Some Monday morning catch up and InkSpell Publishing author Mark Love!

HELLO!

The weather is just starting to cooperate here in NY, which means it's finally less chilly and slightly more sunny.

Some seeds The BOY and I planted are starting to grow, which is impressive all by itself. Pictures to come when I have some actual flowers.

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The HUSBAND was in and out of town for the last two weeks and instead of taking the opportunity to write and edit like a madwoman I cleaned and organized his office, cleaned out the refrigerator, and mowed the lawn. Twice.

Yep. Procrastination. It's a gateway drug. To what? I'm not sure. Maybe naps? I don't know. But, it happened. I'm not proud.

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Here's one thing I did right.

The BOY aka DJ

This is my son heading to his 5th grade Spring concert for chorus.

I'll tell you this, I took at least 15 pictures and this is the only one he didn't have a goofy look on his face. :)

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If you need a good belly laugh, you have to watch this video. This woman cracks me up so much. Her joy is contagious.

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Devious

by Mark Love

Meet Jamie Richmond. A former reporter turned author, Jamie is a stubborn redhead who knows a good story when she sees one and can’t stop until she gets to the bottom of it.  She’s made the transition to author, focusing on mysteries. Wanting to give her audience as much realism as possible, she manages to hitch a ride with a state police trooper as part of her research for an upcoming book.

But the night takes an unexpected turn when she witnesses someone shoot the trooper on a dark and desolate road. Although it’s not a fatal injury, Jamie is intrigued by the events surrounding the incident and the ongoing investigation. She expects answers. If the cops can’t figure it out, maybe she will. Before she can get too far along, Jamie becomes distracted by Malone, another trooper she met that night. Malone has a mystery or two of his own, but it’s Jamie who has caught his eye. Things begin heating up quickly.

Suddenly Jamie has more on her mind than she ever bargained for. She’s determined to unravel the mystery of the shooting.  Was it a random incident? Or is there some devious plot at work?

Publisher: InkSpell Publishing

ISBN: ebook 978-1-939590-66-4

Print: 978-1-939590-61-9

ebook and print

Amazon      ARE         B&N         ITunes         Kobo

About the Author:

Mark Love (yes, that’s really his name) lived for many years in the metropolitan Detroit area, where crime and corruption are always prevalent.  A former freelance reporter, Love is drawn to mysteries and the twists and turns that mirror real life. He is the author of “Why 319?” and three books in the Jamie Richmond Series “Devious”  “Vanishing Act” and “Fleeing Beauty” and several short stories.

Love resides in west Michigan with his wife, Kim. He enjoys a wide variety of music, reading and writing fiction, cooking, travel, most sports and the great outdoors. 

Blog

Goodreads

Facebook

Amazon Author Page

So, how are you? How's the family?

I feel like I've been neglecting you guys, but honestly, the little brain power I have left is all centered on getting the kid through the remainder of the school year and trying to edit this AWFUL manuscript!

You heard me.

AWFUL.

Dear all the people I sent this to in May of 2010. I'm SO sorry. I know why you didn't publish it. It reaks!

I'm about to kill a brand new red pen going through it. It's so full of red marks, cross-outs, and arrows, that it's actually easier to retype it then to correct it on the computer!

OY VEY!

Did you catch the date above? I started this blog on May 12, 2010 after I had just sent my first book out to numerous publishers.

Six years and 842 posts later, I have amazing blog friends, two published books, and tons of great blog memories.

How are you guys? What's been going on?

Well, I'm off to do my thang. I leave you with a few Facebook funnies.

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Amazing what 5 years and vegetables can do!

 

#atozchallenge - What is a Reflections Post?

Hi guys. I'm running out the door this AM so I cheated and stole Alex J. Cavanaugh's post on the Main Challenge site about the A to Z Challenge Reflections Post.

All the info is below and please follow his directions!

Have a great day!

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The A to Z Reflections Post is a post presented on your own blog site giving the A to Z Team, the other Challenge participants, and any other readers your thoughts about this year's April Challenge.

We are looking for feedback about the Challenge. Tell us what you liked and didn't like, what worked and what didn't. If you have suggestions about making future A to Z Challenges better, this is a good time to let us know. You can highlight other bloggers who you felt did an outstanding job or direct us to specific posts that particularly impressed you or that you found to be very helpful.

In other words, we want to know how the A to Z Team did and how the Challenge worked for you. If you'd do it again, tell us why. If you would never consider A to Z again, let us know what would make you feel that way.

Please put up your Reflections post between now and Friday, May 13. AFTER your post has gone live, add the link to the Linky List below. Enter the link that goes DIRECTLY to your Reflections post and not your general blog address. The list will be accessible for the remainder of this year. Be sure to grab the badge.

The list is intended for A to Z Reflections posts only. Any links to advertising sites or non-relevant posts will be removed from the list. General links added before you actually post will be removed. And remember that these posts will be directed to a diverse audience of varying ages and sensibilities so please respect others by refraining from posting obscene materials or hurtful attacks upon others. We want a productive interchange of ideas that can lead to positive innovation.

Add your direct post link below AFTER you have posted your reflections! All non-direct links will be deleted.

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1. Jingle Jangle Jungle AtoZ Reflections Post	2. THE DOGLADY'S DEN
3. Author J Lenni Dorner	4. Keith's Ramblings : Where did April go?
5. Miriam Drori (author)	6. I Survived Another #atozchallenge. Again.
7. uniquely maladjusted but fun (PR)	8. Tasha's Thinkings
9. atozchallenge 2016 results - reflection post	10. Sophie's Thoughts and Fumbles
11. Song a Day - Reflections of a Daily Blog	12. Scribbling In The Storage Room
13. SerendipityOfDreams	14. Second Thoughts First #LifeLessons
15. Reflections AtoZ Gail M Baugniet-Author	16. Jemima Pett, Author
17. Megan Morgan	18. Reflections from Curling Stones for Lego People
19. Reflection - Dark History Blog	20. Ninja Captain Alex J. Cavanaugh
21. reflections of the 2016 a to z challenge	22. #Ato Z Challenge Reflections
23. A-ok and not Zero sum: A-Z reflection	24. Sizzling Towards Sixty AtoZ Reflections
25. Ericka @ A Quiet Girl's Musings. . . The Reflection	26. The Faux Fountain Pen
27. My Life in Retirement	28. Angels Bark
29. Animal Fun Reflections!	30. My Cozy Book Nook
31. Simply Poetry	32. A sliver of moonbeam
33. Words that whisper	34. Anne's family history
35. Lori @ As the Fates Would Have It	36. Solveig's reflections
37. TravelGenee #atozchallenge Reflections	38. ABC's of Hamburg Reflections
39. Tell Me Another	40. Me In The Middle of #atozchallenge Reflections
41. ElenaSquareEyes	42. Musings Served Daily On a Bed of Fresh Snark
43. JO ON FOOD, LIFE AND A SCENT OF CHOCOLATE	44. Reflections from A to Z
45. Relections - Theme Colors	46. Play off the Page
47. Discarded Darlings (WR)	48. Tossing It Out
49. Wrote By Rote	50. Lissa Johnston
51. The Write Mage

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Linky Tools  |  Linky Blog 2013

Happy Friday and Release day for On The Slopes by Bridie Hall!

Happy Friday! Hope everyone is doing well.

It's been raining for days here, and I'd like to complain, but there are sections of the US and Canada on fire right now, and I just can't. My thoughts are with all of them.

Have a great weekend! Happy Mother's Day!

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They're both divas.

It was so nice to have the paperbacks in my hands and be able to flip through the pages. Print is not dead.

***

On the Slopes 

By Bridie Hall

Snowboarding means everything to Charlise, but she hasn’t met Sam Miller yet.

Charlise is a snowboarder with a promising career ahead of her. Despite the fact that her father hates her risking her life on the slopes that had taken the life of Charlise’s mother she is determined not to give up her career the way her mother did when she fell pregnant. Charlise wants to win medals, lots of them.

The last distraction Charlise needs is the American freestyle champion, Sam Miller, who utterly enthralls her with his wit and friendliness. Refusing to risk her career for a relationship, Charlise returns home for Christmas, determined to sort things out with her father. But the holidays culminate in an epic fight, and with a repeat of the painful breakup with Sam. 

However, new discoveries from her family’s past might change Charlise’s mind about Sam.

ISBN: 978-1-939590-69-5
eBook buy links:
Kobo
Amazon
Barnes and Noble
Itunes
All Romance Books
About the author:

Bridie Hall writes young adult and new adult contemporary stories. She sold her first story at fourteen. Since then, she has written dozens more, translated books, studied writing, and started writing novels. Her days revolve around stories and words, her sleepless nights involve plotting and inventing fascinating new characters.

Website
@BridieHall13
Facebook

#IWSG is on #MayThe4th Be With You Day!

The Insecure Writer’s Support Group
 
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!

Alex J. Cavanaugh's awesome co-hosts for the May 4 posting of the IWSG are Stephen Tremp, Fundy Blue, MJ Fifield, Loni Townsend, Bish Denham, Susan Gourley, and Stephanie Faris! 

Instead of sharing any of my usual insecurities, I'll share some amazing news from the IWSG!

Parallels: Felix Was Here

An Insecure Writer’s Support Group Anthology

Enter the realm of parallel universes!

What if the government tried to create the perfect utopia? Could a society linked to a supercomputer survive on its own? Do our reflections control secret lives on the other side of the mirror? Can one moment split a person’s world forever?

Exploring the fantastic, ten authors offer incredible visions 

and captivating tales of diverse reality.

 

Featuring the talents of L.G. Keltner, Crystal Collier, Hart Johnson, Cherie Reich, Sandra Cox, Yolanda Renée, Melanie Schulz, Sylvia Ney, Michael Abayomi, and Tamara Narayan.

Hand-picked by a panel of agents and authors, these ten tales will expand your imagination and twist the tropes of science fiction. Step through the portal and enter another dimension!

AVAILABLE NOW!

Print ISBN 978-1-939844-19-4 $14.95
Amazon,  Barnes and Noble

eBook ISBN 978-1-939844-20-0 $4.99
iTunes,  Kindle,  Nook,  Kobo

Find it on Goodreads and the Blog

 

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I don't recall every detail, but I do remember standing outside a theater in 1977 waiting to go see Star Wars with my parents and my two brothers.

It was larger than life.

[And we called it Star Wars. Just Star Wars.]

I'm sure I missed a lot of plot points and the general premise was probably over my head, (I was just a kid!), yet the feeling of being somewhere else, of falling into a movie and not coming back out until the credits rolled, stays with me to this day.

There was something so special about that film. The sounds, the music, the sense of urgency, the drama, the bits of humor, the sarcasm, the bond formed between the characters. It was all so ... fantastic.

Where were you when Star Wars hit theaters? Do you feel the same way I do?