C.K. Bryant's Blog, page 10

E . . . Expectations & Delayed Gratification

About two years ago my desktop computer burst into flames and burned down our house. Okay, so I'm exaggerating just a teensy bit; it didn't actually burn down the house. It didn't burn anything, well . . . except the motherboard, hard drive, DVD burner, power source, RAM & wiring, etc. It was a sad, sad day for this writer and it honestly FELT like my entire life went up in flames. I'd backed up most things, especially my writing, but some items were lost forever. 

Since that time, because we couldn't afford a new computer, I've hammered away on a very old laptop that's had to be babied along the way. I literally have to reboot 5-6 times a day just to run basic programs. My Photoshop experience is very slow going and quite often it closes down in the middle of a project for no reason. Very sad, and frustrating.

About a month ago we got our taxes back and my husband announced that it was time for me to get my PC back. *Happy Dance* I can't begin to tell you how excited I was at this news. Hubs ordered the parts (because he was confident he could rebuild it on his own--he built the original after all) and I waited. 

One by one the parts came in until they were finally all here. I was like a little girl getting a pony. I cleaned my office space, got out BOTH my monitors, purchased a new wireless keyboard & mouse (with my very own royalty check, I might add) and backed up all my info on an external hard drive so I could transfer it to the new computer.

Two hours into the building process (which should have taken much less time)Hubs discovers he ordered the wrong motherboard. DEEP sorrow gripped my aching soul. (I know, way too much drama, but REALLY?  The wrong part?)

So I waited. Again.

Another week goes by and the right MB comes in. YIPPEE!! (Thank goodness they took back the other MB.) It's a Tuesday so I have to wait until Saturday when Hubs is home to install it. 

I wait--patiently. 

It doesn't work. Faulty. *Cries real tears* Sent it back for a new one.

More Waiting.

Part comes. Hubs installs it. Plugs it in the wall. Nothing happens. *BREATHE* Hubs is fed up, ready to chuck the thing out the window and, to be honestly, at this point I'd help him. He throws his hands up and takes it to a repair guy who says it will be done the following Monday.

More Waiting. (Over a month now)

Reorganized and cleaned my office over the weekend. Monday comes, and I'm so excited about picking it up I could pee my pants. *Yippity Skippity*  Only costs $30 *ahem* One wire in wrong place. *no comment* (I love you Sweetie)

Bring it home. Plug it in. Insert new Windows7 program and AAAAAAAAH!!!  My computer has a 32 bit PCU processor and the program is for a 64 bit. 

At this point I think I'm jinxed and maybe I'm just not meant to have my fancy little computer with all the bells and whistles. But I'm NOT willing to give up YET. Hubs gets online and orders the RIGHT program and it's supposed to be here by this Friday. TOMORROW!!  

I'm NOT holding my breath. 

I guess the point I need to make here is that sometimes the rewards we receive for our hard work don't always come when we want them to. Sometimes the gratification is delayed a little . . . or a LOT. Are our expectations too high when we want things NOW?  Maybe in some cases. The thing to remember is that all good things come in time. It may not be OUR time, but they do come if we are patient and do our best to work toward them. I keep telling myself that. I'll let you know when the computer is actually up and running.

What are you waiting for? Have any expectations for the coming year?

D . . . Deadline's SUCK!!

Deadlines! I thought I'd be rid of them when I made the decision to self-publish.



Ummm, not so much!



Why? Because I'm harder on myself than any agent could possibly be. I had every intention to have BROKEN out to the masses no later than the end of March. Yet, here it is April and it's no where near ready to turn loose.



Granted, I had some personal issues that put me a month or so behind, but I hate excuses. Even if they are perfectly valid.



What's a girl to do?



KEEP GOING!!  I'm on page 146 of about 365 in revisions. Most of that should go smoothly, but there are a few scenes that will take more time because they have to be completely rewritten. I'm in the middle of one of those pivotal scenes now and it's slow going, but I'm pushing through it.



So, to all my fans and avid readers, I apologize for the delay. I hope you can be patient and wait a little bit longer. I promise it will be worth it. You can read the first two chapters by scrolling down to the "B" entry I posted on Monday.



If you haven't read the first book in The Crystor Series, BOUND, the ebook version is only 2.99. The purchase links are on the sidebar to the right. I'd love to know what you think of it.

Return To Eden, by G.P. Ching

Today's letter is "C" as in G.P. Ching. I'm so happy to be a part of her new release, Return to Eden. 



Return to Eden, the third book in G.P. Ching's The Soulkeepers Series releases (officially) April 1st in eBook and Paperback.  To celebrate, G.P. is going on a virtual tour.  You'll see reviews, interviews, and never before seen video guest posts of G.P. answering some of your most pressing questions.   Plus, you can enter to win some fabulous giveaways!







Here's more information on Return to Eden:





Dr. Abigail Silva has waited over 10,000 years for redemption and a chance at a real relationship with the angel she loves. But when you're made from evil itself, it's hard to remember if salvation is worth the wait. With Lucifer's plan coming to fruition, she must decide if God's offer of humanity is all it's cracked up to be, or if a deal with the devil is the more promising solution.









Available now on: 

Amazon Barnes and Noble



Smashwords







What can you win?





Weekly Prizes Each week G.P. will award one prize per blog she visits, including:









A $10 customized Visa Debit Card!  G.P. will give away ten of these throughout the tour. Use them anywhere Visa is accepted for anything you desire!  





Or the winner's choice of eBook from either G.P. Ching or any of the Indelible authors along with some signed Soulkeepers bookmarks.











Grand Prize

A personalized, signed set of paperbacks (The Soulkeepers, Weaving Destiny, and Return to Eden) will be given away to one lucky winner at the end of the tour. (Open to US residents only)

Must be 13 years old or older to enter. International entrants are not eligible for the grand prize.

To enter the giveaway, visit one of these participating blogs on their tour date and fill out the entry form.











Date         Blog



1-Apr http://livetoread-krystal.blogspot.com/



3-Apr http://thatbookishgirl.blogspot.com/



5-Apr All Things Books



9-Apr http://www.fiktshun.com/fiktshun/



10-Apr http://heathermccorkle.blogspot.com/



11-Apr http://www.hedanicreations.net/topic/blog



12-Apr http://thesouthernscrawl.blogspot.com/



13-Apr YA Book Haven



15-Apr http://jessie-harrell.blogspot.com/



17-Apr http://ladysbookstuff.blogspot.com/



18-Apr http://kreagslistofawsomebooks.blogspot.com/



19-Apr http://mistygatlin.com/



21-Apr http://www.thebookishbabes.blogspot.com/



22-Apr http://merasyabooklist.blogspot.com/



23-Apr http://wordspelunking.blogspot.com/



26-Apr http://www.lettersinsideout.net/



28-Apr http://crazyfourbooks.blogspot.com/



29-Apr http://www.the-top-shelf.com/





Tour PrizeAt the end of the tour, I

B . . . BROKEN Cover Reveal

I revealed the cover to my new book, BROKEN, this past weekend on the YA Scavenger Hunt, but it was on someone elses blog, not mine. So for all my friends, family and fans, here is the second book in The Crystor Series!





Isn't it pretty??

And because I'm such a nice person, I've include the first two chapters below!

WARNING! It ends in a major cliff hanger, so no throwing tomatoes or sending hate mail. 



BROKEN

A . . . Attitude

*If you're here for the YA Scavenger Hunt, scroll down!



Attitude

Develop an attitude of gratitude, and give thanks for everything that happens to you, knowing that every step forward is a step toward achieving something bigger and better than your current situation.

~Brian Tracy

YA Scavenger Hunt

WELCOME TO THE . . .



For those of you who are new to my blog, I am  C.K. Bryantbut please call me Christine

You are currently blog hopping on TEAM YELLOW!

Did you come here looking for my new cover and to read the first two chapters of BROKEN?Well, keep searching though the YA Scavenger Hunt blogs and you'll find it.





If you're here a little early, I apologize. The HUNT runs from noon March 29th until noon April 1st, so come back and play with us!!

Have you already been here? Are you stuck? Confused? Lost? All will be well. You can click HERE <http://yascavengerhunt.blogspot.com/p/stuck.html>  to go to the YA Scavenger Hunt homepage to figure out which authors you missed.

So, what is the YA Scavenger Hunt?

This tri-annual event was first organized by author Colleen Houck as a way to give readers a chance to gain access to exclusive bonus material from their favorite authors . . . and a chance to win some awesome prizes! At this hunt, you not only get access to exclusive content from each author, you also get a clue for the hunt. Add up the clues, and you can enter for our prize--one lucky winner will receive TWENTY signed books, one book from each author on the hunt in my team!  But play fast: this contest (and all the bonus material) will only be online for 72 hours!





Go to the YA Scavenger Hunt page to find out all about the hunt. There are THREE contests going on simultaneously, and you can enter all three! I am part of the YELLOW TEAM--but there is also a red team and a blue team. You can enter all three contests--which has a total prize bucket of SIXTY signed books!





If you'd like to find out more about the hunt, see links to all the authors participating, and see the full list of prizes up for grabs, go to the YA Scavenger Hunt homepage.



DIRECTIONS:  Hidden within my post is a single letter that is YELLOW. Make a note of that letter!  It's a part of a scrambled phrase. When you go to all the author sites of the YELLOW TEAM, you'll have all the letters you need to enter the contest.



ENTRY FORM:  Once you piece together all the clues to the hunt, make sure you fill out the form here to officially qualify for the GRAND PRIZE.  Only entries that have the completed phrase will qualify.



RULES: Open internationally, anyone below the age of 18 should have a parent or guardian's permission to enter. To be eligible for the grand prize, you must submit the completed entry form by April 1st, at noon Pacific Time. Entries sent without the correct puzzle code or without contact information will not be considered.



AND NOW FOR THE FUN STUFF!!

It is my privilege to introduce this fabulous author . . . 

Inara Scott

Inara was born in the winter wonderland of Buffalo, NY. She promptly commenced complaining about being cold, and didn't stop until she moved to Durham, NC, to attend college at Duke University. After graduating with a degree in History and Women's Studies, Inara wandered around the country teaching outdoor education and writing bad poetry. Finally, she decided to settle down in Portland, Oregon, where she is inspired by the rain and green forests to write about faeries, magic, and superpowers. Inara writes YA and adult romance, and believes in happily ever after. 

Find out more about Inara on her WEBSITEOr her BLOG





NOW FOR INARA'S EXCLUSIVE MATERIAL!



FIRST:  About the book!

All of her life, Dancia Lewis has wanted to use her powers for good. And now that she's learned the truth about Delcroix Academy—and herself—she may just get the chance. But being part of Delcroix's top secret Program isn't anything like Dancia expected.  She has to ask herself: what happens to the Talented kids who refuse to pledge their loyalty to the Program? And why did her friend Jack run away rather than join? Dancia's adorable boyfriend Cam insists they need the help of every Talented student to defend Delcroix from dangerous enemies outside their gates. But Dancia has to wonder: what if Delcroix's most frightening enemies come from within?  

NOW, THE BONUS!

Hey everyone—Inara here. I hope you're having a great time on the Scavenger Hunt. For my  bonus material, I thought I'd give you some perspective into the heart of someone I know many of you have doubts about…Chronologically, it comes somewhere during The Marked, the second book in the Delcroix Academy series.

Enjoy!

**

Sometimes, after I go to bed at night, I think about her. I picture her crystal blue gaze boring deep into me. It is as if she can see right into my soul. She has questions and she wants me to answer them. She keeps asking and I keep turning away. But the questions do not stop. They keep growing.

So does the doubt.

She trusts me—or she did, anyway—but what is trust, really? Does she trust me to tell her the truth, or does she trust me to keep her safe?

I can't do both. And it's killing me.

I have this dream sometimes. We are walking together in the forest. Our spot. Our path. The evergreens are shushing and the pine needles silence our feet. It is cold and I am holding her hand, then pulling her against me. I wrap my arms around her and pretend we are alone and the world is simple.

And then I kiss her, and I am lost. 

If you'd like to purchase THE MARKED, by Inara Scott, go HERE!!

The next stop on the YA Scavenger Hunt is . . . RaShelle Workman's Blog!!!  Good Luck!!

BUT WAIT!!  THERE'S MORE!!!

You can also win THIS . . .



That's right, a $20 Gift Card from Amazon.com.

All you have to do is fill out the Rafflecopter form below to enter.

Easy stuff!!









a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Celebrating 700 Followers & an AWESOME Giveaway

WOOT!! 

 I just hit 700 Followers and I have Lauren at Epilogue Reviews to thank for it. She's running an AWESOME giveaway over on her blog. 

And the prize?  

A signed & personalized copy of BOUND by moi & a few signed bookmarks.

So do yourself a favor and head on over to Epilogue Reviews and sign up to win. She's always running fun giveaways and has the best reviews ever on all kinds of books. You'll want to hang out there all day just reading her reviews. Tell her I said hello!

Good Luck on Winning the Giveaway!!!

Only ONE day left!

New Look!

As you can see, my blog has a new look. When I first started blogging, I named my blog "Day Dreamer." I loved the name because it suit me. I AM a Day Dreamer!!!



Somewhere along the line, I think when I decided I didn't need to manage both a website and a blog, I deleted to go with my author name, C.K.Bryant.  While it looked more professional, it really didn't reflect my personality.



In preparation for the cover reveal of my new book, BROKEN, I've decided to change the header and the style of my blog and take back it's original name. For me it's like going home and I really needed a place to go that's familiar and friendly.



Sooooo . . . WELCOME TO DAY DREAMER!





What do you think? Like the changes?

OUCH! Branding Can Hurt

It doesn't take a genius to see that I've been neglecting my blog lately. I need to apologize for that. It's not that I don't love my followers, I've just hit a bit of a snag and am not sure how to get over it.



I'm empty. Got nothing to give.



I'm sure most of you have been in this situation at one point or another in your blogging lives and can understand my dilemma. To fix it (me), I decided to ask my BFF for help. Little did I know she'd be chasing me with a branding iron, forcing me to see the real me and asking questions that only made me feel more and more lost. Not her fault. It's me.



You see, I'm eclectic.



While finding a brand should be simple, it's only made me discover how different I am from the rest of the world. According to BFF Ninja Extraordinaire, Ali Cross, I need to FIND myself, discover my target audience, figure out what I have to say to them and run with it. Make that my theme, my mantra, my platform. I'm to consider things I'm passionate about, subjects I like to study or teach and causes I support. Even my favorite color.



So here's what I came up with.



Not a dang thing.



I like all kinds of music, all kinds of movies. Every room in my house is decorated differently. Nothing in my life is theme oriented or done because I rock at a certain subject matter. My favorite color is WHITE. I have a white car, white iPhone, white kitchen and I love to decorated with the shabby chic white on white look. Sure, I love color and I have lots of it around my house, but I LOVE WHITE.



BORING!!



I once told someone I was mashed potatoes. No gravy. No butter. Nothing. Just plain mashed potatoes. I believe that more now than ever. They said to think of it as a blank canvas, that I could create myself over again. BLECK!  I'm 49 years old. Starting over scares the crap out of me.



And as far as a target audience and message I want to leave my readers, well . . . I just like to tell stories. Of course I think about the readers, but I think more about the characters and where they choose to take the story than I do about leaving a message or moral behind. I just want to entertain, take them to a different place for a few hours so they can escape the humdrum of day to day life.



What am I passionate about? Good question. What are YOU passionate about? Have any ideas on how I can get out of this slump?

Stuff, Stuff and More STUFF!!

Ever pack for a vacation and can't decide what to take? How do you narrow down all your STUFF and decide what's important and what's not?



Imagine you're given one hour to collect everything that's important to you . . . and it has to fit in these two cases at the left. Could you do it? Could you narrow it down to the things that mean the most to you?



Or is it just stuff? Insignificant THINGS that don't amount to anything?



My husband's mother was just placed in an assisted living home and we spent last night going through her things, trying to decide what she would need. Everything she owns fit in a small closet in a room in our house. She used to have more. A whole house filled with STUFF, but over the years she's given it away or sold it. Now she has photos, old letters, addresses scribbled on scraps of paper and a tiny jewelry box with a dozen or so sets of earrings in it. Besides her clothes and some linens, that's it.



I'm 49, the same age she was when I was married . . . 26 years ago. Back then we had nothing, drove junkers and scraped and saved just to buy a mismatched set of washer and dryer (one was rust, the other green). We felt rich then. No more going to the laundry mat. We've spent all these years collecting STUFF we really don't need. Will we spend the next 26 giving it away and narrowing down what's really important until it fits into one or two suitcases? It sure makes one think about what's important in life and why we waist our time making money to have more STUFF. We can't take it with us.



What's important to you? What would you put in your suitcase?