Sandra Cox's Blog, page 270

It's Monday and The Word For The Day Is Cursor

No not cursing, but whatever works.
Cursor: 'Computers. a movable, sometimes blinking, symbol that indicates the position on a CRT or other type of display where the next character entered from the keyboard will appear, or where user action is needed, as in the correction of an erroneous character already displayed.' Dictionary.com


Does anyone else get faked out by the cursor? I start typing thinking the cursor is where its supposed to be and 'poof' I'm typing somewhere completely different. Does this happen to anyone else? Yes, my computer is smarter than I am.

Weekend and Cat Day

Ahh, we've survived another work-a-week. Hope your weekend is filled with fun, relaxation and productivity. Or forget the productivity and just go for fun and relaxation.
~*~ Today is Cat Day at Night Writers (sevennightwriters.blogspot.com). I'm blogging on the Japanese Bobtail. Did you know Hello Kitty is a Japanese Bobtail as is the Good Luck Kitty with the waving paw? 

SBB:Eternity

BLURB:

Therin Athan faces a choice…eternal salvation or eternal damnation.
After centuries of pining away for a love never realized, Therin's last assignment as a Cupid depends on helping the lonely, shy Lucy Carlton.  The mission's success or failure will determine where he is transferred.  He can study the heavens or be condemned to hell.
Lucy Carlton spent her life searching the stars for answers, but finds them in the form of a gorgeous man who comes in her dreams.  Therin shows her the joys of physical pleasure and encourages her to try to find love.  She wakes with a new found confidence, but soon her timid nature takes over and she retreats back to the comfort of her home…alone.
With only a week to decide his fate, Therin breaks every rule.  What starts as a job to save himself, becomes a love that can never be…except maybe in eternity.EXCERPT:
"Why stars?" He retrieved the bottle and poured her some more, staying quiet hoping she would continue to reveal bits of herself.
"Stars are endless, they are sort of like looking at hope."
He stared at her profile.
She let out another laugh, this one heartier than the first. "Right there." She motioned up at the night sky.
"Where?" He leaned over.
"Right there." She put out her finger and leaned toward him as if to show him her perspective.
He moved the basket to the side and slid over, sighing when he finally focused on what she pointed out. "Pisces." The two fish represented Aphrodite and Eros. A few wisps of her hair tickled his face but he didn't move them away.
"Is she your mother?  Are the stories true?"
"Nothing is ever exactly as it seems." He repeated his words from earlier, but appreciated the way she was fluent not only in the stars but the mythology. "Just like Pegasus, there is more than one Cupid. He was the just the most famous."
"Are you a God?" She kept her eyes on the night sky.
"I am what they call an immortal. I work for the Gods." He lowered his voice as to not scare her.
She finished off her wine. "Why is this your last assignment?  Did I break you or something?"
He put his hand over hers. "I was broken way before you were even born.""What broke you?"
"Every being has wants and needs." He paused. "Sometimes when they go unfulfilled it's hard to keep going."
She looked at her lap. "What happens after you deal with me?"
"It depends on how successful I am." He balled his other hand in a fist. This was not something to put on a human.
"Do you mean how successful I am?"
From one day in her apartment he knew she was not only intelligent, but also insightful. "Something like that."
"What happens if I don't end up with him?" She stared into the empty glass.
"There are things only Gods know. I need to guide you."
She shook her head. "I don't want to think of you down in Hades."
He almost smiled. "Something like that."
"Must be frightening for you," she whispered.
"What do you mean?"
"If you are immortal then you are never really know how or when it will end." She turned her hand over. "Infinite can be as terrifying as finite." AUTHOR BIO:
Kim Carmichael began writing eight years ago.  She has a weakness for bad boys and techno geeks, and married her own computer whiz after he proved he could keep all her gadgets running.  When not writing, she can usually be found slathered in sunscreen trolling Los Angeles.
Website   http://www.kimcarmichaelnovels.com/ 
Kim will be awarding a variety of prizes to randomly drawn commenters during the tour and this contest is open internationally.

There are necklaces and e-books of Hands on Me, a Kim Carmichael Tote Bag, a set of vintage Harlequin romance books, as well as three pieces of Kim Carmichael Skin Care. Also, autographed cover flats will be awarded at every stop.
The tour dates can be found here:
http://goddessfishpromotions.blogspot.com/2012/12/virtual-super-book-blast-eternity-by.html

Createspace, Granny, and Sea Turtle Rescue

I've finally gotten around to converting Power Stones to paper. Or I should say, I'm in the process.
The first book I did with Create Space was Vampire Bay. I went with the recommended 6x9. Let me just say its a tad bit over-sized. Power Stones I did  5x8 and I like the size much better.
What do you think of the cover?
The covers are done from templates. You can either go with Amazon's available pictures or use your own. I used my own picture and one of Amazon's cover templates.
If you use Create Space, you know you've got the option to proof online or order a paper copy.  I go the paper route. There's a small (and let me emphasize small)fee. But I think you get a better feel for the book. Anyway, I got my copy and was zipping through, thinking I was ready to roll when it dawned on me, I had no page numbers or headers. Groan.
 I spent an entire day figuring out that little beaut.  Finally, I got headers and footers, though I did have issues.  I wasn't able to put the author name on one page and the title on the other without throwing things out of alignment. Sigh. So I just ended up putting Power Stones by Sandra Cox as my header. After I got that fixed  I ordered it again.
Whew. Its a good thing I did. Because of the page numbers, the wider margin was on the outside instead of the inside so it was hard to read whatever was near the spine. I had to add a page so that the margins would flip back. Currently, I'm in holding pattern, waiting for my proof. Here's hoping  third time's the charm.Has anyone else out there used CreateSpace? What's been your experience?
~*~We got Granny's test results back. Besides being anemic, her liver is starting to shutdown. The anemia is a side effect of the liver problems. She's on medication for the liver issue so hopefully that will help her quality of life.   ~*~ Sea Turtle Rescue

SBB:Manless in Monclair

BLURB:   Being short with big boobs means living life off-balance. Isabel knows this all too well; at five feet nothing with a tendency to tip over in heels, she's struggled for twenty-five years to make clothes, careers and boyfriends fit. Enter Michael. Divorced father, recovering alcoholic and fifteen years her senior--he was the last guy she thought would make the cut. But when he proposed over a pastrami sandwich in a NYC deli on the anniversary of their first date, Isabel knew, improbably, that he was the one.
Fifteen mostly happy years and two kids later, Isabel walks into her living room to discover her husband dead on the floor, leaving her a widow at forty-one. At Michael's funeral, a guest solemnly informs her that the official mourning period for a Jewish widow is thirty days. At the moment, Isabel can't imagine a time when she will stop grieving. Not helping the process is this: as a single mom living in the very married suburbs, for the first time in fifteen years Isabel once again just doesn't fit in.

It takes her four year-old daughter's request for a new daddy to set Isabel on a journey through online dating, shifty matchmakers and painfully orchestrated single dinners. But after endless dates, a torrid affair with an unemployed, passive-aggressive neighbor and a story on page three of the New York Daily News, Isabel begins to realize that another man may not be the answer and, surprisingly, that's when things begin to change for the better... EXCERPT:  Our blue and white paisley duvet lay crumpled on the bed, but Michael was no longer under it. The air conditioner beckoned me with a loud rumble, and I stood in front of it for a moment, letting the stale breeze cool my skin. Sufficiently chilled, I turned and walked back down the hall into the heavier air of our living room. It was then that I saw him, lying at the foot of the green overstuffed chair, a few inches away from his favorite perch on the well-worn, beige linen sofa. Except for the small pool of blood that had formed on the rug beside his head, he looked as if he might still be sleeping.
I ran past Michael to the far end of the room, my heart beating hard in my throat. I rummaged through the papers and notebooks that covered my desk in search of the portable phone. Finding it, I dialed 911. After what felt like enough time to grow old in, a dispassionate voice finally came on to the line.
“I think my husband is dead,” I said, shaking. There was no thought. Just words and sweat and panic. “What should I do?”
AUTHOR INFORMATION: Amy Holman Edelman lives in New Jersey with her husband, children and Irish Jack Russell, Roxy.  She is the also author ofThe Little Black Dress ('97).


 http://www.amazon.com/Manless-in-Montclair-ebook/dp/B00AI2FNV6/Amy Holman Edleman is giving away a $25 Amazon giftcard to one randomly drawn commenter.You can follow her tour at:http://goddessfishpromotions.blogspot.com/2012/12/super-book-blast-manless-in-montclair.html 

Chrysalis

With us today is Michel Prince I asked her to tell us about the world that has surrounded Ellie for years and that she has only recently discovered. Here is her response.
We’ve all had that family member, friend, coworker, classmate, etc that you look at their choices in life and say “really, that made sense in the moment.”  We all make mistakes, but some don’t learn until they make that final mistake they can’t come back from. With Ellie she has a family full.
        Ellie lost her only companion when her brother Caleb became friends with a child who had been possessed by a demon.  Being only eight she really didn’t understand why the one person in her family that actually acknowledged her existence abandoned her.  Little did she know that her older brothers and sisters had each been led astray by a demon at one time or another.  She knew her siblings were smart it just seems as if they had no common sense and were constantly putting themselves in one disastrous situation after another as if they hadn’t learn from their last mistake. 
        We take Jennifer her oldest sister; a man beats her…why would have a child with him?  And then why would you subject the child to continued degradation and abuse?  Better yet, why would you have another baby and another with men just like him?  At some point would you not learn about birth control? 
        Then you have Grace.  She doesn’t need to use her body to get ahead.  Her need for material things has always baffled Ellie and her willingness to subjugate herself for a necklace or a pair of designer shoes.  Again, with Grace Ellie wonders why after the first time why would she repeat the behavior.
        When she learns the truth she starts to see how one tip of a domino can set you on a track that derailing may take an act of god, an angel…or maybe a little sister that has a strength of character no one expected.
BLURB:  

In the annals of dysfunctional families, the Chisholm’s are working their way to the top. Drug abuse, an unwed mother with multiple fathers, and the questionable cash flow for the 'pretty one'.   All this from a seemingly normal, two parent middle class family. But were the choices truly made of their free will?

            Bad choices are a Chisholm family trait, one that confounds the youngest child, Ellie, who's trying to separate herself by making smart decisions. And falling for Oscar Jeffreys, the hottest guy at school, would be number one on the list of  Chisholm family disasters.  Yet the crazy part is it’s not a one sided attraction.  Somehow Ellie has caught Oscar Jeffreys’ eye.   Sure she could see the barriers between them.  Race, age, popularity.  They were at opposite ends of the spectrum.  But a demon set to destroy her family? She can't see that.  

            Oscar provides security and acceptance Ellie never imagined she deserved.  As the passion of first love grows, Ellie honestly believes she has a chance to beat the odds and live a happy, normal life. Then her world collapses around her. With the help of a guardian angel, Ellie learns of a world that has unknowingly surrounded her for years.  And she'll have to find strength buried deep inside to save not only her future, but flush out and stop the demon in her midst.

            And Ellie will have to learn that sometimes the hardest lesson about growing up is accepting that you're worth more. 
AUTHOR INFORMATION:
Michel Prince is an author who graduated with a bachelor degree in History and Political Science.  Michel writes young adult and adult paranormal romance as well as contemporary romance.

With characters yelling "It's my turn damn it!!!" She tries to explain to them that alas, she can only type a hundred and twenty words a minute and they will have wait their turn.  She knows eventually they find their way out of her head and to her fingertips and she looks forward to sharing them with you.

When Michel can suppress the voices in her head she can be found at a scouting event or cheering for her son in a variety of sports.  She would like to thank her family for always being in her corner and especially her husband for supporting her every dream and never letting her give up.

Michel is a member of RWA Pro and Midwest Fiction Writers.  She lives in the Twin Cities with her husband, son, cat and new puppy. 


www.michelprincebooks.com
http://www.facebook.com/MichelPrinceBooks?fref=ts
Michelle will be awarding a butterfly gift basket to one randomly drawn commenter and a butterfly necklace to the runner up.
You can follow her tour at:
http://goddessfishpromotions.blogspot.com/2012/11/nbtm-chrysalis-by-michel-prince.html 

It's The Weekend............

Don't ya love those short work-a-weeks? They're certainly at the top of my Richter Scale.
Enjoy your weekend. I'll be thinking about you. See you (so to speak) Monday.

Classic Reads

What makes a classic? Dictionary.com defines it as:
'Of the first or highest quality,class or  rank: a classic piece of work.'
My definition of a classic...a book that speaks to my mind and heart, and is timeless. Classics for me from my youth include: Little Women, Call of The Wild, and White Fang. From adulthood: Gone With The Wind, The Virginian and Sea Biscuit.
I'm not sure, I'd nudge them into the classic category just yet, but the Twilight and Hunger Games Series were favorites of mine. I know they weren't everyone's cup of tea. But I think both authors are amazing story-tellers. And speaking of the Twilight Series, I'm going to get off track here a bit. I once heard a YA agent diss the series. I wouldn't have thought anything about it, as previously mentioned, its not everyone's cup of tea, if she hadn't said she'd never read it. Hmm.
Anyhoo. Enough about my favorites. What are yours?
http://bit.ly/CR2013

SBB: Highland Quest

BLURB:  His throat was parched and he ran his tongue over dry, cracked lips, but his action offered no relief. An entire loch lay only a few feet away, but he couldn’t muster the strength to drag himself to the bank and quench his thirst.  “Cold . . . so cold.”   Despite the sun beating down on him, he’d swear he was encased in ice. His life’s blood seeped from his wounds, soaking the ground beneath him. He tried to raise his head, but the excruciating pain radiating across his chest stole his breath away.  Was this what it felt like to die? If so, he prayed the Almighty would be merciful and take him now.  Bryce moaned, a shift in his position bringing on another nauseating wave of agony. He sucked in a short, sharp, gulp of air and stretched his arm out as far as he could, his fingers grappling in the dirt.  If only I could reach my sword.  Beads of perspiration dampened his brow. As the strength slowly drained from his body, drawing a simple breath became more difficult. The end grew near. No time to make amends for sins of the past, and he had committed his share.  Regrets? He had those, too. “Fallon.” He whispered her name then heaved a ragged sigh.  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~AUTHOR Bio and Links: With a passion for historical romance, history in general, and anything Celtic, B.J. always has an exciting work in progress. Each story offers a blend of romance, adventure, suspense, and, where appropriate, a dab of comic relief. Carefully researched historical facts are woven into each manuscript, providing a backdrop from which steamy romance, gripping plots, and vivid characters—dashing alpha heroes and resourceful, beguiling heroines you can’t help but admire—spring to life. A member of RWA, World Romance Writers, Celtic Hearts Romance Writers, and Savvy Authors, B.J. also writes contemporary, paranormal, time travel, and romantic suspense.
C.S. Lewis first captivated B. J.’s imagination in the fourth grade, and her desire to write sprang from there. Following a career in nursing and child and youth work, B.J. married her knight-in-shining-armor, and he whisked her away to his castle by the sea. In reality, they share their century-old home in a small Canadian town on the shore of Lake Erie with three dogs and a cat. When she is not working at her childcare job, on her small business, or writing, you will find her reading, camping, or antique hunting. https://www.facebook.com/authorbjscotthttp://www.authorbjscott.com/ http://authorbjscott.wordpress.com/The author will award gifts of swag (including a canvas tote bag, a mouse pad, a pen, book thong, bookmark, can cooler, magnet, and key chain -- US/Canada only) to randomly drawn commenters from this tour and her Virtual Book Tour, and a grand prize of one $50 Amazon GC to one randomly drawn commenter from this tour and her Super Book Blast.
 Please see http://goddessfishpromotions.blogspot.com/2012/12/virtual-book-tour-highland-quest-by-b-j.htmlfor available dates on the regular tour. 

New Year's Resolutions From a Writer's Perspective

1. Write a 1000 words a night
2. Don't procrastinate
3. Keep up with blogs
4. Keep up with blogging buddies
5. Keep in mind that not everyone likes my work and that's okay. It doesn't make me a bad writer.
6. As long as I move forward, I'm not moving backward
7. Always use spell check
8. Rejoin RWA
9. Rejoin my local chapter
10. Tighten, tighten, tighten
11. Always use a grabber opener
12. Don't let the middle sag
13. Keep suspense in every chapter
14. Even if I hate it...advertise, advertise, advertise
15. Make sure my stories have a destination and don't wander too far off the path
16. Make my characters become so real, they'll talk to me
17. Build a world the reader can tumble into effortlessly
18. Keep things in perspective
19. Watch out for over-used words and ly(s)

 20. Make 2013 the best year ever

Here's hoping YOUR 2013 is wondrous.