Wednesday, December 21, 2016

Tara Tyler is here to talk about that fine line.

I LOVE when Tara comes to visit! She always brings friendship, humor, and wisdom. Sometimes she brings presents!

***

  "Yo Mama" jokes overheard between 13yo’s…

Did you know Godzilla has a wife? Yo mama.
When Yo Mama puts on a bathing suit, people yell Tsunami!
Yo Mama so ugly, she’d turn Medusa to stone.


Did you get offended by any of those? I hope not! They weren’t intended to hurt anyone, just joking among friends. Teenagers make an art form of sarcasm and teasing. They say things to each other that would make the PC police cringe. But friends know each other, and they know a friend wouldn’t say anything to hurt them on purpose. Joking around about each others’ differences is how you know you’re accepted.

The Golden Rule: Treat others as you would like to be treated.

If everyone did this, peace would be easy. Unfortunately, humans are very competitive. We have different skills and compete to be the best - Survival of the Fittest! Oftentimes, some people look for negative attributes in others and draw attention to them to make themselves feel better or to get a laugh from their friends. Especially teenagers. This is not joking around. This is bullying.

Discrimination is “the unjust or prejudicial treatment of different categories of people or things, especially on the grounds of race, age, or sex.” But the second definition is: “recognition and understanding of the difference between one thing and another.” How opposite these two different connotations from one word are. We should be able to recognize our differences, but in a positive way! Different shouldn’t = bad.

The blurry lines of joking vs discrimination are crossed when someone says something derogatory in a public setting or to others they don’t know very well. No matter the intention, people will take what is said in their own way -- they will laugh or they will be offended. And in today’s society, people seem to be offended more easily, to the point where just stating a fact can send someone racing to their safe space.

We could all use a tougher outer protective layer. Self-confidence strengthens us when real bullies throw their verbal darts. Don’t let anyone else define you. A healthy self-esteem is the best defense against ignorant discrimination.

But we could also do well remembering the words of mother: “Think before you speak!” When joking, make sure those around you know it’s joking. Use common sense. There’s a time to joke and a time to hold back. Watch what you say and the tone in which you say it. And if you offend someone, you can apologize and let them know you weren’t trying to hurt them. Ultimately, you can’t help how someone takes what you say. If your heart is in the right place, that’s all you can do.


Thanks so much for hosting me, Heather! I so appreciate your support and friendship! Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

WELCOME BACK TO THE FOREST!


CRADLE ROCK, Beast World Book Two
by Tara Tyler

Gabe the goblin just saved his town Broken Branch Falls from splitting apart. He also revealed that humans--horrible creatures of myth and legend--may actually be part of their history! But seriously? Nah!

Now Ona, Gabe’s girlfriend, is headed thousands of miles away to Camp Cradle Rock for Spring Break seeking evidence of humans. Gabe knows better than to tell a stubborn ogress she’s crazy, so he’s letting her go and spending the break at the beach like a normal teenage beast. And he’s determined to have a good time without her, whether he likes it or not.

But when Gabe hears Ona went missing, he and his friends set out for the wilds of the west to find her, no matter what dangerous creatures get in his way. Not even humans.

Check out the Book Trailer!

Tara Tyler has had a hand in everything from waitressing to rocket engineering. After moving all over, she now writes and teaches math in Ohio with her three active boys and Coach Husband. Currently she has two series, Pop Travel (techno-thriller detective capers) and Broken Branch Falls (fantasy adventures). To squeeze in writing, she economizes her time aka the Lazy Housewife. Make every day an adventure!

Talk to me!
Author Blog ~~ @taratylertalks ~~ Facebook ~~ Housewives Blog


I'm also giving away signed copies of Broken Branch Falls and Cradle Rock, some Beast World swag, and a $20 GC!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

***

Thank you for coming, Tara! Best of luck!

We should all remember that if we don't have something nice to say, don't say anything at all. Especially on the internet!

I love this..."A healthy self-esteem is the best defense against ignorant discrimination."

I need to share that with my son and make sure he believes it.

To all my blog friends, near and far, I wish you merry / happy / festive days and let's hope 2017 is kinder to us all.






Saturday, December 17, 2016

The Deja Vu Blogfest is here! #deja2016vu

Hello out there! Yes, I'm aware it's a Saturday, and I don't normally post on the weekend, but I joined the Deja Vu Blogfest from DL Hammons and this is when we post!
  
From DL Hammons...

How this blogfest works is so simple I can’t understand why anyone wouldn’t want to do it. Sign-up to participate with Mr. Linky below, then sometime during the weekend of December 16th thru 18th re-post your favorite blog offering from earlier in this year, or one that you believe failed to receive the exposure it deserved. On that weekend what everyone will be reading is the best of the best (as determined by you) from this year.  The blogosphere will be chock full 2016 writing brilliance!  Encouragement, enlightenment, knowledge, bared souls, stimulation, hilarity, insecurities, success stories!  All on display…the very same day.  And it couldn't be any easier to take part...no writing necessary! :)

Please sign-up and then shout out to all of your blogging friends and encourage them to sign up as well.  Take the badge above and plaster it everywhere, blogging graffiti gone wild. Tweet about it (#deja2016vu) and post the picture on Instagram. Sign up below and start looking through those old posts! 



So, which post did I choose to re-post? Well, after careful consideration, I picked one that I wrote for the Insecure Writer's Support Group in October.

Why? I think you'll see. 

#IWSG - Yes, I'm insecure, but I'm also resilient.


 
Purpose: To share and encourage. Writers can express doubts and concerns without fear of appearing foolish or weak. Those who have been through the fire can offer assistance and guidance.

Need help with a topic of conversation? IWSG has a monthly question for you!
October 5 Question: When do you know your story is ready?

Alex J. Cavanaugh's awesome co-hosts for the October 5 posting of the IWSG are Beverly Stowe McClure, Megan Morgan, Viola Fury, Madeline Mora-Summonte, Angela Wooldridge, and Susan Gourley!
  
***
Insecure: not confident or assured; uncertain and anxious

Resilient: able to withstand or recover quickly from difficult conditions.

***
I wrote a short story specifically for an anthology that folded like a lawn chair.
I was pissed, but at the same time really disappointed that I didn't get to share my story with my family, friends, and readers.

Of course, there were options.
-Find another anthology - submit
-Find short story magazines - submit
-Find short story contests - enter
-Offer it for free on my blog - in pieces
-Offer it for free w/ newsletter sign-up
-Try to upload it to Createspace/Amazon and sell it for 99 cents

Most of these sounded time consuming, possibly expensive, and really 'out of my comfort zone'.
But, I wanted people to read it. After all, that's why we write them!

Last week all I could think to myself was...
I can't publish it on my own. It's too hard and I've never done it. I don't know what I'm thinking. No one will want to purchase a short story for 99 cents.

Yesterday morning I woke up thinking...Why the hell not? Lots of people self-publish. I'm no different. Hell, if people will pay for dinosaur porn [yes, that's a real thing], then people will want to read my short story! Even for 99 cents!

So, I took the plunge. I went through the Kindle Direct Publishing FAQ sections and I followed all the KDP guidelines and before I even really knew it, the darn short story was up on Amazon!

My point? Was I insecure? Hells yeah, I was. But, it was either leave that short story on my computer for no one to read or try something strange, new, and different!

Our insecurities try to keep us down, but our resilience keeps us going.

***

Interested in the short story?

As Jack Munro struggles with an old demon, Maggie Maguire attempts to show him there's always another way.

You can download the ebook on Amazon.


There you have it! I was really proud of myself for pushing through my insecurities and getting my story out there.

And, I'm hoping by re-reading this, it spurs me on to get back to work!

Thanks for coming and have a great weekend!

Monday, December 12, 2016

Release day for Unexpected by KG Fletcher!

Howdy blog peeps!
2 things...

Thank you for all the nice comments from my IWSG post! I always love your visits.

...and...

I'll be doing DL Hammons Deja Vu Blogfest this weekend! It's really easy if you want to join us. Just pick a blog post you already wrote this year, that you wish had a little more love, and post it again! Sign up at the link above!

And now, fellow InkSpell Publishing author, KG Fletcher.


***





Unexpected by KG Fletcher
Release Date: December 12, 2016
 Publisher: InkSpell Publishing
Cover Design: Najla Qamber Designs


 
Recently jilted Josephine Davis wasn’t looking for love…. A chance encounter along the sweltering highway with Atlanta’s own millionaire bachelor changed all that. Devastatingly handsome and full of unexpected talents, William Prescott Harrington, III shows beautiful Josie a life that she could have only dreamed of; his excessive wealth and generosity eventually threatening her very existence. Two star-crossed lovers from polar opposite sides of Atlanta navigate their way through a maze of greed and jealousy desperate for only one thing – each other.
 
Her heart made a wish. Will her dream become reality or will the nightmare destroy them all? 


BUY




About the Author:

KG Fletcher is the author of the romantic suspense novel, Unexpected released in December, 2016. She is an active member of RWA and the Georgia Romance Writers Association. She was a singer/songwriter in Nashville, TN and a recipient of the “Airplay International Award” for “Best New Artist” showcasing original songs at The Bluebird Café. She earned her BFA in theater at Valdosta State College and has traveled the world professionally as a singer/actress. She currently gets to play rock star as a backup singer in the National Tour, “Remember When Rock Was Young – a Tribute to Elton John.” (www.almosteltonjohn.com)
KG lives in Atlanta, GA with her husband Ladd and their three gorgeous sons. She is a hopeless romantic continuing her work on her original cabaret act called, “Love” to help promote her romance novels.

Wednesday, December 7, 2016

#IWSG - Alex's story, Jeremy's magazine, & some Wednesday humor.

Purpose: To share and encourage. Writers can express doubts and concerns without fear of appearing foolish or weak. Those who have been through the fire can offer assistance and guidance. It’s a safe haven for insecure writers of all kinds!

December 7 Question: In terms of your writing career, where do you see yourself five years from now, and what’s your plan to get there?


Alex J. Cavanaugh's awesome co-hosts for the December 7 posting of the IWSG will be Jennifer Hawes, Jen Chandler, Nick Wilford, Juneta Key, JH Moncrieff, Diane Burton, and MJ Fifield!


***

Thank you, Alex. I'm always inspired when I think about the people that make up this supportive and wonderful group.

Speaking of Alex...
 
 
CassaDawn by Alex J. Cavanaugh
Science Fiction-Space Opera/Adventure/Military
eBook ISBN 9781939844354

The prequel to the Amazon best-selling Cassa series!

A pilot in training...
Fighting the odds, Byron is determined to complete Cosbolt training. Poised at the top of his class, only one situation holds him back–his inability to work with anyone in the cockpit. Byron’s excellent piloting skills won’t be enough without a good navigator…

Find it at: iTunes, Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Kobo, Amazon UK, and Goodreads


Congratulations and best wishes!
***

Howlin' Wolf Records: Six Strings - Issue 9 [2016]


RETRO [INTERVIEW] with actor Chris Sarandon from Days of the Dead [Chicago]
Our FRIGHT NIGHT [REUNION] at Days of the Dead | http://www.daysofthedead.net
Thank You, Zack Snyder for BATMAN VS. SUPERMAN: DAWN OF JUSTICE!!! by: Jason Lee Knight [KNIGHT at the MOVIES]
BLUE ROOM [INTERVIEW] - with Composer... David Schwartz - Netflix’s “Lady Dynamite” [2016]
“Getting” Weird: When a Subgenre is a Subgenre and its Shadow is Over More Than Innsmouth (Part Two) - By: KC Redding-Gonzalez
The Side-Effects of Special Effects in Horror - by: By: Christina Persaud
RED ROOM [INTERVIEW] -  with Musical artists... King Llama “RETURN TO OX” [2016]
Sixth Annual Maleficium Dark Art Exhibition. Westmont, Illinois

And all our favorite things; FILMS, MUSIC, BOOKS, ETC.
Giveaways... are everywhere, well you just need to look!!

***

As for me? I'm not any farther along with my story than I've been for the last few months.
 
I know I have to jump back into it, it's just such a crazy time of year that I feel like I can't focus.
 
I'm supposed to treat this writing thing like a job, but I can always convince myself there is something more important to do.
 
On the plus side, both of my 'editors' liked what they read, so I've got that going for me. :)
 
I hope your writing is going ... well ... that it's going.
 
I'll leave you with some funnies.
***






Thursday, December 1, 2016

Cover Reveal for Connie Smith & Release Day for Tara Tyler!!

Ugh!

It's December 1st already? What the heck?

Oh well.

At least I have some fun things to share with you guys!
 

***

My fellow InkSpell Publishing author, Connie Smith!





Within the Essence (The Division: Book One)

By Connie L. Smith


Cover Design: Najla Qamber Designs


As the demons near, the Essences rise…
AJ had never been particularly athletic or coordinated, so waking up to realize she suddenly has super-human strength is a massive, mind-shaking shock. Finding that she’s gained a stalker overnight is another mark in the unusual category, and when she discovers she’s always had the essence of a werewolf in her blood, her world all but shifts beneath her.
Demons, she’s told, are looming in the world’s future, and the only hope humanity has of surviving their arrival is if she and teenagers like her surrender their humanity to dive into their mythical essences. Fairies, dragons, dwarves, mermaids… The remnants of seventeen different fantasy species must come to life to save the lives of everyone.
Someway, an army of supernatural teenagers must prepare to meet the demons escaping from their dimensional banishment, or everything ends. 
Can these teens succeed and save the world?


About the Author:
Connie L. Smith spends a decent amount of time with her mind wandering in fictional places. She reads too much, likes to bake, and might forever be sad that she doesn’t have fairy wings. And that she can’t swing dance. Much of her preferred music is severely outdated, and as an adult she’s kind of obsessed with Power Rangers. She has her BA from Northern Kentucky University in Speech Communication and History (she doesn’t totally get the connection either), and her MA in English and Creative Writing.

You can find Connie...

***

My fellow blogger and awesome author, Tara Tyler!




WELCOME BACK TO THE FOREST!


Gabe the goblin just saved his town Broken Branch Falls from splitting apart. He also revealed that humans--horrible creatures of myth and legend--may actually be part of their history! But seriously? Nah!

Now Ona, Gabe’s girlfriend, is headed thousands of miles away to Camp Cradle Rock for Spring Break seeking evidence of humans. Gabe knows better than to tell a stubborn ogress she’s crazy, so he’s letting her go and spending the break at the beach like a normal teenage beast. And he’s determined to have a good time without her, whether he likes it or not.

But when Gabe hears Ona went missing, he and his friends set out for the wilds of the west to find her, no matter what dangerous creatures get in his way. Not even humans.


Check out the Book Trailer!


Here is the list of wonderful CRADLE ROCK RELEASE PARTY POST HOSTS:

12/5 Patricia Lynne Nerds Rule
12/5 Heather R. Holden Vampires
12/7 Juneta Key author spotlight interview
12/9 Julie Flanders Teenagers Now vs 80s
12/9 Elizabeth Seckman Beast-themed Recipe
12/12 Lori L. MacLaughlin Merfolk
12/14 Sharon Bayliss Ogres
12/14 Tyrean Martinson 5 Reasons to use Chapter Titles
12/16 Michael Di Gesu Craziest Spring Break Trip
12/17 Cathrina Constantine Teen Dating
12/19 Christine Rains Hiking Faux Pas
12/19 Alex J. Cavanaugh Beast vs Monster - terminology
12/21 Ann Noser CR Quotes
12/21 Heather M. Gardner Discrimination - joking vs hurting
1/4 Ken Rahmoeller Dragons
1/4 L. Diane Wolfe Marketing Tips - Live & Online
1/9 C Lee McKenzie Grownup Stereotypes
1/11 M. J. Fifield Crazy Road Trip
1/25 Crystal Collier Poetry & Songs in Stories - Writerly Wed

Tara is also giving away signed copies of Broken Branch Falls and Cradle Rock, some Beast World swag, and a $20 GC!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Monday, November 28, 2016

It's been two weeks since my last blog post...

If I listed all the things I did in the last two weeks, not only would y'all be bored and clicking the little x to close this page, but I'm also sure none of you would be that impressed.

Let's just say that it was a lot and I'm not quite done yet. Just a few more events to get through and then I can relax. 

Yeah, right.

What's distressing is how much work I didn't get accomplished on my book. (Reason #430 why I don't do NaNoWriMo.)

What I did do, was something very frightening.

I sent my two-thirds finished masterpiece to my two 'editors' to take a gander at. I'm hoping they can help me figure out if I took a wrong turn somewhere or if I just need to plow through.

Anyway. Thanks for listening, as always, and here are a few funnies to keep you going!