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!

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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)

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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!

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!

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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.

Twitter:@Shelley_Watters

Website

Facebook Author Page

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Looks SO VERY good to me!

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

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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!

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!

You know you've made it when....

So, I guess you know you've really made it in the publishing world when your book gets downloaded for free on some low-life's site.

I hope all those nice folks that illegally downloaded it take the time to write up a quick review for me. Oh, and that they don't get an ad-ware or mal-ware virus thanks to the download. :)

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I don't have a lot of anything to tell you today.

I've got lots to do and I'm not doing any of it at the moment.

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I've noticed some people have been talking about the Blogging from A to Z April Challenge already. I think sign-ups will start soon. Stay tuned. :)

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Also, on Friday there will be a cover reveal for a friend's brand new book right here! Make sure you come back to check it out!

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How was your weekend? 

Did you watch any football and if so will you now be watching the Super Bowl?



**P.S. - My publisher has been notified of the illegal downloads and I notified the website and they took it down. For now, anyway. Thank you. :)

Good news, more good news & even MORE good news + THE COFFEE HOP!

UPDATED

My apologies to Michael Di Gesu at the In Time blog! I totally forgot my coffee post!

This is actually part of a post I did for the A to Z April Challenge back in 2011.

What's that? You didn't know I had a thang for coffee? You thought I was only fixated on chocolate?

Well, mostly chocolate but, I can not live without coffee.

I. Need. It. Every. Day.

Coffee is a true adventure in our home.

We have regular coffee that we make every day.

But, then we have our 'cool' coffee because we like to try new stuff all the time.

We love all kinds of coffee: German, Kona, Columbian, Espresso, Morning Blends. All so yummy good.

So, that's my story.
I love coffee.
I crave coffee.
I want coffee.
I need coffee.

As some unknown author said...a morning without coffee is like sleep.
 

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What a difference a few days can make! I have been floundering but then today ... more like halibut. 

:)

Okay, here is the good news.

I have a guest post on Danielle-Claude Indie Book Reviews today talking about Maguire's Corner. It includes a great excerpt from the book about the cold weather in January!

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Here is the more good news!

My publisher decided to give away a paperback copy of Maguire's Corner on Goodreads! YEAH! Go enter today!!

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Here is the even MORE good news!!

I finished book 2.

It wasn't pretty and I looked like this a lot...

But, it's done.

I'm currently calling it: One Good Catch.

I've been letting it sit before I go back and read the end over again.

I'm hoping it will still makes sense.

And then ... DUH DUH DUH ... editing begins.

Lucky for me, I do a lot of editing while I write but there is always more to do.

So...thanks for sticking with me and listening to me when I wrote myself into a corner and encouraging me when I was frustrated. 

You guys are the best.