Sharon Ledwith's Blog, page 79

Thank Goodness for eBooks…

Authors work hard. Really hard. Sometimes years and years go into creating a book. First draft, second, third, maybe more, the revisions, rewrites, edits, and so on. It’s a crazy journey from start to the finished product, and we authors are downright proud of our accomplishment. So when I asked a family member what they thought of the paperback version of my debut book, I was told that it was still in the process of being read (had it for a year), and was most-likely sharing space at the bottom of a child’s knapsack. My jaw dropped. Really? My book, my baby, my blood is where? I honestly had to pinch myself.

So this got me thinking…Thank goodness for eBooks. At first, I was a little leery of eBooks. You couldn’t hold or smell one. People—myself included—really didn’t understand the value in these strange new book formats. It’s hard enough to promote, market, and sell eBooks to schools or libraries, though that is slowly changing. When I signed my first publishing contract it was with a brand new epublishing house. There was the promise of paperbacks of course, but their main format was eBooks. I, like many other people, wondered if books would go the way of DVDs or CDs, and in truth the traditional publishing industry has taken an arse-kicking because of this new publishing paradigm. I even think the trees are yelling ‘woo-hoo’ as I’m typing this.

The point of this post is this: the life expectancy of a paperback can vary, but an eBook lives on forever. Try leaving an eBook in the bottom of a knapsack. Can’t be done. Yeah, you can leave your ereader or computer or cell phone or tablet in a knapsack, but you won’t leave any these electronic devices in there for long. They’re what this generation craves, uses, and needs. Plus they’re far too valuable to leave sitting in the bottom of a knapsack. And you know what? The book that took me over ten years to create is valuable too. It’s all a matter of perception.So, thank goodness for eBooks. No mildew. No mold. No dog-earred pages. No ripped covers. No funny smell. No missing chapters. And guess what? They live on forever.

Guest Post: How Susan Lodge came up with the strange title of her newest book...

The Man in the Blue Flowered Shorts, is a contemporary romantic comedy by Susan Lodge. Because of the unusual title, I am compelled to ask Susan a few questions.

How do you decide the title of your book? Does it involve a lot of head scratching, pen chewing, and staring out of the window, waiting for a lightning bolt of inspiration? Or a laborious search for a snappy phrase that will encompass the spirit of the story and grab the attention of the e- book browsers?

That is how it was choosing the title for my first publication—but with the second it was easy. The Man in the Blue Flowered Shorts walked past me one day and wham! There was my book title and the seeds of a story all gained from a few moments of idle observation. I live on the coast and am quite used to holidaymakers ambling about in strange summery outfits, but this man cranked my literary detective into action. Who was this person who looked so on edge in his holiday clothes?

I never knew the real answer, as I only saw him once, but he had sparked my imagination with all sorts of questions.

He appeared to not want to be on holiday and he didn't seem to like his wardrobe, so who do you think advised him to wear socks with sandals?

I haven't a clue but would like to point out that I have nothing against men in sandals or shorts, especially of the blue flowered variety. But it’s that accessory thing. Shorts and sandals are fine—but worn with socks! The combination should be outlawed.

I know, especially here in the UK, the sandal wearing season is quite brief—in fact turning out be nonexistent this year due to the miserable weather. And that relinquishing the socks can result in strap chaffing to soft white toes and heels which have been cocooned for most of the year. But that is no excuse for socks with sandals, is it? After all, you can purchase those nice discreet clear plasters to protect those vulnerable parts of your feet.

I now feel this blog is getting a little shallow because we all know that clothes shouldn’t really matter and it’s the person inside that counts. And, to be honest, looking out on this freezing cold English July day, I might just get out those thigh high woolen socks I got for Christmas. Although I wouldn’t wear them with sandals—but then, I am not a man!

But however he was dressed, I will always be grateful to the intriguing man in the blue flowered shorts. He provided me with, not only a title to my latest romance, but the trigger for a sequel, The Man in the Buff Breeches. Then I might follow it with The Man in the ...well, I’m looking around right now for an inspiration!
Lyn enjoys reading romance novels, especially when she can combine it with relaxing in the Caribbean sunshine. But when a mysterious stranger joins the cruise ship, fiction and fact become dangerously confused.

When Lyn Redford’s sandal hurtles across the deck of the cruise ship, it makes her first introduction to Henry Matasie rather hostile. It wasn’t just that the man was seriously grumpy; he was a walking wardrobe disaster. Do you really need to wear woolen socks with your shorts in the Caribbean heat?

Following an embarrassing encounter in the cocktail bar with Henry, Lyn and her travelling companion Shona try to find out the reason for his strange behaviour. Later, when Lyn accidentally reads his e-mail, she is convinced the man in the blue flowered shorts is deadly dangerous.

When Henry swaps his awful holiday clothes for a dress suit to attend the gala dinner the transformation sets Lyn’s pulse racing. But she is convinced he still hides a guilty secret and she is intent on discovering what it is.

To read an excerpt from The Man in the Blue Flowered Shorts please click HERE .

Susan Lodge’s first publication was a story for a UK national woman’s magazine. Heady with this breakthrough, she went on to write her first novel Only a Hero Will Do . She loves writing contemporary and historical romance, usually with a large dose of humour. After working in several cities including London and Bristol, she moved down to the Hampshire coast to raise her family.

Once asked the most important piece of advice she had been given in pursuit of publication, Susan answered - The only difference between the unpublished writer and the published writer is the fact that the published writer didn't give up.

Catch up with Susan on her website and blog .

Stay connected on Facebook and Twitter .

Calling all MG and YA Book Bloggers…

Emblazon is a blog written by a collection of indie and traditionally published authors who care about producing high quality stories for kids. We have a particular focus on ages 11 to 14. We call them Tweens. The purpose of Emblazon is to celebrate tween literature. We want to draw attention to this fabulous genre, interact with other enthusiasts whether child or adult, and encourage new writers.

Emblazon launches its first post on July 10. Please consider helping us spread the word by mentioning us on your blog that day. You may cut and paste from this email or the website and use our attached logo if you wish. All bloggers who participate are eligible to enter our $100 Amazon gift card drawing that will be held the following day. You can also treat your readers to our upcoming Sizzling Freebies bash that will be hosted on Emblazon on August 1 during which a great selection of ebooks will be free for one day only.We hope you’ll join us in kick-starting this fabulous new adventure!

"The Tattered Flag" by Dusty Crabtree

What do you get when you cross a patriotic idealist and writer like myself with the sad vision of a tattered flag? A sad, patriotic poem about a tattered flag, of course. Through the sadness I hope I can spark some pride in our country and the flag that represents it.
“The Tattered Flag”

It flaps in the wind limply at one corner. The other is ripped to shreds, caught, hanging on a wire, dejectedly. Unable to break free.

It’s been windy. It’s raining. It’s nobody’s fault.

And yet…it just feels wrong. The moment I see it from my car, a whimper escapes my lips. A pain shoots through my chest. It aches. I want to cry. I might as well have witnessed a young kid being pushed down by a bully. How could someone treat the flag this way? A sense of injustice burns inside so strong that my world turns upside down.

Such a strong emotion for such a simple inanimate object. But it’s not simple, is it? It represents our country’s life. Our freedom. Us. So, I guess...in a way...it isn’t just an object treated with disrespect. It’s a living and breathing representation of hope. And if that’s torn and tattered, then what do we have left?

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Now that I've got you all warm and fuzzy, how about another riddle. What do you get when you cross an idealist writer like myself with a passion for teenagers and young adults? A YA urban fantasy called Shadow Eyes. For those of you (teens and adults alike) who love a good hope-filled, inspirational read but also love paranormal, romance, suspense, and mystery, check out Shadow Eyes this summer.
Synopsis:

Iris Kohl lives in a world populated by murky shadows that surround, harass, and entice unsuspecting individuals toward evil. But she is the only one who can see them. She’s had this ability to see the shadows, as well as brilliantly glowing light figures, ever since an obscure, tragic incident on her fourteenth birthday three years earlier.

Although she’s learned to cope, the view of her world begins to shift upon the arrival of three mysterious characters. First, a handsome new teacher whose presence scares away shadows; second, a new friend with an awe-inspiring aura; and third, a mysterious and alluring new student whom Iris has a hard time resisting despite already having a boyfriend.

As the shadows invade and terrorize her own life and family, she must ultimately revisit the most horrific event of her life in order to learn her true identity and become the hero she was meant to be.

Check out Dusty's blog.

Find her on facebook. Follow her on twitter.

Buy Shadow Eyes and/or read its reviews at Musa Publishing or Amazon. (also available at all major online bookstores)

View the book trailer.

Cover Reveal: Legend of the Timekeepers…

It’s here….



Well, the cover is here anyway. Legend of the Timekeepers—the prequel to The Last Timekeepers series—will be available this August 30ththrough Musa Publishing, Amazon, and all other major on-line bookstores. The end is near. Get your time portals ready…    

My Canada…more than Maple Syrup and Mounties...

Happy Canada Day to all my fellow Canadians! Hope you’re kick-starting your holiday by planning to attend one of the many events July 1st has to offer around the area where you live. Most of the day, we usually hang out with family and friends on our dock until dusk—eat, drink, and be merry—then go watch the fireworks display in town. Note to self—bring the bug spray.

So what about you? Don’t know how you’re going to celebrate Canada’s 146th Birthday? Well, you’ve come to the right place. Sit down, grab a cup of whatever you please (hey, it’s a holiday after all), and check out the list of activities to choose from below:

• Go to the beach. Use the holiday to bake in the sun (don’t forget the SPF), enjoy the warm weather and cool water.

• Go to the park, fly a kite or walk your dog. Most Canucks spend this holiday outdoors so you’ll be able to take advantage of the summer heat and maybe make a new friend.

• Have your family and friends over for an old fashioned barbecue. Sip on your favorite brand of beer and appreciate what it means to be Canadian.

• Go to your town’s local parade. Show your pride by dressing up in all red and white—the Canada flag or maple leaf temporary tattoos are a favorite among celebrants!

• Go to a carnival. Eat fried dough, snack on cotton candy, drink beer, go on all your favorite rides (you may want to bring a puke bag) and play all the games.

• Look up local concerts in your area. Many cities and towns hold festivals where bands will play music at outdoor venues.

• Go for a ride in a hot air balloon. This fun activity lets you admire our beautiful country from thousands of feet in the air.

• Go to your local brewery. Canadians love beer, so there is no better way to celebrate our birthday than to take a tour of your favorite brewery. Many of these tours are free and come with samples. Lake of Bays Brewing Company and Muskoka Brewery are my top picks!

• Go camping. Take a couple days off work, and enjoy everything that the Canadian wilderness has to offer. Tons of provincial parks to choose from!

• There is nothing more Canadian than hockey. Visit the Hockey Hall of Fame . Take an exhibit tour and honor your favorite players.

• Go to a citizenship ceremony. There is nothing more patriotic than watching new citizens take an oath to love, honor, and respect our country.

• Go to your local fireworks show. There is nothing more beautiful than watching the colorful explosions light up the sky. Plus saying ‘ohhh—ahhh’ is always fun.

• Go fishing. Canada is famous for their awesome bass (and pickerel) fishing and this is a great way to enjoy the outdoors and celebrate Canada.

• Go white water rafting (still want to do this one). Canada’s rivers offer a variety of different difficulty levels so whether you’re a rafting pro or a rookie in search of an adventure, rafting is always a fun activity.

• Last, but not least, lounge by the pool (or on a beach) and read a good book.

May I make a suggestion? The Last Timekeepers and the Arch of Atlantis is a popular, family read, ready to download on your ereader at your pleasure. Take a peek:

Children are the keys to our future. And now, children are the only hope for our past.

When 13-year-old Amanda Sault and her annoying classmates are caught in a food fight at school, they're given a choice: suspension or yard duty. The decision is a no-brainer. Their two-week crash course in landscaping leads to the discovery of a weathered stone arch in the overgrown back yard. The arch isn't a forgotten lawn ornament but an ancient time portal from the lost continent of Atlantis. Chosen by an Atlantean Magus to be Timekeepers--legendary time travelers sworn to keep history safe from the evil Belial--Amanda and her classmates are sent on an adventure of a lifetime. Can they find the young Robin Hood and his merry band of teens? If they don't, then history itself may be turned upside down.

To read an excerpt of The Last Timekeepers and the Arch of Atlantis , please click HERE .

Check out The Last Timekeepers series Facebook Page .

BUY LINKS Musa Publishing Amazon Link Barnes & Noble Kobo

Sharon Ledwith is the author of the middle-grade/YA time travel series, The Last Timekeepers, available through Musa Publishing. When not writing, researching, or revising, she enjoys reading, yoga, kayaking, time with family and friends, and single malt scotch. Sharon lives in the wilds of Muskoka in Central Ontario, Canada, with her hubby, a water-logged yellow Labrador and moody calico cat.

Learn more about Sharon Ledwith on her website and blog .

Stay connected on Facebook and Twitter .

Tips for Planning a Book Launch Party…

The following info was stolen borrowed from Joel Friedlander, with a little pimping and preening from yours truly…
 
Planning your book launch party? Awesome! But first, you'll need to decide whether you're throwing this party to congratulate yourself and share your joy with friends and family, or whether it's mostly intended to be a chance to promote your book.
 
Don’t get me wrong, there's nothing wrong with throwing yourself a party. Hey, knock yourself out, and invite the neighbors and anyone else you like. A book launch party also can be a great way to say "thank you" to people who have played a significant role in supporting you or getting your book to market. Cue your publisher, agent, family, friends, and any wild and crazy neighbors.
 But if the party is part of your overall book launch strategy, you'll want to focus mostly on what's going to help get news about your book out to the people you really want to reach—your target audience. The following tips are aimed at these sorts of parties that are meant to promote books.

Make a budget. How much are you willing to "invest" in this one promotional event? Expenses for live events can easily get out of hand as unexpected wrinkles arise. Compare what you're willing to spend to other possibilities. For instance, to hire someone to write a professional press release, and have it electronically delivered costs about $200-300. Will that accomplish more with the resources you have than throwing a launch party?
 Find a venue. Hold your party in a retail environment if at all possible. Bookstores and other retailers will be happy if you can bring in a lot of people to their store, and they usually will handle the sales. They will probably sell your books on consignment (no payment unless books sell) and will require a minimum 40% discount from the retail price. Another good strategy is to locate a retailer with some connection to your book. For instance, for the launch of a book about moving to Spain, an author had her launch party at a Spanish tapas bar with authentic foods and beverages mentioned in her book. And you don't have to be limited to retail spaces, either. A book launch that's more of a celebration can be hosted at a private home. And some people have taken their launch parties outdoors; with a permit from the local authorities and some good weather, you could have your launch party at a park or a beach.

Plan your space. If your party is in a store, you will probably be supplied with a table but don't count on anything else. You'll need to provide some appropriate decorations and don't forget any bookmarks or other "freebies." People LOVE to get free stuff! If you're having your party at a retailer that's not a bookstore, you may have to help the store with planning for tables to sign books and other details.
 Get the word out. If you're working with a retailer for your launch, ask about promotion. For instance, they may be able to include you in mailings or email newsletters about in-store events. Or they might allow you to put a flyer up in the store a couple of weeks before the event.

Keep people entertained. You've gone to a lot of trouble and expense to set up your party and get people there. What are you going to do next? Instead of planning one long reading, why not create a shorter event you can repeat over the course of 3 or 4 hours? If you can, include appropriate music and visuals for entertainment. A slide show or book trailer running on a laptop can capture the attention of browsers who will want to know more about your book.
 Make sure you have books. Yes, there's nothing worse than planning a party, then realizing you can't get printed books in time. Work backwards from your party date and plan to have the physical books on hand at least a week beforehand, just to be safe.

Use the media. Let local media know about your book launch party and invite them to come around to join the festivities. At larger media outlets, look for writers or editors whose subject specialties correspond to your book topic and notify them.Build your crowd. Don't forget to invite your friends, family, co-workers, writing group, and social media contacts. More people equals more excitement, and that's what a party is all about.

Take pictures. Ask a friend to take pictures and make sure to get some shots of you signing books, talking to readers, and speaking. Post them on your social media groups. If you have any "celebs" attending, get a shot of the two of you together. These will come in handy for your promotional efforts.How to sign. If you've never autographed books before, spend some time thinking about what you'll write. Many authors use a few stock phrases which can be helpful when the autographing line is long. Many people like their name included, too, so make sure to ask for the correct spelling.

Prizes and giveaways. Having a drawing for a free book or a prize themed to your subject will be popular. And if you repeat your reading a couple of times, go ahead and have a couple of drawings to keep people interested.
 Gather addresses. Don’t forget: you want to stay in touch with the people you spend time with at your launch party. Make sure you have a way to capture each attendee's email address, whether it's a sign-up sheet, a bowl for business cards, or a laptop or tablet where people can opt into your mailing list on the spot.

Planning and executing a book launch party is quite a bit of work, but it can pay off. You'll establish good relations with the venue, with media contacts, and with attendees.You'll make sales and add to your email list, too. And listen, you worked long and hard to get to this point. Throwing yourself a party—and getting all the benefits—is a great way to celebrate.

Guest Post: Polka Dot Cake - One. Author - Nothing...

Author Marci BoudreauxSomething can be said for Pinterest. I have learned so much from that site about gardening, decorating, and fashion. So when it came time to plan my daughter’s birthday party, I pulled up my Birthday board and took a gander.

Oh, polka dot cake…my daughter loves polka dots. So much so, that I painted her room pink with purple polka dots just last summer.

Now, anyone who has ever tried something off of Pinterest knows that, generally, it’s not going to go as smoothly as assumed. Well…let me tell you about the polka dot cake.
 
The first sign of trouble was when I read the directions and I didn’t have the required cake ball pan. Well. I have a mini muffin pan, I can improvise. I’m good at that…as you’ll soon see.

So I took out my three cake mixes, stirred one together, and split the batter. So far so good.

Then I dyed the batter. Well…my colors didn’t come out nearly as vibrant, but that’s okay. We can go with dingy pastel shades. So I made the mini muffins.

Then I mixed up the other two batters and layered the first bit on the bottom of the pan. And suddenly, like a light bulb going off, I realized my polka dots would look like…well, mini muffins. So I gently pried the muffin tops off and decided that was close enough. (These are a bunch of eight year olds, really, they’re just happy there’s cake, right?)

I cover my make-shift muffin polka dots with the rest of the batter and…wait…my muffin-dots are rising. I push them down and hurry up and put the cakes in the oven. Because we all know, the quicker you get it in the oven, the faster we can pretend that everything is resolved and all will work out.

Twenty five minutes later, the timer dings and I tentatively open the oven door to find…more muffins?

  Oh, yes, perhaps I overfilled the pans just a touch in my attempt to cover my muffin-dots. The cake had grown up and over the cake pans, making giant, yet thin muffins.

Hmmm. These are supposed to layer, right? How can I layer muffins? I considered this for a long time. I even had an in-depth discussion over the phone with my husband who obviously didn’t care in the least about the ins and outs of layering cakes that looked like muffins.

Finally, it was decided. I’m just going to decorate one cake. There are only a few girls anyway, so I chose the better looking of the two and slathered it in white frosting. I did this because we had picked out lovely glitter infused purple icing (the package said it was pink, that stuff was purple) to put on lovely little polka dots and polka dot sprinkles to go with the awesome polka (muffin) dots inside.

So the icing is set and I get out the purple-not-pink decorative icing and start putting on the polka dots. But even icing doesn’t play nice when it is going on a Pinterest cake. It smeared, it smudged, it taunted me at every turn. I’m fairly certain I heard some of those TV bakers laughing at me as I tried to mimic their squeeze, push, and pull technique for making dots.

Well, at this point all the warm and fuzzy Betty Homemaker feelings were gone. I grabbed the biggest meanest looking spatula I could find and I smeared that damned icing, not giving a crap what it looked like. Damn it, it’s just a cake. They only want it for the sugar buzz anyway.

Then I stood back and I smiled because, despite all the trouble, I had just made a beautiful white and purple-not-pink tie-dye looking mini muffin-dot cake.

And it was lovely.

I set it aside, ready for the glittery candle to be placed, headed straight for my laptop, and deleted that damned polka dot cake recipe from my birthday board. But, I’ll share it with you, just in case you want to give it a try.

Polka Dot Cake

2 boxed white cake mixes (plus the oil, water and eggs to make them according to the package) You favorite frosting (I used my butter cream recipe, doubled, which you can get by clicking HERE .) Sprinkles or candy to decorate the cake.

Preheat oven to 350°F

Make one of the cakes according to package directions.

Divide batter evenly into smaller bowls based on the number of colors you want to use (I did 4). Color the batter using color gels (I love the Wilton brand in particular because it gives such a vivid color)

Following the directions for your particular cake pop maker, make cake balls using each of the colors.

While cake balls are cooling, preheat oven to 350F, and make the second cake mix according to package.

Spray 3 – 6″ round pans with non-stick spray and set a circle of parchment paper in the bottom of each one (to keep your layers pretty!)

Spread a thin layer of batter in the bottom of each pan, place cake balls on top in any pattern you choose and divide remaining batter over the top of the balls so they are completely covered.

Bake layers for about 30 minutes. You can use the toothpick test (I recommend it!) but be careful to hit cake and not cake balls…you can kind of tell where they are- they bump up just a bit.

When cooked all the way through, tip over on a cake rack to cool completely.

Trim, if needed, to flatten layers and use frosting to stack all three layers and cover the entire cake with frosting. Decorate as desired.

To see what the Polka Dot Cake should look like, please click HERE.

Here's a little from Unforgettable You, my latest contemporary romance, for your reading pleasure while you sit back with a glass of chilled wine and forget you ever thought of baking.

Is their love strong enough to survive their real lives?

Desperate to keep her ailing mother-in-law Doreen in the family home, Carrie Gable agrees to board a few of Hollywood’s elite actors. Despite her resentment of their demands, she can’t stop her attraction to actor Will Walker.

Will, out to save his failing career, agrees to a project that bores him. The more time he spends with his egotistical co-stars, the more drawn he is to their hostess. Long nights talking with Carrie make him realize he wants a simpler life, but his ties to L.A. refuse to let him go.

The temptation to regain stardom pulls Will in one direction while the obligation to family tugs Carrie in another. Against all odds, the couple struggles for a solution to save their new found happiness.

To read an excerpt from Unforgettable You, please click HERE .

Check out the trailer for Unforgettable You HERE .

Learn more about Marci Boudreaux on her website.

Stay connected on Facebook and Twitter .

3 Promote Yourself Tidbits…

Don’t say yes to everything.

It’s easy to take on too much work and then try to multi-task relentlessly. Trust me it’s not a good move. It’s like a juggler with too many balls or pins (or chainsaws if you have a wild imagination) in the air. If one drops, it could seriously throw you off your game (or cut your ear off). You should strive to take on fewer projects that have more of an impact on your business and career. Baby steps. Baby bites. Learn to say no if you want to be more productive and less stressed. Be a team player.

In the business world—especially the publishing world—we all work in teams to complete projects for the good of our companies. Think working with an editor, a cover artist, a book formatter, and marketing or promoting with fellow authors and you get the gist. If you want to be successful, you need to support your team, like I support my TEAMby giving them credit and allowing for open communication. Let’s face it, most marriages or partnerships break down because there is no communication. Be the voice that rallies the team. You'll feel like a WINNER every time.Acquire more skills.

Skills that were important years ago might not be as relevant today. Three years ago, I had no on-line platform with the exception of Facebook, and even then I hardly used it because I didn’t know how. I threw myself into the blogging pool and learned to create blog posts (not very good ones at first) and as soon as I got comfortable with that skill I tackled Facebook, then I moved onto another. Twitter, anyone?  You need to stay on top of what the top skills are now and project what the upcoming skills are going to be if you want to be successful.So, how about you? What do you NEED to say no to? Are you a TEAM player? What SKILLS have you acquired recently? Love to hear from you! 

Liebster Blog Award…

I was recently nominated for this award by Amaleen Ison, an awesome online author friend and supporter. Her newest YA fantasy thriller, Remember Me is slated for release through Decadent Publishing hopefully sometime in 2013. Congratulations, Amaleen!

BTW – Amaleen has a kick-ass blog you should visit!

The rules (which incidentally are made to be broken) for the Liebster Award are:
§  Each nominee must answer the 11 questions.§  Create 11 questions for the next nominees to answer.§  Link back to who nominated them.§  Choose 11 people and link them in your post.§  Go to their page and tell them.§  No tag backs!
My Nominees:FYI – I’m not nominating eleven bloggers because I don’t want an author hit put out on me. I’m not kidding – authors have been known to do some crazy-ass things! I’ve decided to tag a group of fabulous up and coming MG/YA authors, so here are my choices: Lisa Orchard, Rita Monette, Alan Tucker, Kai Strand, Sara Stinson, Ann T. Bugg, and Casey Sean Harmon.Q&A time:Favorite Breakfast?An Isagenixvanilla shake with frozen blueberries. Yum and I get my anti-oxidants.

Beer or Wine?Single Malt Scotch. There is no substitute. But sadly there are no anti-oxidants.

Dog or Cat?No  contest. Both.

Coffee or Tea?Coffeein the wee hours of the morning. Tea in the afternoon and evening.

Winter or Summer?I live in Canada where it’s winter for 8 months of the year. What do you think?

PC or Apple?In my past life in the graphic trade, it was Apple. Now I use PC. What can I say, I’m adaptable.

What is your goal for 2013?Market and promote my August 30threlease of the prequel to the Last Timekeepers series: Legend of the Timekeepers. Finish first draft of The Last Timekeepers and the Dark Secret(Book 2).  Work on getting the first book of my Mysterious Tales from Fairy Fallsseries sold to a publisher via my agents. What else? Oh yeah—try not to go bald pulling out my hair.   

What makes your day brighter?A hug from my hubby. A phone call from my kids. Attention from my pets. I’m sooo low maintenance.

What’s your biggest pet peeve?Being tagged for these freaking blogging awards! LOL!

How old were you when you stopped believing in Santa Claus?Wait—he doesn’t exist? Crap.

What do you write about?I write MG/YA novels about adventures in time traveling and teens with psychic abilities. You know—normal, everyday stuff.