Monthly Archives: September 2011

On Luck

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Life’s Not a Four Leaf Clover

Four leaf clover in red hair

I don’t believe in luck. I believe you make your own luck by working hard and trusting yourself to do the right thing. If you make the best of your circumstances, good things will come to you.

Bad things happen to everyone. It’s part of life. We’ve all experienced loss and frustration. If I thought luck played a part in everything that has happened to me, what would be the point of trying to better my circumstances? If what will be will be and I have no control over my life, what’s the use in striving for happiness?

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International Travel versus Space Travel

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Let’s see, free international travel for life vs. a space trip? Easy for me to answer for two reasons. The first one is that I have zero interest in going into space. My superhero name (which is not very super at all) is Claustrophobia Girl. Even though Outer Space is supposed to be vast and unending, to me it seems like a dark place that would make me feel enclosed in a dark coffin. It would press down on me and cause me great angst. I also could never be in a rocket for the same reasons. Too close quarters. I even freaked out once in the IMAX theatre over a space movie and left in the middle of the show. If I was up there for real, I couldn’t dash out, now could I?

International travel, on the other hand, is something I love to do. I’m all about discovering new cultures and taking in the amazing sights and sounds of different places, so yeah, this one is easy. Give me that permanent boarding pass, even if I have to take a nap to get through the flight with all those people pressing in. Airplanes aren’t roomy enough either but the travel time is shorter than a space trip and there’s always the layovers to help with the claustrophobia.

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Now Available – Music Hall, Music Hell

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The anthology I’m in with my story called Music Hall, Music Hell is now available.  I’m excited about it – I really do love my story – it was fun to write and came together very fast. It’a tour of the music halls and bars in hell with a personal escort, Mephistopheles himself. I hope if you check it out, that you’ll let me know what you think.

For ordering info: http://whortleberrypress.com/

Art I Appreciate

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I want it all!

This is a super hard prompt for me to answer. I have no way to say which I appreciate most. I was a dancer for many years and love ballet, ballroom and tap dancing the best. I could watch the ballet all day.

I’m also an avid amatuer photographer. I’ve been told I have a good eye and I love to take pictures from different perspectives.

My son has an architecture degree and we love to look at buildings everywhere we go. Anytime we traveled when he was a kid, we had to check out all the various architecture in the area. Houses, businesses, churches, statues, we love it all.

I’m also a major film buff. I adore all the old ones as well as good storyline modern ones. I’m not much on the stupid ones but I like a good story. In fact, as a writer, some of my best inspiration comes from the scenery, costumes and cinematography of films.

So, I guess my answer is, give it all to me. All except what they call modern art. I like my art to look like something concrete I can identify. LOL!

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Customer Service Winners and Losers

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Piles of Money

Customer service? How about no service! I just went round and round with my credit union the other day. My son moved to England for grad school and we called the credit union ahead of time and told them he was moving and we even changed his address. This is an international credit union that does business with people all over the world.

Sure enough, he went over and the first thing he tried to buy was a cell phone over there since his wouldn’t work internationally without huge charges. Guess what? The credit union wouldn’t honor the charge and cut off his card for “suspicious activity.” WTH? Crazy.

So, I called them as I’m the joint owner of the card. They would not listen to me about the charges being okay. They wanted HIM to call- what part of “He can’t get a phone because you cut off his card” didn’t they understand? He needed credit to get the phone and they cut off his credit because he was in a foreign country. It was one of those things called a vicious circle, right?

The only way I had to communicate with him was by email. He tried to email the credit union but they ignored his request to allow the charges. It was ludicrious. I went round and round with them, finally, exasperated, I told them they needed to look at my other accounts because I was coming to take ALL OF MY MONEY out as soon as I got off work. Guess what? They took the freeze off the kid’s card. GEEZ. How crazy was all that?

I’m still debating taking the money and leaving. If I hadn’t been a customer since I was 16, I might.

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Another Short Story Anthology

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Last week, I heard that my story, Christmas in Venice, will be published by Whortleberry Press. I love this press and the editor in chief,  Jean Goldstrom, is a joy to work with. I’m thrilled to be in this next publication with the other great writers over there.

The theme of the anthology is Christmas Angels and the stories are all either sci-fi, horror or fantasy. Mine occurs in Venice, Italy and has a bit of a time travel element. It was a tough one to write. I tinkered and tinkered with it and finally got it to a semblance of something I could be proud of, but for a while, it was kicking my butt.  I hope the folks that read it end up liking it.

I’m not sure when it comes out, but I’ll post the cover as soon as it’s ready.

 

“Entangled” – An Anthology to Help in the Fight Against Breast Cancer

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There’s a book that came out today that’s full of great stories and it’s for a great cause as well. All proceeds of the book willl  be donated to breast cancer research. Here’s an interview about it. 

Q: Tell us about Entangled.

A: Entangled includes ten suspense-filled paranormal stories from authors Lori Brighton, Michelle Diener, Cynthia Eden, Jennifer Estep, Misty Evans, Nancy Haddock, Liz Kreger, Dale Mayer, Michelle Miles, and Edie Ramer, plus a brand new Seven Deadly Sins novella by Allison Brennan. Stacia Kane contributed the foreword and the book’s formatting and cover art were also donated to the project by Lori Devoti and Laura Morrigan. All proceeds from the sale of Entangled will be donated to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation (BCRF).

 Q: Are the stories connected?

A: The anthology has a Halloween theme, so the stories all have Halloween elements in them.

 Q: Are they all one genre?

A: All the stories paranormal, but some are heavier on suspense, while others have more romance. We even have a young adult story by Jennifer Estep that’s related to herMythosAcademyseries.

 Q: How did you all come up with the decision to do this book? Who initiated it and how did you all get together?

A: Edie Ramer and Misty Evans wanted to do a collaboration together, and over three or four emails earlier this year, they decided to do a paranormal anthology of short stories and have the proceeds go to breast cancer. They invited authors whose books they read and enjoyed, and the response was overwhelmingly positive.

 Q: Tell us more about the Breast Cancer Research Foundation.

A: BCRF-funded research has helped save lives and improved the quality of care and rate of survival for tens of thousands of breast cancer patients in the past decade. Their research has revealed that the “cure” is a mosaic made up of as many approaches to diagnosing, treating, preventing and surviving as there are different types of breast cancer. The anthology is also a mosaic made up of many stories donated for this worthwhile cause.

 Q: Is there a time limit on purchasing Entangled so the proceeds go to the BCRF?

A: Entangled will available for at least a year and all proceeds will go to BCRF, no matter when it’s purchased. After a year, if it’s still selling well, we’ll keep it available, and again, all proceeds will go to BCRF.

 Q: How much will the ebook cost?

A: Entangled will be discounted to $2.99 during September and October in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness month. After that the price will go up to $3.99. For stories of this caliber, it’s a fantastic deal at either price.

 Q: Can people donate to the cause even if they can’t or don’t want to purchase Entangled?

A: Absolutely. Go to  http://www.bcrfcure.org to make a donation in your name, or in the name of someone you know who’s been touched by breast cancer.

Here’s some info on the stories in the book:

Ghosts, vampires, demons, and more! Entangled includes ten suspense-filled paranormal short stories from authors Cynthia Eden, Jennifer Estep, Edie Ramer, Lori Brighton, Michelle Diener, Misty Evans, Nancy Haddock, Liz Kreger, Dale Mayer, and Michelle Miles, plus a Seven Deadly Sins novella by Allison Brennan. 

Stacia Kane contributed the foreword. Formatting and cover art were also donated to the project by Lori Devoti and Laura Morrigan.

 All proceeds go to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation.

 Stories include:

 HALLOWEEN FROST by USA Today bestselling author Jennifer Estep (author of theMythosAcademy, Elemental Assassin, and Bigtime series) — It’s Halloween atMythosAcademy, but Gwen Frost and her friends are in for more tricks than treats when they run into a mythological monster intent on killing them.

 THE FAT CAT by Edie Ramer (author of Cattitude, Galaxy Girls) — In a battle for the souls of seven women, a wizard has the god of war on his side; all the witch has is a fat, black cat.

 MEDIUM RARE by Nancy Haddock (author of the Oldest City Vampire trilogy) —What’s spooking the spirits ofSt. Augustine? As the witching hour of Halloween approaches, ghost seer Colleen Cotton must team with a by-the-book paranormal investigator to locate the one ghost who can save the city’s specters. If she fails, her own great grandfather’s spirit may be lost forever.

 SWEET DEMON by Misty Evans (author of the Witches Anonymous series) —When Chicago’s vampire king insists Kali Sweet join his empire, the vengeance demon must rely on her ex – the half-human, half-chaos demon who left her at the altar three hundred years ago – in order to escape the vamp’s clutches.

 SIAN’S SOLUTION by Dale Meyer (author of the Psychic Visions series) — When a vampire discovers the human man she loves has been captured and hung in a blood farm, she goes against her own kind and risks everything to save him.

 A BIT OF BITE by Cynthia Eden (author of NEVER CRY WOLF and ANGEL OF DARKNESS) — A killer is stalking the streets of Crossroads, Mississippi, and it’s up to Sheriff Ava Dushaine to stop him. But when suspicion falls on werewolf alpha Julian Kasey—Ava’s ex-lover and the man who still haunts her dreams—Ava knows that she’ll either have to prove his innocence…or watch the whole town go up in flames.

 SINFULLY SWEET by Michelle Miles (author of the Coffee House series) — When Chloe bakes a little magic into her pastries, she attracts the attention of Edward, the sexy half-demon, half-witch, who’s come to warn her those who murdered her sister are now after her.

 A NIGHT OF FOREVER by Lori Brighton (author of A Night of Secrets and To Seduce an Earl) — Who is Aidan Callaghan? Mary Ellen James is intent on uncovering the truth about the mysterious man, but as she soon finds out, some things are best left buried in the past.

 FEEL THE MAGIC by Liz Kreger (author of the Part of Tomorrow series) — Jenna Carmichael’s magical attempt to rectify Jessica Manfield’s birth identity takes an unexpected turn when the past comes back to haunt her.

 BREAKING OUT by Michelle Diener (author of the Tudor-set historical suspense novel In A Treacherous Court) — Imprisoned in a secret facility, powerful telekinetic Kelli Barrack and two other ‘special’ inmates grab a chance to escape, only to confront their worst nightmares on the outside.

 GHOSTLY JUSTICE, an all-new Seven Deadly Sins novella by New York Times bestselling author Allison Brennan (author of the Seven Deadly Sins series) — Demon hunters Moira O’Donnell and Rafe Cooper are dragged into the dangerous world of nocturnal predators to find “Ghostly Justice” for a virgin sacrificed to an ancient blood demon.

If I Could Say Anything without Consequence

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Just Say No

Truth or Consequences

Ok, this prompt is crazy! You do know the internet is forever and anyone can read what is posted? So, why would anyone EVER answer this prompt? If you answer it, trust me on this, there WILL BE consequences. Just walk away from the prompt. In fact, don’t walk, run!

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