Eva Gordon's Blog, page 12

Homework on how to survive the zombie apocalypse.

Hi Everyone,
Today I'm featured on  I Smell Sheep Blog. Come in and read my list on how to survive the zombie apocalypse. Spotlight: Apocalyptic Moon.

Winner of Snarkology Paranormal Blog Hop Book Giveaway

Congrats Shadow,You are the winner of Apocalyptic Moon.
Dear Friends, stay tuned for more blog events and giveaways. Nov. 1-30 Year End Splash. My day for a giveaway is November 12.

Today: Lycan Gladiator 5 Star Review and e-book copy Giveaway Rafflecopter on Lovely Reads (Ends in 6 Days)

Check out my latest review for Lycan Gladiator on Lovely Reads

Do enter the Rafflecopter for a chance to win an e-book copy of Lycan Gladiator. Contest ends in 6 Days.

Snarkology Halloween Blog Hop Giveaway (Including 60.00 Amazon Gift Card! ) My topic: Interview with Tower of London Raven

Eva's Topic: Interview with a Tower of London Raven


Cawing to all my friends who share my spirit guide, the Raven.  Actually my writing muses are Huginn(Thought)  and Muninn (Mind). In Norse Mythology the two ravens bring information to Odin. 
My pair bring me my story ideas. I even have raven shifters in my After the Bane series. Book 2, Raven Moon coming soon.

As Halloween draws near, you will see more ravens. Like ghosts, witches, owls, werewolves,vampires they are perceived as evil and or spooky.



 I can understand why, at one time they ate the corpses of fallen soldiers left in ancient battlefields. Even enjoyed an eyeball or two. Then there is Edgar Allen Poe and the Raven. However writing about why ravens are perceived as evil is another blog topic. I prefer to see them in a positive light and so I will focus on the Tower of London Ravens.

I just returned from the Tower of London after interviewing a Tower Raven, named Cedric. Let's find out more about this odd piece of British History.
Interview with Cedric, Raven from the Tower of London



Eva: Who takes care of you and the others in the flock?
Cedric:  The Ravenmaster, also known as a Yeoman Warder. He makes sure we are fed, our cages cleaned and we have all day to do as we please on the grounds.  At dusk we return to our mews, usually without protests since at night there are the dangers of fox and cats.  After all our wings are clipped so there is no escape.
E: Has there always been a Ravenmaster?
C: The post of Ravenmaster only goes back about 40 years. Before that, they were called Yeoman Quartermasters. We have always lived in and around the Tower of London.  Our free cousins laugh at us because we are never too far. Even during battles. Humans worry too much, though we don’t mind war too much because it means more meat.
E: How many ravens are there in your flock?C: 6 ravens at all times. This dates back to King Charles II when a soothsayer forewarned him:
 “if the ravens left the Tower, the White Tower would collapse and a great disaster befall the Kingdom”.E: And are there extra ravens in case anything happens to the ones in the Tower?C: Absolutely, but they are kept in wildlife parks until needed to serve our country. I’m never too fond on meeting replacements, especially since the humans can’t tell the difference between male and females. Caw! Imagine?



Raven Mews

E: What are you fed?C: Every other day we get a boiled egg and chopped apple, grapes  and if we are lucky  cheese. The best part is we get fresh meat and even my favorite, roadkill. That is if the Ravenmaster determines it’s not too damaged. We all love blood soaked biscuits. Caw!


E: Do you enjoy visits from the human tourists?C: We do rather enjoy teasing them. We like to bark like dogs and perform numerous antics and watch their beakless mouths gape open. Humans think they are the only ones with a sense of humor and even think they are the only ones that can make tools. 
E: So you don’t feel inferior to humans?C: Caaaww! Are you kidding we can fly so we don’t need to invent cars and planes. And we don’t  waste food.

E: Right, that ravenous appetite. Moving to a spookier subject. Do you see human ghosts here at The Tower of London?C: All the time.  Old ones, young ones and countless headless ones.E: Does it spook you to see them?C: No. We are messengers between the two worlds, this one and the next.  
E: Thank you Cedric. I'm off to the Snarkology Halloween Blog Hop. But first Let's listen to Corvus Corax (Species name of the Raven)German Group Corvus Corax!

Win an e-book copy of Apocalyptic Moon!
So now that you know a little more about The Tower of London Ravens write a comment what ravens mean to you for your chance to win an e-book copy of my dystopian paranormal romance, Apocalyptic Moon, Book 1 in the After the Bane Series. Werewolves, Raven shifters, Witches, Zombies, Oh, My!

Hop Around for more Giveaways and scroll down to enter Amazon Gift Card Rafflecopter.

Enter for Grand Prize, 60.00 Amazon Gift Card!
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Cover Reveal: Raven Moon, Book 2 in The After the Bane Series

Standard Poodle Skips Treats to Finish Reading Apocalyptic Moon

Excerpt 5 A Muse's Guide to the Care and Feeding of their Author.

The Emotional Well Being of Your Author
Authors live to write, a passion that  brings them great joy, but can also be wrought with rejection  and frustration. Rejection by agents, publishers or if already an established author, harsh reviews, poor sales, and making little money. Writer's block, writers distractions, writer's back aches...Then there are deadlines, and life stresses that interfere with the writing lifestyle.

Sometimes the author feels like a T-Rex is going to eat them. Yikes fight or flight reaction. The blood pressure goes up, the stomach lining thins and the author stays up all night, in case the T-Rex finds their hiding place.

Time to Chill!How can the author relax and smell the roses or in Eva's case enjoy her coffe?

Encourage the author to:
Step outdoors and get some sunshine to boost your serotonin and mood. Bring a friend.


Exercise: Run, yoga, bike, walk, dance, martial arts. Move.
Meditate

Volunteer or help others in need. Pay it forwardTalk to your family/ friends/writing buddies.Laughter
Think of  ways to amuse your author. 
So if you happen to be a muse looking for an author, you now have some of the basics. Again, authors will vary and require specific care.

Meet Author Interview Today

Hi,
Fabulous author Diane Burton is interviewing me today and spotlighting Lycan Gladiator. 
Diane Burton.blogspot


Say hello and make my day. Tomorrow my tour focuses on Apocalyptic Moon.

Bring Your Love for Werewolves back in Time to Ancient Rome

Today the Blog Werewolf Tour: Spotlight/Excerpt for Lycan Gladiator


Click here to visit: Fade into fantasy.com

A Muse's Guide to the Care and Feeding of an Author Excerpt 4

Excerpt 4 Providing Author with Feedback
Your author has just finished the novel, or novella. Time to celebrate. You are ready to send or publish the manuscript!!!




Okay, it might be your third, tenth or more edits, but you need to hand over your baby to a pair of fresh eyes. A critique group/partner, beta readers, or editor. Maybe even hire someone. Your best friend, favorite aunt or the man you sleep with does not count. Be careful not to partner with a meanie who will tear down your author mojo.
Your author will appreciate all the typo and grammatical errors found. Redundant sentences, gone. Too many 'that's etc.. However, it might get worse. The scene doesn't work, Your heroine is annoying. On and on until the author screams. 

The author has the right not to change one thing but at least can consider another person's opinion.  In the end, it takes a village(critique partner, beta readers, editors, publishers, and a good coffee maker) to guide an author's work to publication. 

So when you acquire your author make sure he/she allows others he/she trust to read the manuscript with fresh eyes.