Vicki Batman's Blog, page 68

Bug Stuff...and other stories is an adorable cover & could use your vote! #MFRWorg #RLFblog #coverartist

Last February, I put up the adorable very short romantic comedy collection, Bug Stuff...and other stories. 


The cover was done by my friend, Kat Baldwin. She especially designed the bug for this cover and we like the sassy font for the title and my name. I also like the guy holding the flower and the girl kicking back her leg. 

I love this cover so much, I entered it in the Jabbic contest. This cover contest is voted on by readers. Here's some info on how you can vote:


Judging for the Readers' Choice Award in the Houston Bay Area RWA's 2014 Judge A Book By Its Cover contest is now open. Anyone can judge; so spread the word. Let the whole world see and judge. Voting ends Feb. 9. 

So how can you help?? 


The following link will take you to the Readers' Choice page. Follow the instructions there to vote on the covers: click to link to Jabbic for voting


There are many fine covers, include are some by fellow Plotting Princesses, Sylvia McDaniel and Michelle Miles. 

And thank you!!!



P.S. If you're intrigued, Bug Stuff is available at Amazon at an affordable 99cents: Amazon and other fine e-retailers. 

#Movie Mom - American Sniper #MFRWorg #RLFblog #film

Movie Mom 

American Sniper is a war movie, directed by Clint Eastwood and based on Chris Kyle's autobiography American Sniper: The Autobiography of the Most Lethal Sniper in U.S. Military History. The film stars Bradley Cooper as Mr. Kyle and Sienna Miller as his wife.

My thoughts: There's plenty of shooting scenes and considering the topic--war--that's relevant. The character struggles to do what he does very well with balancing his home life. Many soldiers have the same battle. And most also have difficulties with the after effects when coming home and memories that won't let go.

I really wanted to go see this movie. Bradley Cooper does a great job as Mr. Kyle. The scenes aren't prolonged and to the point. I just left with a little let-down, probably due to all the hype. Handsome really liked it.

FMI: Wikipedia

.@VickiBatman - Folk art anyone? #author Sam Cheever is crafting #MFRWorg #RLFblog

About 5 years ago, I decided to ask my family to make gifts for an annual Christmas exchange at my house. Some of us were excited about the prospect. Others…not so much. LOL Since then two things have happened. First, our gifts have gotten a LOT better and more creative and Second, some of us have been outed for the lazy, no good slugs we are… Oops, did I say that out loud? LOL

Seriously though, not everybody contributes and I’m okay with that. Some don’t do anything at all and some don’t quite follow the spirit of the exchange. My mother, for example, insists she’s not crafty or imaginative enough to actually make something…so she usually buys something like candy or flavored popcorn to give as a gift. But, though that’s not as much fun for the gift exchangers, I’m still glad she participates in the fun and I’m always hopeful we’ll inspire her with our enthusiasm to go that extra mile the next time. 

So why do I ask my family to make their gifts? Because the time and thought spent on the gifts is precious. To me, it embodies the whole spirit of Christmas. And though it’s a challenge every year for us to come up with new ideas, the feeling of accomplishment is so incredible and the pleasure when someone raves over what you’ve done…well…you can’t beat those feelings. 

I’ve run the gamut over the years from making a wire tree strung with tiny ornaments to making candles and soap. Each project had a level of success and a modicum of failure. This year I recreated something I actually saw hanging on the wall at our veterinarian’s office. (With 13 dogs we spend a LOT of time there, giving me plenty of opportunity to study the item that inspired me!).

 I loved the folk artsy feel of the tree so I went to the hobby store and found the stuff I needed to make it. Michael’s sells pieces of pine that I used to make the trunk of the tree and I cut the wood in varying lengths (3” less in length for each ascending “branch”) and used Liquid Nails to glue them on. I chose to put them on crooked, making a kind of zig-zag shape that, I think, made the tree more folksy. Then I drilled a hole on the top and holes on the ends of each branch. I used a star-shaped green button for the top because I like the bright green with the bright red buttons on the branches. I used soft jewelry wire to attach the “ornaments” to the ends of the branches so I could shape the dangle of the ornaments. 

You could stain the tree too. I chose to coat it with tinted oil instead. The tree that originally inspired me was made of weathered wood with rusted bells on the ends of the branches. I love that look too and might make the tree again next year with barn wood. The whole project probably took less than 2 hours once I had all the parts gathered up. That allows for drying time for the glue. 

Happy crafting, Everybody! 

Sam, this is just adorable!!!

He just wants her to take life a little more seriously. She’s decided he could have a point. Especially now that somebody wants her dead.Dolfe Honeybun broke up with Blaise Runa because her party girl ways were driving him to distraction. Unfortunately, out of sight does NOT mean out of mind. And when his favorite party girl sees something she shouldn’t and finds herself being chased by a cold blooded killer… reason shuts down and Dolfe’s heart takes over. If only he can get to her in time!
Find Sam at:website

Find HoHo Honeybun at: Amazon

.@VickiBatman - when a friend needed a handbag, she found Tammie Rampley of Tramp Lee #MFRWorg #RLFblog #fashion

So, this past fall, author Kayelle Allen featured a new! handbag on Handbag Monday, one she found on ETSY and had specially made for her. She told the designer about my blog and what we do and the designer, Tammie Rampley, said she would love to come visit with us! How sweet. So without further ado, here's Tammie:
*  #Handbag Monday  *

This bag is my favorite and the one I carry because I have back issues and it feels like I have no bag on at all. No matter how much junk I pile into it. Being a plus size woman, I struggled to find a bag that a. had a strap long enough so that I could wear it as a cross body, and b. Didn't kill my back. Finally, I just designed one.
I have always been crafty. Love to make things and remake things. Make something out of nothing. I love to re-purpose. But, handbags came about solely as a project for my daughter. I never intended to sell them. After a while, she had so many that she had to tell me to stop giving them to her. I made them for friends and then their friends wanted to know where to get them. And you know how the story goes.

Here's some more of my creations:





These are darling, Tammie! I love polka dots, teal, and red!

Contact Tramp Lee Designs at: email

Find Tramp Lee Designs at:ETSY

#Movie Mom ~ Philomena #MFRWorg #RLFblog #adoption

Movie Mom 

Philomena,  a 2013 drama, directed by Stephen Frears, is based on the book The Lost Child of Philomena Lee, starring Judi Dench and Steve Coogan. The movie tells the true story of  Ms. Lee's 50-year-long search for her forcibly adopted son, and journalist Martin Sixsmith's help in finding him. 
My thoughts: I wanted to see this movie when it came out, but sometimes, indie films aren't at the theater very long and didn't get to. I liked this movie a lot. 
The subject matter--forcibly adoption--is so hard to comprehend nowadays, and the nuns's starchy attitude about pregnant young women is heartbreaking. We can only imagine what Ms. Lee (and all the young women) went through. To continue lying to her as an older woman is unfathomable. The relationship between the two main characters is fun to watch. 
Ms. Dench is always good in everything she does. Mr. Coogan's performance is very likable and I hope he does more of this kind of work.  The film moved well and is heart-wrenching, yet joyous in many places.
FMI: Wikipedia

.@VickiBatman - Food = Good w @author Louise Lyndon: #chickensalad & Of Love and Vengeance #MFRWorg #RLFblog

Today, author Louise Lyndon is sharing a fab recipe and 
a tad about her new book on: Food = Good
Potato and Chicken Salad
4 Idaho potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 (6-ounce) skinless chicken breast
3 slices cooked bacon, crumbled
1/4 cup diced celery
1/4 cup diced onion
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 teaspoons mustard
1 tablespoon paprika
2 tablespoons chopped parsley leaves
2 sage leaves, chopped
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Place potatoes on a sheet tray, toss with oil, season with salt and pepper, and roast until golden and tender, about 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a saucepan cover chicken with water and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Poach until cooked through, about 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from poaching liquid, let cool for a bit, and cut chicken into cubes.

In a large bowl, toss together potatoes, chicken and bacon with the celery, onions, and garlic. Add the mayonnaise, mustard, paprika, herbs, salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste. Mix until well combined.

Mmm, Louise, I'm a huge chicken salad fan. Anyone else love it like me? 


Forced to marry Lord Aymon to ensure her nephews survival, English Lady Laila vows undying hatred for the Norman she holds responsible for so many deaths. Discovering Aymon has committed an act of treason gives her the chance to seek vengeance he deserves.  But will Laila really let Aymon die once she learns the truth?
A hardened Norman warrior, Lord Aymon has lived through atrocities no man ever should. With the invasion of England over, all he wants is a quiet life and a wife who will give him heirs and obey his every command. Instead, he finds himself wed to feisty and outspoken Laila. But when she learns the truth of his treasonous act, can Aymon count on her to keep his secret? 
Contact Louise at:  louise_lyndon@yahoo.com
Find Louise at:  www.LouiseLyndon.com
Find Of Love and Vengeance at: Amazon USParticipate in Louise's giveaway here:a Rafflecopter giveaway

.@VickiBatman - welcome author Margo Bond Collins w #handbag & a tale #MFRWorg #RLFblog

Hi, all! I am delighted to be here today—but the way I got here was a little odd.  I need to preface this story with the fact that in addition to being a writer, I have a full-time job as a college professor and an incredibly active four-year-old daughter. I am almost perpetually distracted.  

Several months ago, I sent an email to Vicki about guest posting on her blog. She said yes, and a few days later, she sent an email asking about the post she had sent me for my blog. I didn't remember anything about a blog post from her, but Vicki and I belong to some of the same writers' groups online and have posted on one another's blogs before—and as I noted, I'm more than a little absent-minded—so I assumed I had simply forgotten agreeing to have her as a guest blogger. I asked her to re-send the post, and I put it up on my main blog.

When I sent Vicki the link, she responded asking about the post on the second blog.

You are determined to embarrass me, aren't you?

I had indeed started a second blog just a few weeks before, but I didn't remember telling anyone about it. Still, Vicki had used my name in the post ("I'm glad to be a guest today on Margo's blogs"), so clearly she knew what she was talking about. 

I posted on the second blog and sent her the link. Vicki's response this time was to ask about a specific blog—one that belonged to someone else named Margo.

Vicki and I have laughed about that incident several times since then, but I've also decided to assume it's some kind of fate. We are clearly meant to post on one another's blogs often! 

Today, I'm here to talk handbags—and the handbag I'm featuring today is one of my favorites, perfect for a parent, a literature professor, and the absent-minded type in general. My favorite handbag is this one:




It's not brand-name. It wasn't expensive. It's not fancy. 

It is, however, a bag that I bought in a street market in Athens, Greece last November, when I was there for an academic conference. From the corner shop where I got it, I could see the Theatre of Dionysus, the birthplace of modern drama. And every time I look at the bag, I remember the long history of literature that stretches from all over the world and leads to all of us who now write.

On a more practical note, it's big enough to carry not only my usual items (a wallet, a comb, my phone, and so on), but also anything I might need to carry for my toddler—a change of clothing, a few toys, a book or two. 

And even though it's a bag that I carry in the spring and summer, I hang it on the door knob of the closet in my office year-round—right next to prints of the covers that I am working on at any given moment—so it's almost as much a decoration as it is a handbag. 



Only fifty years left before vampires rule the world.
When Dallas police detective Cami Davis joined the city's vampire unit, she planned to use the job as a stepping-stone to a better position in the department. 
But she didn't know then what she knows now: there's a silent war raging between humans and vampires, and the vampires are winning. 
So with the help of a disaffected vampire and an ex-cop addict, Cami is going undercover, determined to solve a series of recent murders, discover a way to overthrow the local Sanguinary government, and, in the process, help win the war for the human race. 
But can she maintain her own humanity in the process? Or will Cami find herself, along with the rest of the world, pulled under a darkness she cannot oppose?




Connect with Margo at:  Email         Website

Find Sanguinary-Night Shift at: Amazon



Wow, Margo, that's some book! Congratulations!!!

.@VickiBatman - "If I take it, I can make it" : Unbroken #movie mom #MFRWorg #RLFblog

War movies bring the past front and center. 

* Movie Mom *
When growing up, all the men in my families fought in WW2. They didn't talk much about it. I knew one was in a gun turret, one on ski patrol in Italy, my dad worked with aircraft and drones in the Navy. Movies about wars may sometimes glorify what happened. But the truth is those who serve are heroes.

Unbroken is a WW2 movie,  produced and directed by Angelina Jolie, and based on the 2010 non-fiction book Unbroken. The film revolves around the life of USA Olympian Louis Zamperini, survived in a raft for 47 days after his bomber was downed, and was sent to a series of prisoner of war camps. Zamperini died on July 2, 2014 at the age of 97. 

My thoughts: OMG. How anyone survived-shaking head. It's hard and true and gritty. I was never bored. I sobbed.

After seeing Saving Private Ryan, I said to my young sons they needed to remember the sacrifices their family made for all. I worry that people nowadays as we move further and further from that time period will not remember. But we should. Every war and every person in war should be remembered and thanked. 


FMI: Wikipedia

Do you watch war films? 

.@VickiBatman - author David Russell is into ceramics & writing #crafts #writing #MFRWorg #RLFblog

A treat to have author, David Russell, to talk about his ceramic work and his book, Dreamtime Sensuality:














I have been doing ceramics for 10 years or so. I had a spell in hospital, and was introduced to pottery via the Occupational Therapy; the teacher was very sympathetic, and encouraged my free imagination. One represents a fish's or reptile's spines showing above the surface of the sea. The other represents volcanic action, with molten lava. This may be my nearest approximation to a handicraft.

David, I'd love to see other work. 


The characters in this quartet of stories are intelligent, sensitive and literary. They are also supremely voyeuristic and open-minded.
Find David at: blogsite

Find Dreamtime Sensuality at: Amazon

.@VickiBatman - A painting turned #handbag? That's right! #fashion #accessories #MFRWorg #RLFblog

~Handbag Monday~
Today, I’m going to show off my Christmas gift to me. It’s from a shop called Swarm and is located overseas. I remember perusing a magazine and her handbags were featured. I thought this is way cool for, you see, the handbags are made from paintings. 
So I splurged when an email came my way from Swarm with free shipping. Check this out:

Don’t you love this boat scene?
Who would have thought? The handles are sturdy leather and stitched and fastened with a grommet as well. The whole bag is lined in a sturdy white canvas. There is a good-sized pocket sewn in as well.
Although may be a bit large for everyday use, I am going to carry it for a while and test it out.




FMI about Swarm: website

What do you think? Would you carry a handbag made from an old painting?