Sandra Cox's Blog, page 273

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.

Happy New Year's Eve

Have you made your New Year's resolutions yet? I'm pretty much recycling mine from 2012, if that tells you anything. Hope 2013 is a wondrous one for you.

Just in time for New Year's Eve: Nightwriter's is having a 31st Of The Month Giveaway.
What do you have to do? Just leave a comment at Nightwriter's and your email addie. There will be a drawing and one commenter will win a download of the books mentioned below. The winner will be announced the 1st. Good luck and have a wonderful New Year.
Giveaways
Shardai by Sandra Cox
Crewkin by Rhobin Courtright
Mona Lisa's Room by Vonnie Davis
The World Unfolds by Michele Drier
Vidal's Honor by Sherry Gloag
A Warrior For Christmas by Beth Trissel

Enjoy The Weekend

Hope y'all enjoy the rest of your holidays. I'll be thinking of you.~*~ Took Granny to the vet today.  Found out her age had been miscalculated. She's actually 19 going on 20. She's starting to have some issues. Had blood work done.  Waiting for the results.

Best Christmas Ever

How was your Christmas? Hope it was the best Christmas ever. For those of you who were dealing with sickness and loss of family members, I hope 2013 brings you peace and lessening of pain. Ours was, as always, fun. The baby girl and her significant other came in from Philly. Baby boy and wifey were in and so was one of my bro's and his wife. I received Christmas calls and texts which are always fun and heart warming. Shhhh, still trying to figure out a couple of texters. One I think must have been generic sent out from a professional's office.  No, not that kind of professional:) Maybe a doctor's or some such.  The other was most definitely a bud. Santa managed to find the only pre-pod Espresso machine still for sale. sigh. But the blame lies fully with Mrs. Claus. After all these years, she knows about imparting detailed information.As is our habit we went to the theater in the afternoon.  The hubby wanted to see The Hobbit, which I'm boycotting because of all the animals that died in the making of it. So half went to see The Hobbit and half Monsters Inc.  From there we came back and grazed on leftovers from the wonderful meal my daughter and her significant other prepared. We had to-furky for the vegetarians and braised chicken for the carnivores and all kinds of wonderful sides: asparagus, braised veggies, stuffing, mashed potatoes, mushroom soup, cranberries, rolls, dipping bread and coconut cake.  I see an extra five pounds in my future.Let me know how your Christmas day was spent. Hope it was wondrous.How about these elves, huh? -