C.J. Galaway's Blog, page 8

My Very First Book Tour

     On Monday I begin my journey to Pennsylvania with my wife to begin my very first book tour. At this point a lot of thoughts and feelings are going through me...from excitement, to fear, to nervousness. Some of the questions that keep  running through my head in a loop:
What if no one shows up?What if a lot of people show up?Did I bring enough books...or worse yet do I have too many?Will they like me?Will I be able to sign my name?
Fortunately the one worry I don't have is what will I wear. That I have left in the capable hands of my wife, who has my wardrobe all picked out. We will look good, as well as compliment each other.
Dare I mention my wife is packing only nine pairs of shoes for the week? (I will have maybe four)
This trip into my hometown area isn't all work. I will be taking my wife to Kennywood Park in Pittsburgh for a day of fun. She has introduced me to her local amusement park, Carowinds, and now I get to show off mine.
This even would not be happening if it wasn't for the awesome people at Bradley's Book Outlets. They have been awesome and very supportive, especially Brenda, the manager at the Uniontown Mall store. She was the one to let me have my first book signing and was the one with the idea for a tour...she has been super supportive!
The tour dates are listed below, hope to see you at one of them!
1. Tuesday June 30th 1PM-5PM
Bradley's Book Outlet in Station Square2. Wednesday July 1st 12PM-3PM
Bradley's Book Outlet at Macy's in downtown Pittsburgh3. Saturday July 4th 1PM-5PM also my birthday!
Bradley's Book Outlet at Century III Mall in West Mifflin4. Sunday Joly 5h 12PM-5PM
Bradley's Book Outlet at Uniontown Mall in Uniontown

People and their crazy thoughts

I was scrolling through my Facebook newsfeed this morning and came across this strange little article...I know, I know I should be writing but when anyone posts about pets my interest is instantly peaked.my interest. I hve the link below so you may check it out.


http://www.popsugar.com/moms/Comparin...   (you may have to copy and paste for it to work)


But as I read the article, my interest turned to frustration and then anger. In my life I have been fortunate enough to have cared for many furbabies, both cats and dogs. Some I have been fortunate enough to rescue from hostile enviroments and provide them a loving home while others have wandered into my life and have enriched it in ways I can never begin to calculate...then there are the furbabies that have chosen me, and I am lucky that they have.

For each and every furbaby that has entered my life (and yes I dare to call them furbabies) I have been blessed to be their mom, if even for a short period of their lives here on earth. However I have never, ever thought to compare the love I have for my furbabies and the bond we share to the bond a parent and a child has...and the people who think that a furbaby is just a pet, well I really don't know what to say other than I feel sorry for them because they are missing out on the unconditional love tht only a furbaby can give to his or her human.

There are many things I could say to this lady about the love I have for my furbabies, but the only thing that comes to mind is something I have seen often on Facebook.


The only time an animal has ever broken my heart is when they crossed the rainbow bridge.


I know when my time comes to cross that bridge I will literally be buried by all of the fur babies who have left their paw prints on my heart before they crossed.


I can't wait.


The photo to your right is of my three fur babies Hannah (the Pekegense), Rizzo (the striped kitten), and Pandora (the black kitten).

Enter the world of Tawny Savage

This is a first for me, helping to promote (in my own awkward way) the newest release of Tawny Savage. As a reader who does not read as voraciously as I once did, her writing has renewed my appetite for the written word and has opened a whole nw genre for me to discover, devour, and feast upon.

I invite you to feed your imagination at the abundant banquet spread out by this amazing author.


Tawny Savage is the best selling author of erotic tales designed to bring your darkest fantasies to life.


Her latest book is Bigfoot's Revenge and is the third book of The Bigfoot Chronicles



Here is a small taste of Bigfoot's Revenge

Travis kept hidden behind one of the massive redwoods on the edge of the small meadow in order to continue to witness the scene before him. Within moments he became mesmerized by the strange creatures as they darted back and forth. They appeared to be playing a game of keep away. Their laughter rang throughout the clearing. He found it hard to understand how they looked so different and yet acted like the kids at school. He longed to join in the fun, but afraid he would be rejected.Just like at school.Just like at home.When his parents had told him he was going to be a big brother again, his heart sank. Now they wouldn’t have any need to keep him around. They would have two sons of their own. He was the adopted one and no one in the Stevens family had ever let him forget it. Of course his parents had always considered him their son from the moment they held him in their arms, but his aunts, uncles, cousins and even his grandparents continued to treat him as an outsider.The previous Christmas, he’d overheard an argument between his dad and uncles. One of them had demanded to know exactly who his birth parents were so they could determine if his bloodline was good enough to be included in the Steven’s family.
“Tommy, you know damn well we can’t afford to take any chances our family gets tainted by any Squatch blood.”“You were the one who encouraged me and Janine to ask McNamara to help us. He knows all about the feud we have with those creatures. Do you really think he’d give us a half breed to raise as one of our own?”“He’s a politician. He’ll say and do anything as long as it makes Jillian Stone happy. That witch has been nothing but trouble for us since she married the governor’s son.”“Travis is my son. Period. I don’t give a shit about your theories about his birth parents. We’ve raised him as our own all these years. He’s a teenager for Christ’s sake!  Not one of you objected when we brought him home from the hospital.”“That’s my point! He is a teenager and looking more and more like one of them every day. He towers over the rest of the kids and has more hair than all of them combined.”You know as well as I do we have just as much Squatch blood in our family tree as anyone in these mountains—““You take that back right now before I beat the shit out of you. How dare you insult Ma and Pop with those lies.”“Boys! Knock it off. There are too many young ears around. I’ll not have your mother’s Christmas dinner ruined with all this nonsense. No matter who popped him out, he is and always will be adopted and not a true Stevens. Let’s just leave it at that.”
Travis had hoped his grandfather would have taken his dad’s side against the others. The old man had made it crystal clear to everyone where he stood. Instead of moping around, he decided to find out all he could about the creatures the Stevens family hated so much.Every day he’d hike deeper and deeper into the forest surrounding his home in search of any clues about the Forest People. He became obsessed with finding out if he had any connection to them and the answer to one very important question.Why did my real parents give me away?“Who are you?”He jumped and spun around to find himself face to face with one of the most beautiful beings he’d ever laid eyes upon. She looked human in all ways except with more body hair—just like him.  She brushed her red and blonde bangs from her forehead and smiled. “Are you lost?”“No. I’ve been looking for you and your people.”She turned to the taller of her companions and spoke a few words in a language Travis swore he’d heard before and then repeated them in English. “Roanolar. Tell Shaman we need her assistance. One of the humans has wandered away from home and needs help.”“I didn’t wander away from anywhere. I’m trying to find my family.”The female held his gaze and smiled again. “Very few humans are allowed to get this close to our village. Who are you, really?”He smiled as a wave of peace washed over him. Something about her smile and her soft, husky voice calmed his soul. “I don’t know. Maybe you can help me figure it out.”“She already has by sending for me.”His skin flushed from head to toe and his chest constricted. That voice! I know her. The medicine woman touched his cheek. “You have your mother’s eyes, young one.” “You know who he is, Grandmother?” The one called Roanolar stood at her side and appeared to size him up from head to toe.She turned and walked toward the edge of the clearing. “Come with me, Trrrravis. I’ve been waiting for your return. We have much to discuss. The rest of you will say nothing of this to anyone. Taema? Roanolar? Do I have your vow?”Both bowed before her. “Yes, Shaman.”Taema. I love the sound of her name. Maybe this shaman will be able to tell me about her too. He stepped up his pace in order to walk by her side. “How did you know my name?”She chuckled and continued on at her brisk pace. “There is very little about you I don’t know. I’ll answer all your questions as soon as we’re out of sight from any others. No one else can know of your existence.”“Why? What’s the big secret? I came here to find out who the fuck I am and why I was given to a family that hates everything about me.”She spun around and hit the center of his chest with her staff. “We had no choice! You would have died within a few days of your birth if we didn’t send you there. You will hold the rest of these questions of yours until we have privacy. Understood?”His cheeks burned with his embarrassment. “Yes, ma’am.”“Etsey is my name. Not ma’am.”“I was taught not to address my elders by their first name.”“You were raised well. If you don’t wish to use my given name, you may address me as Shaman…or Grandmother.”He stared at her and his mind blanked. His body seemed too heavy to move let alone breathe. She raised one eyebrow and chuckled. “Don’t look so surprised, child. Who else would know so much about you if not one of your blood?”She turned and then continued to make her way across the field toward another cluster of redwoods.He forced his feet to move and followed the rest of the way in silence, too shocked to form the words to express the conflicting emotions that coursed through his brain.


Where to get your hands on it (and you know you want to)
Buy LinksSmashwordsARe/OmnilitAmazonBarnes and NobleKobo (coming soon)iTunesPage Foundary




About the Author
Join her for a ride you'll never forget! Go ahead and drop a line to her through her publisher www.sassyvixenpublishing.net. Connect with her on Twitter @Tawny_Savage, Facebook, or check out her website Erotic Tales from Tawny Savage.

One Step Forward...

For every one step forward sometimes it feels like two steps backwards...

But what if it really is about putting one foot in front of the other and moving forward? What if progress isn't measured in the steps that are made forward and backwards but by the fact that we are still moving in a forward but somewhat shaky direction...

In fact how can you measure progress? By our success or failure? Or are both an equal measure of forward progress?



Will we ever know the answers? Do the answers even matter?

Writing Contests

What is it about writing contests that draws me in like a magnet?

Every time I don't do as well as I expect to, I swear I am never, ever entering another writing contest.

Then the next one comes along...

What really amuses me is the format in which these contests are run. They want fiction from the best and brightest minds, but only specific fiction. As if writing for enjoyment isn't real and everything has to have a deeper meaning of some kind.

Why?

What is wrong with getting lost in a good book? using the words of another talented writer to escape the reality of everyday life, if only for a little while?

I say nothing...what say you?

The Maze

Jade walked into the American Legion hall and looked around. The open hall that was used for the weekly bingo game had been converted into a labyrinth of small tables that seemed to follow a path. The lighting had been lowered and each of the tables had a small lamp as if to encourage conversation. To Jade it looked like a maze her lab rats ran in one of her college psychology classes. “Well I’m here; I may as well get this experience over with.” With a shake of her head she removed her sunglasses and walked over to the bar where several people were already milled about. The bartender looked up as she approached. “What can I get for you Miss?” “I’ll have a glass of chardonnay please.” He nodded and poured the wine. “Where do we register for this?” “All you need is your first table assignment and I can give that to you. May I have your name please?” “Jade George,” the blonde smiled. The bartender nodded and scanned the page. “Ah yes, here you are. You’ll start at table thirteen and you will move to your left. Good luck.” She took a sip of her drink and went in search of her table. **** The bell chimed and she moved to the next table. Most of the guys had been the same, talking about work and complimenting her on her good looks, blonde hair and curves. She snickered at the last that had compared her to Marilyn Monroe. If only he’d known about the rumors of her being a distant relative. “Why hello there beautiful,” she looked up as the next guy sat down. He was as average as all from before; polo shirt, jeans, and sheepish grin. Except this one carried a notebook with him. “It’s nice to meet you, my name is Adam. I’ve got an idea for a modern version of a children’s game. Have you ever heard of Mouse Trap?” “The board game,” she lifts her hand to signal for another glass of wine. “I haven’t seen that since I was a child.” “This is going to be huge, it will make me famous. I can finally get out of my mother’s basement. You can get in on the ground floor…” Thankfully the bell rang and Jade sat up and moved to the next table where a burly guy in overalls sat playing with a beer bottle. He looked up and grunted as she sat down. “Mike’s the name and mice are my game…killing them that is.” He pointed to the simple mouse trap that sat in front of him. “This is my favorite method of getting rid of the furry menace. Just snap and it’s all over!” He clapped his hands together for emphasis and she jumped, scooting her chair back just a little bit. He noticed and grinned, leaning in closer. “What’s the matter girlie, don’t tell me you like mice?” “It’s just that-.” The bell rang and she gratefully made her exit. **** After that it was a blur of men and mice. From the businessman talking about rats in a maze and getting the cheese or it getting you to the hippie who thought all mice should be cherished…it seemed that all the last group of guys wanted to talk about was mice and traps. With a shake of her head she walked to the bar for a break and another drink. Once she got to the bar, she turned to watch the crowd. It was interesting to watch as the people moved from table to table in search of the possibility of true love. “It seems like you’re having as much luck as I am.” Jade turned to see a redhead dressed in jeans and a t-shirt standing beside her. “Every time I swear I’m not coming to the next one and yet here I am.” She held out her hand. “My name’s Eva, what’s yours?” “Jade,” she shook the other woman’s hand and gestured to the crowd. “How has your luck been?” “Simply horrible, I keep running into guys with their “eye on the prize” and winning.” She rolled her eyes. “What about you?” “Mine seemed to be obsessed with mice and the mouse trap,” she set her glass untouched back on the bar. “It was funny at first but it got creepy really quickly. Why do we do this to ourselves?” “For a good laugh and because we’re gluttons for punishment,” Eva replied with a chuckle. “What do you say we go grab a bite and talk about the loonies, I mean men, we met tonight? I want to hear more about the mice and men.” “Sounds like fun, but this is going to be a very weird tale.” Jade replied, laughing as the two women left the American Legion together.

Derailment and the struggle to get back on track

Why is it so easy to get derailed?

Why is it almost impossible to get back on track?

I don't know but I am in the middle of putting the writing world of C.J. Galaway back on track.
But it takes time, work, and support from the people who matter in your life.

I'm lucky enough to have a solid support group backing me and sometimes kicking my ass when needed to get things done.

So the work begins...

Patience...Oh what an elusive trait

You need to be patient, these things take time...oh if I had a nickel for every time I've heard that since putting Bite Marks out into the big bad world for readers to notice *sigh* well, you know the rest.


But what exactly does having patience truly involve?  How does one be patient while striving to achieve a goal that has burned inside you for so long in spite of those who would extinguish its flame?  When I think of the time lost because of people I thought held my best interests at heart but didn't it truly saddens me.  And for it to be family made it worse sometimes.  But I am moving past that, even if at times the ghosts of those times try their best to drag me back in.


You see I have been patient for far too long about all of the wrong things perhaps.  And perhaps it is time to fore go the worries of patience and move ahead with plans even if some find them to be foolish and outlandish.  This is my passion and desire, after all...who better to guide it than me?


After all right or wrong, it's going to be on interesting journey.




Join me?

Darkest Just Before Dawn

Why does it always seem that before things get better they always get worse?  And in my case, it's always much, much worse...

Things up until now have been progressing smoothly...or so I thought.  Let's review, shall we?

1. Debut novel published...check
2. Author website up and running...check
3. Social media open and active...check and check

You get the picture, at least I hope you do.

Now comes the fun part...surviving while waiting to get noticed.

Is it easy? No, most things aren't but it is survivable,,,at least I hope so.

Book Signing Day

Today is the day of the book signing.

As I sit here in my pajamas i wonder what the day will bring?  I'm looking forward to meeting new people who are interested in reading my book as well as seeing old friends.

A part of me wonders what's next...and what my next step should be?

I am working on my next book, which when I return home I will devote more time to.

After that who knows?


Oh, before I forget, if you're in the Uniontown, Pa area, come see me!
I'm at Bradley's Book Outlet from 2-4 PM today and will be signing copies of Bite Marks, my debut novel.

Hope to see you there.