Wednesday, December 31, 2014

Last post of 2014! #thingscanonlygetbetter

Hello, my friends.

Have I told you that I love you?

Have I mentioned how much I appreciate y'all coming back week after week after week?

Have I explained what all your support actually means to me?

No?

Well, I don't have time now either!

Instead, I'm going to wish us all a much better year than 2014.

Honestly, 2014 was so bipolar I barely made it through.

My ups and downs were so extreme I've got whiplash.

But, I do know that no matter how bad my year was, and it sucked big time, I'm a lucky woman. 
 
So, even though I know it could be worse, I'm using all my wishing power to make 2015 even better.

Who's with me?



Howard Jones
"Things Can Only Get Better"

We're not scared to lose it all
Security throw through the wall
Future dreams we have to realize
A thousand skeptic hands
Won't keep us from the things we plan
Unless we're clinging to the things we prize

And do you feel scared, I do
But I won't stop and falter
And if we threw it all away
Things can only get better

Whoa...repeatedly.

Treating today as though it was
The last, the final show
Get to sixty and feel no regret
It may take a little time
A lonely path, an uphill climb
Success or failure will not alter it

And do you feel scared, I do
And I won't stop and falter
And if we threw it all away
Things can only get better



I know the video is just awful, but great song.

And now, I leave 2014 with these final notes...

Love you.

Thank you.

Happy New Year

and

GO FSU!!!

Friday, December 19, 2014

DEJA VU Blogfest post! === One more time...




Today is DL Hammon's Deja Vu Blogfest Day!

From DL:
Today is the day where we re-post one of our blogs from 2014.  It can be your favorite, or one that you wrote during a busy time (A-Z Challenge, WRiTE CLUB, NaNoMo, etc.), or just one that you feel deserved more attention.  Whatever the reason, this is your chance for a do-over.  If you wish to see who else is participating in this awesome event...HERE is where the linky list is located.  It's not too late to sign up either. 


Funny that I chose a Friday post to post on a Friday, right?

Maybe that's just me!

I chose this post because I like to remind myself why I write about the people I do. Heroes and Heroines.


------------------------
Friday, July 18, 2014

Late Friday post .. cause I don't own a watch.

So, where did this week go?

I have no idea.

I'm cheating by using a post that I was supposed to use somewhere else but never did so I get to use it here. 

I think.

***


Five things that make up the perfect hero and the perfect heroine?

Well, that’s a completely subjective list!

Actually, in my opinion, many important traits will overlap in people.

Heroes and Heroines … will be beautiful.

To each other. 

They may never be seen as beautiful by others, but will see each other as beautiful inside and out.


Heroes and Heroines … should be funny. Period.

Humor will get people through just about any situation.


Heroes and Heroines … must be flawed. 

Fact.

Who wants to read about perfect people?


Heroes and Heroines … are huge pains in the asses. 

Truth.

They will find and bring out the very best and the very worst in each other.


Heroes and Heroines … will have love. 

Always.

People say you can’t have love without trust, loyalty and respect. 


I disagree. 

Love overlooks a lot of things. 

Love is always there. 

Everything else is earned.
-------------------------
 
Thanks for joining me today! Have a great weekend!

2014 Christmas Tree - 1000 lights!

Wednesday, December 17, 2014

Finally getting things done. Blogfest reminder. Creepy Elf.

Hello my friends.

How are you?

Not too bad here.

A little tired, waiting for the coffee to kick in.

So, I took your advice and have continued my break from editing. Monday was grocery shopping and some cleaning. Tuesday was getting the tree from the porch into the house and stringing lights on the railings.

Today I'll put on lights on the tree and decorate it. Tomorrow I'll visit the parental units and help with their tree. Friday...rest.

So, the week hasn't been too bad at all. I'm certainly less stressed than while I was editing.

I'll get back to it soon enough.

Must. Finish.

***

Don't forget that Friday is DL Hammon's Deja Vu Blogfest.

 
From DL:
On December 19th, anyone who decides to participate will re-post their favorite blog offering from earlier in the year, or one that you believe failed to receive the exposure it deserved.

It can't get much easier! You get to recycle an old post! Woo Hoo!

***

Better go. 

Up Next: trimming of tree.

I'll leave you with these creepy Elf On A Shelf gone wrong pics.


 

Monday, December 15, 2014

Blog tour stop - Stephanie Keyes -- The Last Protector

Best of luck to my fellow InkSpell Publishing author, Stephanie Keyes, on the release of her latest book! Thanks for stopping by on your blog tour to give us a little taste!





The Last Protector
By Stephanie Keyes

Publisher: Inkspell Publishing | Release Date: December 15, 2014

Gabriel Stewart helped his best friend Kellen St. James save the world from The Scourge in the Battle of Dublin. But before that? Gabe was just an ordinary guy who kept having dreams about a little boy with black hair and green eyes—a boy he hadn’t even met yet.

And even weirder? Gabe’s mind kept replaying these images on loop of things he’d never seen. He heard voices in his head when no one was around. And he actually blew off hot Valerie Gibbons to chase after the black-haired kid in the park. What was up with that?

As Gabe searches for the truth, fate continually puts him in Kellen’s path, but will he be able to stop the Children of Danu from stealing Kellen before the battle begins? What will it take for Gabe to become The Last Protector?

*The Last Protector is a companion novella--intended to be read after the other books in the series.

Ebook only: $0.99


B&N 



Excerpt  
It was an ordinary Thursday, (or at least I thought it was going to be), when things got scary. As usual, I was flirting with Valerie Gibbons by the lockers.

"You coming over after school?" Val toyed with the front of her cheerleading skirt.

I shook my head. "Not today." This weird sense of urgency had thrummed in my veins all day, like a Heavy Metal bass line.

Go to the park, go to the park, go to the park...

Val pouted. "You aren't going to dump me, are you? I really like you, Gabe."

"Nah." I made sure no teachers were watching, and then gave her a quick kiss on the lips. My gut turned to jelly when my mouth brushed against hers.

"Where ya going?"

I wished I could tell her the truth. "Ah, you know. I have to do some stuff with the 'rents this afternoon. I'll call you later, okay?" I pushed down my guilt and smiled, trying to amp up my charm to the super mega-watt Gabe level.

"Maybe." Val sounded grumpy about it, but the corners of her mouth turned up when she spoke the word. "Bye." With a quick turn, she ran in the opposite direction, leaving me alone.

After waiting a few beats, I closed my locker with a click. Shouldering my backpack, I ran out the side door and hopped on to my red 10-speed and started to pedal.

Something pushed me, the same message on loop in my mind: Go to the park, go to the park, go to the park...I tried to ignore it, but I couldn't. Maybe if I followed the voice, as freaky as that sounded, it would stop. The thoughts and dreams would end.

And I wanted them to.


Where It All Began
Check out some of the other books in The Star Child series!





About the Author

Stephanie Keyes grew up in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and spent years traveling and working as a Corporate Trainer before she made the decision to pen her first novel. As a teen, her family always accused her of having an “overactive imagination.” Now, she’s encouraged to keep her head in the clouds and share her world with readers.
Keyes is the author of the YA Fantasy series, The Star Child, which currently includes The Star Child, After Faerie, The Fallen Stars, and The Star Catcher, all from by Inkspell Publishing. The Fallen Stars was a 2013 semi-finalist in the Kindle Book Awards. The Star Child has topped the Amazon best-seller list several times since its 2012 release. Steph writes YA novels because she’s a hopeless romantic who lives to believe that Magick truly does exist. She is hard at work on a new YA novel.

*Author photos courtesy of Kristina Serafini Photo

 

Friday, December 12, 2014

Just a quick hello and a funny!

Happy Friday!

Sorry, I missed a post on Wednesday.

I was a good writer this week though and worked on edits every day.

Not today. Got stuff to do away from the computer.

Maybe tonight.

Heading out the door, but just wanted to say hello!






Monday, December 8, 2014

Cover Reveal for Stephanie Keyes - The Last Protector!

Good morning!

Helping out fellow InkSpell Publishing author, Stephanie Keyes, today with her cover reveal! Next Monday will be her stop on the blog tour!

Check it out!






The Last Protector

By Stephanie Keyes


Publisher: Inkspell Publishing | Release Date: December 15, 2014


Gabriel Stewart helped his best friend Kellen St. James save the world from The Scourge in the Battle of Dublin. But before that? Gabe was just an ordinary guy who kept having dreams about a little boy with black hair and green eyes—a boy he hadn’t even met yet.


And even weirder? Gabe’s mind kept replaying these images on loop of things he’d never seen. He heard voices in his head when no one was around. And he actually blew off hot Valerie Gibbons to chase after the black-haired kid in the park. What was up with that?


As Gabe searches for the truth, fate continually puts him in Kellen’s path, but will he be able to stop the Children of Danu from stealing Kellen before the battle begins? What will it take for Gabe to become The Last Protector?
 
*The Last Protector is a companion novella--intended to be read after the other books in the series.



Where It All Began

Check out some of the other books in The Star Child series!




About the Author


Stephanie Keyes grew up in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and spent years traveling and working as a Corporate Trainer before she made the decision to pen her first novel. As a teen, her family always accused her of having an “overactive imagination.” Now, she’s encouraged to keep her head in the clouds and share her world with readers.
Keyes is the author of the YA Fantasy series, The Star Child, which currently includes The Star Child, After Faerie, The Fallen Stars, and The Star Catcher, all from by Inkspell Publishing. The Fallen Stars was a 2013 semi-finalist in the Kindle Book Awards. The Star Child has topped the Amazon best-seller list several times since its 2012 release. Steph writes YA novels because she’s a hopeless romantic who lives to believe that Magick truly does exist. She is hard at work on a new YA novel.
*Author photos courtesy of Kristina Serafini Photo



Twitter:@StephanieKeyes