Sandra Cox's Blog, page 244

Giveaway and Weather

Are you a gardener? Like aromatherapy? Use edible flowers? Interested in carnivorous plants?
I'm giving away three copies of POWER FLOWERS at Goodreads. To enter just go to the contest page on the sidebar.
On a personal note, I've pre-posted but I may not have an opportunity to respond to your comments or chat with you at your blogs. I'm flying to IL today. My bro is having heart surgery. The hh will drive in this weekend. From there we'll visit our other relatives then hopefully when we get  home next week we'll get to visit the babies. So even though I may not be responding to the comments, I appreciate them and will be thinking of each and everyone of you.

Pompeii

Did you see it? Did you like it? In spite of the fact, that it had elements I usually avoid in movies--I won't mention what they are since I don't want them to be spoilers--I really enjoyed this movie. If you've seen it, let me know what you thought about it.

A little history: Founded in seventh century BC, Pompeii was a Roman town in Italy. It was destroyed by the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius in 79 AD. Pompeii's 20,000 inhabitants were buried under twenty feet of ash.

What I Saw Last Week and Read An E Book Week

 http://www.clipart.dk.co.uk/Can you believe the daffodils were in bloom last week? Of course yesterday evening we got ice and snow. sigh.


For oft, when on my couch I lie
In vacant or in pensive mood,
They flash upon that inward eye
Which is the bliss of solitude;
And then my heart with pleasure fills,
And dances with the daffodils.
By William Wordsworth (1770-1850).
~*~
Smashwords will be running mega deals this week. Lots of freebies so you might want to stock up.Here's the read an e-book promotion page at Smashwords:https://www.smashwords.com/books/category/1/newest/1

RW100-Shardai is free REW50-Akasha: 99cents REW50-Makita: 1.50 REW50-Power Stones: 1.50 REW50-Vampire Bay: 1.50

Children of Lubrochius Cover Reveal

BLURB:   The vampire, Lucian val Drasmyr, has been defeated, but not destroyed: Now he serves another evil: Korina Bolaris, a young and gifted sorceress bent on subverting the power structure of Drisdak. Only Coragan of Esperia can hope to stop them. But is even he prepared to face the dark cult who claims her as their own: the Children of Lubrochius?“I see little profit in it,” said the first man, “save vague promises of uncertain future rewards.”            Korina paused. Clearly, she was not explaining the up-side of her offer well enough. She needed something to lure the men in; something the Shadowhand could not provide, but the Children could. “Have you ever robbed from a wizard?” she asked, changing the topic as the obvious lure occurred to her. She reached into another small pouch on her side and pulled out four Kaldtarri rings, her fingers gently caressing one, feeling the band of iron and the grotesque gargoyle-like head. Sidipius had come through and provided her with ten Kaldtarri Primes and two Kaldtarri Secunduses, an ample beginning supply: enough to begin a formidable hellring. All she needed were the recruits. Men such as these.             The men stared across the empty space at her, at first saying nothing in reply. Finally, one of them broke the silence. “No, we have not,” he said.            “Why?”  she asked, though she knew the answer.            “They have magic. They can snoop you out no matter how good you are.”            “How about a baron or a count?”            “Do you know how many thieves have gone to the gallows for trying?” the thief said. “The nobility just hire wizards. It’s a lost cause.”            She smiled, and one by one dropped three of the rings on the table in front of them. “Is it now?” she said.AUTHOR Bio and Links:Matthew D. Ryan is a published author living in upstate New York on the shores of Lake Champlain. Mr. Ryan has a background in philosophy, mathematics, and computer science. He has a black belt in the martial arts and studies yoga. He has been deeply involved in the fantasy genre for most of his life as a reader, writer, and game designer. He is the operator of the web-site matthewdryan.com which features his blog, “A Toast to Dragons,”a blog dedicated to fantasy literature, and, to a lesser extent, sci-fi. Mr. Ryan says he receives his inspiration from his many years as an avid role-player and fantasy book reader. He has spent many long hours devising adventures and story-lines for games, so it was a natural shift moving into fantasy writing.
Mr. Ryan is the author of the exciting dark fantasy novel, Drasmyr ,, its sequel, The Children of Lubrochius, and a growing number of short stories. His first novel, Drasmyr, has consistently earned reviews in the four and five star range and serves as the prequel to his upcoming series: From the Ashes of Ruin. In addition to Drasmyr and The Children of Lubrochius, Mr. Ryan has published several short stories on-line, including: “Haladryn and the Minotaur,” “The River’s Eye,” and “Escape.”
Links to the Author on the Internet
Author’s website: http://matthewdryan.comAuthor’s Smashwords Page: http://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/matthewdryanAuthor’s Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000038781652Author’s Amazon Author Central Page: http://www.amazon.com/author/matthewdryanAuthor’s Goodreads Page: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/579148.Matthew_D_RyanMatthew will award a metal miniature of a demon from the Reaper Fantasy Miniatures to a randomly drawn commenter during the tour (US ONLY). The tour dates can be found here:  http://goddessfishpromotions.blogspot.com/2014/01/virtual-cover-reveal-tour-children-of.html

Diggin Author Host

 
  http://on.fb.me/mhOyFn

The Weekend's Here

Kick Back and Enjoy The Ride

Miss Redmond's Deception

Today is MISS REDMOND'S DECEPTION'S release day. So without further ado a bit of shameless self-promotion: 
Blurb: When Captain Richard Greyston encounters three figures in a graveyard, he takes them for a spectral visitation until he realizes it is two young ladies—in their nightgowns, no less—and their spinsterish companion. A spinster with slender limbs and an enchantingly velvety voice.

Pembra doesn’t care a whit for the captain’s opinion of her, even after circumstances force them into a sham betrothal. But when a gypsy warns her that his life hangs in the balance, she begins to realize that her heart is not so uninvolved as she might like to pretend.
Excerpt: “Where’s everyone going?”  Pembra muttered. Her curiosity aroused, she slipped out the door behind her sisters, keeping the spectral white nightgowns in sight as she stayed in the shadows. Her heart gave a hard ka-thump at the nearby screech of an owl. Ignoring it, she kept going.  What are they up to? Pembra watched Sabrina follow Emma, who followed Betsy. The maid turned off the path into the small graveyard located behind the rectory. She forgot to watch Betsy as she stared in astonishment at Emma sinking behind a large tombstone, like a specter sinking into the grave, while Sabrina crept up behind her. Pembra tiptoed closer until she heard subdued voices. She braced her hands against the rough bark of an oak. Hidden, she leaned forward to hear.  “Emma what are you doing here?” Sabrina demanded.Emma clamped a hand over her own mouth, muffling her shriek. “What are you doing here?” she hissed back.“Following you.”“Gosh, you scared me.” Emma pulled Sabrina down beside her.“At the risk of being repetitive, what are you doing here?”“Following Betsy. You’ll never believe it, but she’s out there with Adolphus Webster.”  “The rector’s son?” Sabrina gasped in shock. “Surely you’re mistaken. That platter-faced prig wouldn’t have the nerve to meet anyone.” “Oh, no? Well just take a look at that. Meeting is hardly the word for what’s going on.” Emma giggled.“Oh my.” Sabrina clapped her hand over Emma’s eyes while peeking over the top of the tombstone.“Hey, move your hand.” Emma wiggled trying to dislodge her disobliging sister’s fingers.“You are much too young to witness such disreputable behavior,” her sibling scolded.“Yes, and you are so much more worldly,” Emma grumbled, as she pried away Sabrina’s fingers. “Well, I’m worldly enough to know if Pembra finds out about this, its curtains for Betsy,” Sabrina replied, indignant.The girls—so awake to the carnal pursuits under the maple tree—were paying not the least attention to their immediate surroundings.Pembra stepped out from her hiding place. “If Pembra finds out about what?” “Eeekk.” Both girls screeched and jumped up in fright.~*~It was unfortunate indeed that Captain the Honorable Richard Greyston, late of the Household Brigade,  grandson and only heir of the fifth Earl of Meade, had taken a wrong turn and was cantering by on his temperamental stallion, when the girls rose shrieking from behind the tombstone. “Bloody hell,” floated on the clear night air as Greyston fought to get his mount under control, not quite believing what he was seeing as three ghostly apparitions stared at him from behind an ancient funerary marker.When his mount Doondiah was quieted down, Greyston unobtrusively drew a pistol from an inside pocket of his great coat.  Nudging the stallion with his knees, he approached cautiously. Though, damned if he knew what good a pistol would be against a ghost, much less three.Greyston gave a snort of disgust as he drew nearer and saw that his ghostly apparitions were only girls, at least the two clutching each other were. The third was definitely an old maid wearing a ridiculous mobcap, pulled down nearly to her thick spectacles, and a night rail that had enough material in it to serve as an army tent. “You damn fool,” he told his horse succinctly.“That will be enough of that language in front of innocent young females, sir,” the old maid snapped, stepping forward.Spoken like a true spinster.  He sighed inwardly. But ye gods, the voice. Velvety as night. Low and smoky as sin. A nightingale sound that conjured up forbidden delights. If his mistress had a voice like that he’d never leave her side. A lot could be forgiven resonance like that even if it came from a dried up old spinster.He moderated his cutting rejoinder to a mild, “Madam, what are you doing out here?”


Buy links: http://www.ellorascave.com/miss-redmond-s-deception.htmlhttp://www.amazon.com/Miss-Redmonds-Deception-Sandra-Cox-ebook/dp/B00GGMWAHC/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1392686837&sr=8-3&keywords=sandra+coxhttp://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/miss-redmonds-deception-sandra-cox/1117433056?ean=9781419948565 

Rabbit Stampede...Seriously

Love this! Bunnies are alive and well on a small Japanese island called Okunoshima. Okunoshima was once known for its military base that produced deadly gas. Now, it's bunnies that are the tourist draw.

Piracy On the Internet

Listen up, boys and girls, this one's important. When I say piracy, I'm not referring to people downloading stories and music, and not paying for it. I'm talking about capturing all the data on your computer and demanding payment to get it back. Sounds pretty high seas, doesn't it?

Have you heard of cryptolocker malware? If so, feel free to tune out. If not, here's the scoop...the operators of the malware really do hold your files till you pay to get them back. The normal ransom price is $300. If you pay, you're given a decryption key. Then you are given back your files. If not, your files are gone. Pretty scary stuff, huh?

How do they infect your files to begin with?

Like many infections its spread opening infected email attachments. The malware is set up to look like it comes from a legitimate source, such as: using what you think is a tracking device for packages. It's difficult to catch because it changes regularly, making it difficult for your antivirus program to ward it off. It infects everything on your computer: emails, documents, pictures, etc.

What can you do to protect yourself?

Back up your files. And...when opening attachments error on the side of caution. If you're unsure whether its legit or not don't open it.

Really?....Nooo....Really?

So I was researching this weekend. Looking for something that could block signals from an implanted tracker. What I came up with was a rare earth mineral the Neodymium Magnet. Though why they're considered rare is beyond me. You can buy them almost anywhere. But I'm getting sidetracked. Here was where my research got seriously weird. It was the word implant that did it. Have you figured out where I'm going with this? That's right. Some folks implant these magnets under their skin. Why you ask? I did too. I was thinking conspiracy theory, etc. Come to find out it's just a sensory thing, to feel the magnetic fields around you. There's even directions on how to do the implants. Now keep in mind you're only supposed to do them on your finger, specifically the inside corner of your ring finger so it doesn't interfere with grasping objects.  It's done with a large syringe or an incision is made with a scalpel. There's a trailer on how to do it, but since I don't do well with the sight of blood, I'm not going to impose it on you. I write fiction, but I don't think I could have made this stuff up.
~*~And on a completely different topic, to my baby girl who loves her birthday cake: Happy Birthday, darlin. Picture from wikimedia.org