come so stay tuned, grab the coolest badge ever, tell a friend and SIGN UP!


Friday, January 24, 2014

Psssst! I've got that cover reveal today! It's HOT!!

I've been following Shelley Watters for quite a while now and I've been hearing about a book she was writing about firefighters.

Most of you know how I feel about firefighters, (especially volunteers).

I love them.

I'm married to one of them.

I work with them and for them.

I volunteer with them.

So, when I hear about a book with firefighters, I usually gravitate right towards it.

Well, Shelley's book is finally being PUBLISHED and I have the cover reveal and the blurb to share with you ... SO... check it out!

***









An Adult Contemporary Romance

Releasing April 29, 2014

Published by Swoon Romance



After her twin brother dies in a house fire, firefighter Katrina Hale is determined to prove she’s stronger than the flames. But while her focus on her career leaves little room in her life for romance, and her current relationship fizzles, she soon discovers fighting fires is nothing compared to the scorching desire she feels in fellow firefighter Greyson Neal's arms.

Firefighter Greyson Neal is the type of guy girls dream about when they want their knight in shining armor to wear bunker gear. But he’s not interested in fulfilling every girl’s fantasies. Now he wants the one woman he can never have, and she seems hell-bent on getting herself killed to prove that she’s worthy of her job.

Kat must choose between her career and her heart, and fight to keep them both when an arsonist threatens to take it all away.



Add it on Goodreads



About the Author

Shelley Watters writes romance for young adults and adults. She lives in Arizona with her husband, two kids and two dogs. She loves listening to music, reading good books and letting her imagination go wild as she creates new worlds and torments her characters in delicious ways.











***

Looks SO VERY good to me!

Shelley, I wish you the very best of luck and I'm looking forward to reading your book!
***

If you thought this news was good, you ain't seen nothing yet!

You better be here on Monday, January 27th if you want to hear about some REALLY BIG GNEWS!

Wednesday, January 22, 2014

Just trying to do my civic duty!

Hello!

How's it going?

Pretty good here.

Except that I got robbed yesterday!

Okay, maybe robbed is too strong a word.

I believe the word I did use was hornswoggled!

It's a great word, right?

So, I started Jury Duty yesterday. When I left, it was snowing. We were expecting 4 to 8 inches of snow. (We didn't get anywhere near that amount).

I arrive with all my paperwork and my notebook. This was research! I was going to take notes this time. I was going to study the lawyers and the jurors and the judge and the cops and just everyone!

Within twenty minutes the nice Queen of the Juror People comes out to tell us that the judge has emailed her and decided not to choose jurors for the case due to the inclement weather and to send us all home.

People actually clapped!

Which I guess would have been fine if we had been asked to come in today, but NO! She tells us that we are done. We have 'served' and that we won't be called again for at least six years.

People clapped again!

BOO HISS!

Oh, well. I suppose I could always go sit in on court proceedings to get my fix.

*** 

I sent One Good Catch, aka MC2, to my 'editors' this morning (Suz and K).

Let's all cross our fingers that they like it.


***

I'm supposed to have a cover reveal here on Friday but I haven't gotten the cover yet. Must do some detective work and find it! It's supposed to be awesome!