I interupt Vladurday for

the announcement that I got this awesome award!!! Thanks Cate over at www.lexcade.blogspot.com ! she's really cool so go visit her blog! now I need to pass it on to 5 bloggers. (only 5 :( )
1)Jami Gold at www.jamigold.com
2)Lisa Ann at www.lisachickos.blogspot.com
3)Molly Daniels atwww.mjdaniels.blogspot.com
4) Sara at www.urbanfantasyreader.blogspot.com
5)Brooklyn Ann at www.brooklynann.blogspot.com

Now for the 7 things about me
1)I can freak myself out reading conspiracy theories.
2)I don't watch reality tv
3)I cry easily
4)I often forget how old I am and think I'm much younger.
5)Sometimes I wish I could pack up and move to foreign land
6)I want to learn to juggle
7)I have a bad habit of laughing at inappropriate things and times

I now return you to your regular Vladurday enjoyment

Happy Vladurday!

Excerpt from The Vampire's Warden by S.J. Wright!!LOOKEEE!!!

Today I'm excited and pleased to be a part of the book blog tour for S.J. Wright. She has written a terrific vampire novel with a fresh twist to it. I highly recommend it to lovers of vampire fiction.

In this, we get a brief glimpse into the power of the attraction that these two feel for each other.  Sarah needs to be firm with Michael, but it’s much harder than she imagined it might be.  It’s a constant struggle within her.  She’s found it hard to trust men since her one bad relationship ended, but she still feels completely drawn to Michael.

I crossed my arms and shivered as I felt the cool night air begin to seep through my jacket.  I knew it was ridiculous for me to be out there, trying to get honest answers from someone who probably had centuries to perfect his lies.

“Cold?”  He had moved closer, his dark silhouette looming before me like an animal about to strike.  His brilliantly-colored eyes narrowed and he held out his powerful arms.

“I could warm you up, Sarah.”

The power his voice had over me was still strong.  I noted again how far out I was from the boulders and took an additional couple steps back just to be sure. 

He shot me a mischievous little smirk, “Ah, yes.  The boundary.”

He moved forward yet again, this time more slowly and gracefully than seemed possible, until he was only a foot from me.  I was holding my breath but my heart was thumping like a wild drum, seeming to drown out all my other senses.  Had the diagram in the journal been wrong?  How else could he keep getting so close?  Panic had begun burning me from the inside out, and my hands were trembling.

His rumbling laugh came rolling over me in delicious waves, “You need to relax, my dear.  Given the faith you have in that mad man’s journal, I would think you would understand that I am forbidden to cause you any harm.”

“That depends on what kind of harm you’re referring to.”  I said weakly.  

 

Here's a bit about the author...

I am a stay-at-home Mom with two growing boys, an overworked husband and a very devoted Jack Russell terrier named Shelby.  I grew up in small city called Mishawaka, Indiana and the majority of my family live in the Indianapolis area.  I now live with my wonderful boys, my husband and sort-of-annoying dog in Little Elm, Texas.  The Vampire's Warden is the first book I have ever put up for sale.

You can buy The Vampire's Warden on Amazon http://amzn.com/B004NNVKAO.  And at BN.com http://search.barnesandnoble.com/The-Vampires-Warden/SJ-Wright/e/2940012222695/?itm=1&USRI=the+vampire%27s+warden 

Thanks to the author, Ms. Wright and The Bookish Snob.



She's appearing next at Supernatural Bookworm http://angelgonemad.blogspot.com/
AND she's having a NIFTY GIVEAWAY!!!

even fun hurts

yeah that is my mood. the only good thing about my mood is that it is really good for writing the intense parts of my WIP, which is now titled...DEATH HUNTER. it makes sense, believe me. the title, not my mood. anyway, I'm now in day two of my craptastic mood. there are several things contributing to it but I'm persevering. I kind of have to as that is my baseline. like I said this is really good for writing. I've written about 16k words in Death Hunter and FUNdraiser is now at 11k words.
I think my mood is a culmination of factors from the month of april. now april is going down in my list of crapbag months. previously it was just june and november but I think now april has earned a place there. hopefully as time passes and I process what happened a little more I will shake my mood. BUT I plan to make good use of it by continuing to write through it. it's kind of like playing through the pain in sports. that's a terrible thing to do by the way but I think if I write through what is bothering me I will get a two fold benefit of more words and a better frame of mind. that would be like one of those machines that makes it's own energy and keeps working infinitely. two things working for each other's benefit. I don't even know if that makes sense but in my head it does. you know what I mean. symbiotic. I think that's the word. snap. I need a nap and a cup of something really awesome.
speaking of awesome... don't forget to visit this week on FRIDAY THE 13th!!!(ominous music playing) when S.J Wright stops by and shares an expert of her terrific book THE VAMPIRE'S WARDEN.

Word to my mutha!

Happy Mother's Day everyone. mothers are awesome. or at least mine is. she raised me to be the kind of woman I am today. lol. now many people might cringe at that thought and start looking for my mom with a pitchfork but let me explain. I was brought up to be a strong independent woman. my mom always instilled the idea of not being dependent on anyone in the world and being able to survive any crisis. I consider this to be an awesome thing. there is very little in the world I can't do in the way of day to day survival. I can change my car's oil (although not now because I have a German car and everything under the hood is in German but as soon as I decode the writing...), change tires, build stuff with power tools(seriously), do basic plumbing, fire a gun safely, cook just about anything including stuff on the grill, speak Spanish and passable Italian, write a couple of books and many many other things including get a few varied degrees. all this because of what my mom raised me to be. basically she gave me a can do attitude. when a landslide of crap is coming, I know how to either get out of the way or rebuild after all thanks to my mom. I'm really lucky like that because in my life I've been in reach of the landslide of crap. several times. and I've always come out okay.
now the different sense of fashion(chuck taylor's and funky hair) and  quirky sense of humor(Vladurday, anyone?) didn't come from her because she's kind of a wall flower but I guess because I'm the way I am, those just came along naturally. and not all people get me. that would explain why there is not Mr Cautionary Tale. what?, you ask. really? no Mr. Cautionary Tale. that's right, there have been many who have been sucked into the massive gravitational pull of me but none have survived. but that's okay. I think I'm more of a one woman show. and because of what my mom taught me, that's okay. in fact it's awesome. so thanks Mom. you are awesome and I don't tell you enough.

Happy Vladurday!

Birthdays are awesome!

this would be perfect for a 1930s era gangster but it's still heeee larious. today is my Maddy's birthday. yes, my one and only. I tried like hell to birth her on Cinco de Mayo. I labored 25 hours(that's true labor kids. not from when I felt my first contraction) and pushed for almost 6 hours. anyway, she was born 9 years ago today and is the most awesome kid in the whole wide world. she thinks Nazi zombies are the worst kinds of zombies(and runs from Germans because she thinks they are Nazis.STILL working on that one), dinosaur sharks are scarier than the Kraken because they have ten rows of teeth and the Kraken only had one , solar panels cost a coupla grand and creates art made of super much amounts of awesome. so much that I had it made into a necklace. when it comes, I'll post it. but anyway, Happy birthday to my Bean Pie. you rock more than a hundred billion hot dogs and I love you!

Welcome Mysti Parker author of A Ranger's Tale!

I'm super excited to have author Mysti Parker with me today. She is promoting her new fantasy novel A Ranger's Tale.

1.Tell us a bit about yourself.

Thank you so much for having me here today. I’m a full time wife, mom of three, and a writer. Somewhere in my old life, I got a biology degree and worked in some laboratories. Perhaps the blood and guts prepared me for the messes of motherhood, but being a mom is the best and hardest job I’ve ever had.

What else is there to tell? My husband and I are high school sweethearts, we’ve been married for almost fourteen years, and we’ve always called Kentucky home.  Besides our three kids, we’ve got a lazy housecat and a smart outdoor dog. When I’m not writing, I love to read and critique, play with the kids, and watch TV when the kids are asleep.

2.What inspires you to write?

Just about everything! I get ideas for short stories from prompts or from real-life experiences. I wrote short about a Valentine’s Day dinner gone awry based on our own Valentine’s Day date. Another story set in a nursing home was based on my stepdad’s illness and his stay in a nursing facility.

For my fantasy series, I’m inspired by the Lord of the Rings trilogy, roleplaying games, romance, and the desire to write about fantastical characters with realistic problems. Even though my elves may live for centuries, they face problems that most of us can relate to, as well as the occasional rogue wizard, goblin, or troll.

3.Tell us about A Ranger’s Tale.

A Ranger’s Tale is set in the fantasy world of Tallenmere. It’s the first in a stand-alone series. The century-year old high elf, Caliphany Aranea, is expected to become a mage and head up the Mage Academy in Leogard like her father, Sirius. He wanted his firstborn son, Caelen, to take his place, but after Caelen died serving as a paladin for King Leopold, the responsibility fell to Caliphany. The problem is, she doesn’t want it and doubts her abilities. Sirius keeps her on a short leash, won’t let her leave the city, and expects her to marry a mage she doesn’t even like.

One day, while strolling on the docks of Leogard Harbor, fantasizing about far-away places, two scoundrels attempt to kidnap her. That’s when half-elf ranger and ship captain Galadin Trudeaux comes to her rescue. After that fateful encounter, Caliphany convinces Galadin to train her in the ways of a ranger so she can set out on her own and fend for herself. From that moment on, their lives are forever intertwined, and you’ll have to read the book to find out more!

I had a blast writing A Ranger’s Tale! There’s a little bit of me in Cali, I think. She’s spunky, independent, and well…impulsive. She makes up for it with her loyalty and devotion to those she loves. Galadin provides a good balance in her life, keeps her grounded, and loves her to no end. He’s the kind of guy most of us ladies dream of, but sometimes guilt from his past gets in the way.

4.Do you write other genres besides fantasy?

So far, my novels are fantasy romance, though I do have one historical romance on the back burner until I have adequate research time. In short stories, I’ve tried everything from speculative, to horror and comedy. I love stretching my writing muscles to try new things.

I have a goal to keep submitting more short stories to publications and contests. I’m still working on meeting that goal. Most of them sit on my hard drive, only to be seen by my critique partners.

5.What’s up next for you?

I’m working on the second novel in my Tallenmere series, called Serenya’s Song. It features Jayden Ravenwing, a prominent character from A Ranger’s Tale. It takes place in the small town of Summerwind, where a strange portal has opened, threatening the lives of everyone who lives there. Jayden must find a way to close it before it’s too late.

That’s all I’ll say for now, but look for it from Melange Books in October, 2011.

6.Any advice for writers out there struggling with their publishing journey?

Get a good critique group—either in person or online. Cultivate relationships with other writers who write in your genre or style. Critique often, and it will vastly improve your own skills.

Read a lot in your genre and beyond as well. Read both the good and bad—you’ll learn what to do and what not to do.

Learn to edit your own work. Don’t depend on your editor to do that. Read your stories out loud to hear things your eye misses.

And most of all, don’t give up! Writing is hard work, but like anything else, the more you practice, the better you’ll get.

             Here's the blurb from the back of A Ranger's Tale

Set in the fantasy world of Tallenmere, the high elf Caliphany Aranea longs to explore the world and escape from her controlling father. Her dreams are fulfilled when she meets ranger and ship captain Galadin Trudeaux. But, when secrets from the past bring tragedy to those she loves, Caliphany must fight to hold on to the life she's always wanted.

 Here's where you can find A Ranger's Tale http://www.melange-books.com/authors/mystiparker/parkerarangerstale.html

And here too http://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-aranger039stale-511665-143.html

 

Here's where you can find Mysti http://www.mystiparker.blogspot.com   and  http://www.melange-books.com/authors/mystiparker/mystiparker.htm

Thanks Mysti for being here and thanks Bewitching Book Tours! 

No candy but a really great interview tomorrow!!

y'all don't forget to stop by for my interview with Mysti Parker, author of A RANGERS TALE. she's very cool and is stopping by on her whirlwind blog tour!!!p.s. how hilarious is this pic? I know people who put flyers up JUST LIKE THIS back in the day. and they are in respectable professionals now. eerie.

sprechen sie Mac?

bahahahaha! this is one of my all time favorite lines and it always makes me laugh super hard. it's like they're really saying,  "I'ma keep that lil window open jusstttt in case the opportunity arises for me to get some." anyway, I digress. back to what I wanted to post about... I've been having computer issues. some dickhead hid a virus in an email and poof, my netbook isn't working. fortunately, I keep all my WIPs and mss on a flash drive so I didn't lose anything but it is just such a pain in my ass. I think virus creators have self esteem issues but that's just me. so I have been poaching time on my mom's mac. using the mac is like moving to Europe for me. nothing works like I think it should and I'm forced to do serious thinking rather than just absently clicking. and like Europe, all the programs are a foreign language(Scrivener, etc) and I have no idea about anything. I just sort of nod my head and push buttons and keys. next I'll be saying yes in a really loud voice when the computer prompts me to do anything I don't understand. worst thing is when I write, lots of time I do spur of the moment research and I can't do that on the mac because I don't know how. maybe I'll get the hang of it. I hope so. next I'll have to learn how to drive a stick shift car. God I hope not.

Happy Vladurday!

oh y'all! I just loved it!

yes, being the absolutely unapologetic Anglophile, I watched the wedding and I LOVED LOVED LOVED it! so lovely! I love weddings despite never having one of my own. hopefully, theirs will be long lasting and full of love and fun. I wish the now Duke and Duchess of Cambridge decades of happiness.
this is the second Royal wedding I've watched. yes , I gave up my precious sleep to watch it and as I type, I'm imagining my words in a British accent.LOL. but all of this is history so of course I'm not missing it. this wedding was so gorgeous and so tradition laden. I had goosebumps countless times as I watched it all on BBC America(of course) and I had tons of smiles as I watched the street interviews with all the Brits along the route to the Palace. I love the hats!!!! why don't we wear more hats? in my former life I know I was a milliner. but I just love the happy, united and optimistic energy of the crowd. this was such a great way to start my day. maybe now my writer's block will vanish.
and by the way, I'm wearing a tiara all day!

the only antidote to a zany scheme is an even ZANIER scheme!

so now I will pass on the honor of the Stylish Blogger award. part of this is that I must reveal seven things about myself. although this might be difficult because I pretty much tell y'all everything. but here goes.
1)I'm terrified of heights
2)despite my brash, comical exterior I am a tender heart underneath (if you tell anyone I'll beat your ass)
3)If I ever met any of my super crushes, I would turn into a tongue tied teen.
4)I'll never stop lovin my first true love. okay so you know this but some might not.
5)I can change my own tires and oil
6)I would rather watch cartoon than reality TV
7)I will sing and loudly I might add any song I love in my car no matter who's in it with me
And now to pass it on:
1) Tiffany's Bookshelf http://tiffanysbookshelf.blogspot.com
2)The Word is My Oyster http://lydiakang.blogspot.com
3)From Sarah, With Joy http://fromsarahwithjoy.blogspot.com
4)Two Nerdy History Girls http://twonerdyhistorygirls.blogspot.com
5)Chronicles of a Novice Writer http://novicewriterchronicles.blogspot.com
6)Supernatural Smut http://brooklynann.blogspot.com
go and do good!

Thanks, y'all!

yeah that's probably good advice but the best advice would be don't go to a body piercer who would need that kind of advice. just sayin.
I'm so happy! I got 2 blog awards!!!! I am so honored and overwhelmed.
the first was this lovely award from A Storybook World hosted by author and brilliant illustrator  Dierdra Eden Coppel http://astorybookworld.blogspot.com/

seriously, I was happy/flabbergasted when I saw her comment! it was so nice for someone to drop in and give me such a lovely award! it was like she "got" what I do here. go see her blog and follow! it's awesome!!!
the second award was from my hilarious friend in blogging Steve Bossenberger over at El Blog de Steve www.steveboss.blogspot.com he and I think a lot alike and if I lived anywhere near him, I'd never get anything done because we'd be discussing all the things he writes about along with some of my gems. anyway, the Boss awarded me The Stylish Blogger Award!

I love this award and love that a like minded peer gave it to me! like minded all except for the Gators and we'll just have to over look that. I will do my fact revealing and passing this award on in a later post but I just wanted to say thanks!
THANKS Boss and Dierdra!!!You guys rock!

it's even more spickier and spannier now!

so now at last I think my karma is about back at even and ready for me and my undisciplined mind to wreck it again. but I hope not. I finally got rid of the last bit of karmic messing up stuff in my life over the weekend and I feel better. you wouldn't think I would but I do because I know it was the right thing to do and I feel that now things will be right in my universe. am I really that dependent of my belief in karma and fate. ubetcha. when I started taking notice of things and started doing my karmic cleaning a few months back, right away I noticed a difference for the better. coincidence you might say and I say you're entitled to your opinion but I think otherwise. I am a firm believer in all things happen for a reason and it is our responsibility to learn from each experience. if you don't , you are the loser. no matter what the occurrence, learn from it. there is no better teacher than that in most things. trust me.
so I'll leave you with a little of The Way of the Bodhisattva:
May I become an inexhaustible treasure
For those who are poor and destitute;
May I turn into all things they need
And may these be placed close beside them!
Whether those who encounter me
Conceive a faithful or angry thought,
May that always become the source
For fulfilling all their wishes!
May all who say bad things to me
Or cause me any other harm,
And those who mock and insult me
Have the fortune to awaken fully!

I'll be back with more inappropriate humor and drama with my next post. :)