Connie Cockrell's Blog, page 48

NaNo 2016 Week 2: Monday Blog Post

Newest News:

This is the end of week two of the 2016 National Novel Writing Month. As of the end of the day, Sunday, I have over 27k written in my fourth Brown Rain series novelette, Tested. I took Saturday off as I attended the Romance Cottage open house. My friend Susie Haught, http://susanhaught.com/, organized authors to donate books to fill the empty built-in book shelves of this newly renovated historic home, now a vacation rental, in Payson, AZ. We had so much fun. Then we went to lunch and talked and talked. So, there you have it. I’m moving along on Tested and should have it drafted by the end of the month.

 

Giveaways:

Rudolf’s Holiday Giveaway has started. This time, there is a $120 grand prize, lots of author prizes, what’s not to like? And you get the opportunity to find new to you authors. You’ll see my posts on my Facebook, and Twitter pages as well as in these posts and my newsletter. Don’t miss out this time. http://conniesrandomthoughts.com/giveaways-and-prizes/. Click on the Rafflecopter link.

I’m also going to be on Facebook for an event called Writers Colony Press Holiday Indie Extravaganza. The event runs December 3rd and 4th. Writers Colony Press publishes anthologies for charity. The Longest Night Watch Volumes 1 and 2 are to raise money for Alzheimers. We dedicated them to Terry Pratchett, and Gene Wilder. The other Anthology out is “Stardust Alway’s” for Cancer research, and dedicated to Alan Rickman and David Bowie. And also, to our very dear friend Stacy Whitemire who passed away recently. She will be greatly missed. Find some new to you authors today and do a good deed for charity. Come join our extravaganza. Lots of authors will be on the event page sharing books, contests and fun. A couple of contests have already started. You could win a prize, or two! https://www.facebook.com/events/364089737264705/ Click on the Discussion tab.

Then later in December, on the 17th, is the Brain to Books Holiday Giveaway and CyCon Sampler. Every year Brain to Books hosts a Holiday Book Giveaway. This year, our giveaway is a CyCon Sampler. Get a sneak preview of the Brain to Books Cyber Convention. While you’re here, we have a $100.00 Amazon gift card to hand out to someone along with a list of books we’re giving away! Here’s what’s happening.

1 – Browse the Author Takeover displaying sales, giveaways, games, prizes, etc.

2 – $100.00 Amazon Gift Card Giveaway

3 – Holiday Book Giveaway

4 – Blog Hop (YA, Science Fiction, and Romance)

5 – Vote in Character Tournaments

It should be a lot of fun and who couldn’t use a $100 Amazon Gift Card?

You’ll find us at: https://www.facebook.com/events/624679124381085/

 

Shout Out:

I’m finishing up the Kevin Hearne fantasy series, Iron Druid. I cannot tell you how much I’ve enjoyed following the main character, Atticus and his Irish Wolfhound, Oberon. If you like fantasy, you may like this series. Hearne is a great author and the whole series is rolicking fun. You can find the series on Amazon at: https://www.amazon.com/Kevin-Hearne/e/B004FR1V8O

 

Garden News:

Gardening is about done for the year. We had a light frost the other morning. The Meyer Lemon tree and the bay leaf tree were unharmed but that’s my cue to bring them and the jade plant inside for the winter.

 

Where Will I Be?

Imzy Stickers

Do you follow me on Pinterest, twitter, Facebook, Instagram or other sites? You can find all my links here. I’m also on a new social media site, Imzy.com. The site is now out of beta testing and has opened its doors to everyone. You can follow me there at https://www.imzy.com/connies_random_thoughts. I’ve been posting daily updates on my NaNo progress there including snippets and random pictures. Enjoy.

 

Newsletter Sign Up:

Click here to sign up for my newsletter. I’ve put sign-up prizes on both the regular and the Brown Rain newsletter sign-ups. That’s right. If you sign up for my newsletter you get a free story from me. Be prepared for fun and contests! Click on the video link for a short video from me. Hear what I’m working on. Join my “A” Team to be the first to read my books and hear what new books are coming.

Newest Book Release:

Troubled Streets released on October 15th! I’m pretty excited about it. You can buy it and my other books at: Apple, Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Kobo, and Smashwords, today! You can also see all my books on http://conniesrandomthoughts.com/my-books-and-other-published-work/. If you’ve read any of my books, please drop a short, honest, review on the site where you bought it or on Goodreads. It’s critical to help me promote the books to other readers. Thanks in advance.

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A Flattering Lizard: Flash Fiction Friday Post

http://www.deviantart.com/art/Little-Lizards-521875342 by Fauxhead

 

“You seem nice.”

Michella’s eyes flew open and her head whipped around to where the voice came from her right. How could she be so stupid! She was supposed to be watching the sheep but the gentle sun and warm breeze caused her head to nod.

At first, she saw nothing, then, at a slight motion, her gaze dropped to a nearby rock. There, a green and gold lizard sat, it’s tongue flicking in and out as it’s black eyes studied her.

“Oh,” she breathed a sigh of relief. “A lizard.”

The lizard hissed. “I’m a dragon.” It flared the ruff around its face and raised its tiny wings, making the lizard seem larger and fiercer.

“I beg your pardon, dragon.” She turned to face the creature. “I’m Michella.”

“Forgiven.” The dragon nodded its head, ruff and wings dropping. “I’m Jynryn, future dragon queen. You come up here every day.”

“I watch the sheep. Papa would be very cross if he knew I’d fallen asleep. Bandits could have come, or a wolf.”

The dragon’s tail whipped back and forth. “There is a band of bandits not far from here. You are wise to be cautious.”

The news made the hairs on her arms stand up. “Where are they?”

“In the hills above us. I spy on them, just for practice, you know.” The dragon bobbed her head. “They know you come up here.”

That did nothing to ease her fear. “I should leave.” She jumped up from the soft meadow grass and with her staff, began herding the sheep down the hill.

“Wait!” Jynryn flew beside her. “I can help you rid the hills of these bandits.”

Michella stopped. “How.”

Jynryn told her. Michella nodded. “I’ll tell my papa.”

Two days later, Michella led her father and a group of the lord’s soldiers to the meadow. There, she picked up Jynryn, put the dragon on her shoulder under her hood, and in a whisper Jynryn led the group to the cave where the bandits hid. There was a battle, of course, the bandits had seen the soldiers coming. Michella with Jynryn hid behind some rocks. The soldiers won and all the way back to the village, praised Michella for leading them to the cave and ridding the area of such bad men.

The next day Michella was back with the sheep. Jynryn flew to a nearby rock. “So you are a hero now?”

Michella shrugged. “I suppose, though all the credit is yours. How can I repay you?”

“Keep my secret. I won’t always be tiny. I will claim the bandit cave for my own. Visit me.”

“I can do that.” It will be fun to have a secret dragon, she thought. “Nothing else?”

Jynryn, chuckled. “Nothing for now. But someday we will do great things.”

Michella smiled. It was a good dream for a simple shepherd girl. “Of course, Jynryn. We will.”

 

Thank You!

483 Words

Find more of the Forward Motion Flash Friday Group here: http://www.fmwriters.com/flash.html
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Author Interviews: Nikki Haverstock

Author Nikki Haverstock

I’m so happy to introduce fellow cozy mystery author, Nikki Haverstock to Author interviews, today.

Nikki Haverstock is a writer who lives on a cattle ranch high in the Rocky Mountains. She has studied comedy writing at Second City and has published 6 cozy mysteries that are heavy on the humor.

Before fleeing the city, she hosted a competitive archery reality show, traveled the world to study volcanoes, taught archery and computer science at a university and now works on her family’s ranch herding cattle. Nikki has more college degrees than she has sense and hopefully one day she will put one to work.

Nikki likes to write comedy pieces that focus on the everyday humor of one-uppers, annoying humans and the strange behavior of the ultra-rich. She tried stand up but the cattle weren’t impressed.

Welcome Nikki and thank you so much for coming on Author Interviews. Let’s start dishing!

1. Let’s start with something fun. What’s your favorite hobby?

I would say archery. I have been competing in recurve target archery (like what you see in the Summer Olympics) for 16 years. I have coached most of that time but since I am not coaching right now, I suppose it is mostly a hobby.

Additionally, I have a ton of crafty hobbies.  I’ve quilted since high school (with the fabric stash to prove it), I take pictures of everything and I melt glass with a torch to make glass beads.

2. If you had the opportunity—who would you like to spend an afternoon with and why?

Tina Fey. I have a great deal of respect for how she has carried herself while not only being a comedy writer but also a performer. If you haven’t read her memoir, go grab it.

Amy Poehler and Mindy Kaling are also top contenders, notice a pattern?

3. Coffee, tea, soda or something else?

I am 7 months pregnant so right now it’s lots and lots of water with small glasses of juice here and there and one precious cup of coffee that I savor.  Before I was pregnant, I was drinking a lot of coffee. A big part of coffee drinking was the ritual of getting up from the desk, getting a cup (with a very generous helping of cream) and letting my mind wander while I sipped.

4. What are you working on right now?

Being pregnant is taking up a lot of my energy but I am thankful that I can still work.  The second book of my Reality TV Cozy mysteries is in edits while I am writing the rough draft of my Target Practice Mysteries sixth book.  Plus I have two co-writing secret project for 2017 that I am plotting with fellow authors.

5. How would you describe your writing style?

Wholesome and Funny.  I want my books to be safe, fun little adventures that make you smile.

6. Do you have any advice for a person just beginning their writing career?

Read, write, revise and repeat.

7. Do you immerse yourself in new situations for writing ideas or do your ideas come to you through your normal, day-to-day life?

I am naturally curious so I am learning new things all the time (mostly when I am avoiding real work) but most of my ideas come not from deliberate research but from stumbling across something that sparks an idea.

8. Where can we find you on the interwebs?

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/nikkihaverstockauthor

Twitter: https://twitter.com/RancherNikki

Website: http://nikkihaverstock.com/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/RancherNikki

Instagram: https://www.youtube.com/user/RancherNikki

I love it! Especially the tiny chihuahua peeking out from around the woman on your cover! Thank you so much, Nikki, for stopping by my blog today and telling us a little bit about yourself. Good luck on all of your “new releases”!

And so, gentle reader, stop by one of Nikki’s pages and say hi! There will have to be a baby picture posted somewhere. LOL.

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NaNo Week 1: Monday Blog Post

National Novel Writing Month

Newest News:

This is the end of week one of the 2016 National Novel Writing Month. As of the end of the day, Sunday, I have over 15k written in my fourth Brown Rain series novelette, Tested. I say novelette because that’s what it’s supposed to be. But it’s already running long and I have to say, has a lot of extra baggage that needs to be tossed. But I’m not doing it now. I’ll wait for the rewrites.

Suffice it to say Kyra and Alyssa are in hot water up to their necks. There may be a love interest and as always, they’re looking for clues as well as helping people.

On the Mystery in the Woods front, no progress. I’m writing and that means my brain isn’t in editing/rewriting mode. I’ll keep trying because I really do want to have that book out by the 1st of 2017. I find I’ve neglected my story bible and that hampers me when I want to use the name of a highway or a character, I’m having to go back to the published book to get the answers. Not good. I need to build a good reference series bible where I can go look up pertinent info when I need to. Author problems, right?

Giveaways:

The Halloween Author Group Giveaway has closed. I’m still trying to contact my 1st prize winner but the 2nd prize winner, Lori Neal Brockman, was contacted. If you didn’t win this time, a new giveaway, Rudolph’s Holiday Giveaway is starting in a day or so. This time, a $120 main prize, lots of author prizes, what’s not to like. And you get the opportunity to find new to you authors. You’ll see my posts on my Facebook, and Twitter pages as well as in these posts and my newsletter. Don’t miss out this time.

I’m also going to be on Facebook for an event called Writers Colony Press Holiday Indie Extravaganza. The event runs December 3rd and 4th. Writers Colony Press publishes anthologies for charity. The Longest Night Watch Volumes 1 and 2 are to raise money for Alzheimers. We dedicated them to Terry Pratchett, and Gene Wilder. The other Anthology out is “Stardust Alway’s” for Cancer research, and dedicated to Alan Rickman and David Bowie. And also, to our very dear friend Stacy Whitemire who passed away recently. She will be greatly missed. Find some new to you authors today and do a good deed for charity. Come join our extravaganza. Lots of authors will be on the event page sharing books, contests and fun. You could win a prize, or two! https://www.facebook.com/events/36408... Click on the Discussion tab.

Shout Out:

On Wednesday, I’ll have my interview with Nikki Haverstock up on this blog. If you’re a cozy mystery fan, you’ll love Nikki and her stories. Can’t wait for the interview? Check out http://nikkihaverstock.com/ to get an introduction and a taste of what she’s writing. You won’t be sorry.

Garden News:

The broccoli is recovering from being critter chewed. New leaves are out and light frosts, though we haven’t had any yet, will not bother the plants. I may get a broccoli spear or two out of these yet. The rest of the garden looks sad though the cherry tomato plants continue to produce. I do have to clean up though. I actually invited people over for Thanksgiving and I’d like the back yard to look presentable, if not pristine. Gumption. Where are you?

Where Will I Be?

Imzy Stickers

Do you follow me on Pinterest, twitter, Facebook, Instagram or other sites? You can find all my links here. I’m also on a new social media site, Imzy.com. The site is now out of beta testing and has opened its doors to everyone. You can follow me there at https://www.imzy.com/connies_random_thoughts. I’ve been posting daily updates on my NaNo progress there including snippets and random pictures. Enjoy.

Newsletter Sign Up:

Click here to sign up for my newsletter. I’ve put sign-up prizes on both the regular and the Brown Rain newsletter sign-ups. That’s right. If you sign up for my newsletter you get a free story from me. Be prepared for fun and contests! Click on the video link for a short video from me. Hear what I’m working on. Join my “A” Team to be the first to read my books and hear what new books are coming.

Newest Book Release:

Troubled Streets released on October 15th! I’m pretty excited about it. You can buy it and my other books at: Apple, Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Kobo, Smashwords, Gumroads or Chatebooks today! I’m still getting it loaded onto Gumroad and Chatebooks. You can also see all my books on www.ConniesRandomThoughts.com. If you’ve read any of my books, please drop a short, honest, review on the site where you bought it or on Goodreads. It’s critical to help me promote the books to other readers. Thanks in advance.

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Future Curve: Flash Fiction Friday Post

Photo: Inject by Furumaru on DeviantArt.com, http://www.deviantart.com/art/Inject-...

 

“Do what?” Security officer Dawn Mitchell stared at her Sergeant.

He consulted the wrist pad on the back of his SWAT suit. “Yeah. Crazy. But that’s the word from the government.” He tapped a key and her pad chimed.

She looked at the memo. “Holy space. Everybody? What about us?”

He shrugged. “I expect we’ll get the shots too, sooner or later.”

Dawn’s stomach rolled. She kept her voice soft. “But Sarge, docility shots? How’s that supposed to work?”

He looked around. No one was near. “Beats me.”

They spent the rest of the month, escorting medtechs from house to house and apartment to apartment, giving the mandatory shots. Some people were scared to resist. Dawn appreciated that. She hated having to shoot women and the elderly. Others resisted. She could appreciate their concern and admire their spine but it didn’t do any good. They just stunned them and the resisters were given the shot and marked down in a database tracking trouble-makers.

It wasn’t until six months later that the news began to report an increased number of hospitalizations. No word on what the problem was but it already affected ten percent of the planet’s population and was rising. Dawn was at weapons practice. “My mom had to go to the hospital,” she said quietly to her Sergeant. “I think it’s the thing. Whatever is going around.”

Her Sergeant coughed and made a quick look around. The rest of the team was focused on cleaning their weapons. “My father-in-law, too. They won’t let us see him or tell us what’s wrong.”

“Me too,” she whispered. “You think it’s the shots?”

He shook his head. “Who knows. But we didn’t get the shots. I haven’t heard of any of us getting sick.”

A month later the Sergeant stood in front of his team, all in full SWAT gear. “We’re gathering up all children under the age of five.”

Everyone in the room gasped, turning to their neighbor to whisper.

“At ease! Young children did not get the shot. We’re collecting them for Child Services for protection. The Illness is gaining ground. Parents are unable to care for their young. This is a humanitarian mission. Stun only for those parents not willing to let us take their children.”

Dawn swallowed. Her mother died two weeks ago, her father last week. Her husband, an accountant, was sick but not yet in the hospital. She wasn’t sure she could rip kids away from their parents. She called out. “What if the parents aren’t sick?”

The look on her Sergeant’s face told her he didn’t like the mission any more than she did. “All the kids.”

Back in the locker room, Dawn pulled off her armor. She was soaked with sweat. The day wasn’t too hard after all, since the parents had all had the passivity shot. There was weeping, cries of no, but it was the kids, screaming for their parents that hit her the hardest. She ran her hands through her hair. It seemed that security forces personnel could keep their kids, even if the spouse had the shot. She showered and put on her civvies.

“I’m home.” Dawn put a small bag of groceries and a bottle of wine on the counter and went to the bedroom. “Hey, Scott, how you feeling babe?” The bed was rumpled, blankets and sheets twisted and half on the floor. She ran to the other side of the bed. No husband. “Scott!” She ran to the bathroom and threw open the door.

Something from a nightmare lunged at her, growling and grabbing. A gash was in its head, blood covered the face. She screamed and backed up. Racing for the bedroom door she ran through and slammed it shut just before the horror grabbed her. It banged on the door as she held it closed. It didn’t try the knob. “What the hell!” She tapped her wrist pad. “Security, There’s something in my bedroom!” She gave her address. “We’ll be right over, Officer Mitchell.”

They arrived in full gear and with medtechs in biohazard gear. “Stand back, Mitchell.” The lead officer motioned two security officers and two medtechs into position either side of the door. “One. Two. Three.” He kicked the door in, the two officers stunned the monster and the medtechs wrapped it in secure sheets and put it on the gurney standing by at the front door.

Dawn, calmer now. Looked at the body. “No! No! That can’t be.”

Two officers moved to contain her.

“That’s can’t be!”

The lead officer motioned the medtechs to get the gurney out. He walked over to her. “Officer Mitchell.”

His command voice gained her attention. “You will not speak of this. Your husband was sick and went to the hospital. Understood?”

She blinked, still staring at the front door. “Scott is sick. He went to the hospital.”

He nodded. The two security officers left. “Keep it together, officer. Hear me?”

This time his voice was kinder. “They took my wife away three days ago.”

Dawn nodded, tears forming. “Understood.”

Within six months, the city was all but deserted. Children were in camps. Cities were being consolidated. The governments consolidating as well.

“This is a curve I wasn’t expecting.” Dawn said to her Sergeant as they packed up their gear.

He sighed. “Yeah. I just wonder if this is the future they expected.”

 

 

Thank You!

896 Words

Find more of the Forward Motion Flash Friday Group here: http://www.fmwriters.com/flash.html
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Happy Halloween: Monday Blog Post

Me and the hubby for Halloween

Newest News:

Last week I mentioned that we were going to a Halloween party on Saturday. Well, we did and went as a Ghost Buster. Here is a picture. How about you? Did you attend a party? Post a picture in the comments!

I’ve been working on my Mystery in the Woods book, the second of the Jean Hays series. I need to do a timeline check, rewrite the ending, do a continuity check on several words, and so much more. But I like the story. I’m so excited to be getting it out of the door soon.

Giveaways:

The Halloween Author Group Giveaway closes at midnight. You can find the Rafflecopter link on my website. You do have to sign up to Rafflecopter but after that, you’re free to click away. I have links to it on my facebook and twitter pages, too. This giveaway I offer a free ebook, Recall, or for second prize, a copy of my Halloween Tales ebook. Over a hundred prizes from 30 authors plus a grand prize of $100 Paypal Cash. It’s not hard to enter, there are multiple ways to enter, and it doesn’t cost you anything. You could easily win a prize. If you haven’t entered yet, today is the day!

I’m also going to be on Facebook for an event called Thirteen Days of Halloween. From the 19th, a number of us authors have been on the event page: https://www.facebook.com/events/11036..., talking about our books, having contests and games, and much fun. Scroll all the way to the bottom to See All Discussions. I’ll be on the site today at 6pm Eastern time. I’ll have some giveaways myself but don’t wait for me. The group I’m working with have some event prizes as well as the individual prizes the authors are giving out during their hour. So, stop on by. There’s a complete list of the author schedule under About as you scroll down the event page in the Details. Find some new to you authors today!

Shout Out:

Today I want to give a shout out to all the local libraries that work so hard to bring us not only books but programming for adults and children alike. You can borrow ebooks, music, movies, read a magazine, use the internet, and so much more at your local library.  If you haven’t been to your library recently, stop on by. You’ll be glad you did.

Garden News:

I did not have the gumption to clean up my garden last week. Sigh. We did pick a lot of cherry and plum tomatoes which I turned into 2 quarts of tomato sauce which I turned into spaghetti sauce on Sunday. How about you? Is your garden clean-up done or do you still have some growing season left?

Where Will I Be?

Imzy Stickers

Do you follow me on Pinterest, twitter, Facebook, Instagram or other sites? You can find all my links here. I’m also on a new social media site, Imzy.com. The site is now out of beta testing and has opened its doors to everyone. You can follow me there at https://www.imzy.com/connies_random_thoughts.

Newsletter Sign Up:

Click here to sign up for my newsletter. I sent one out last Sunday with all kinds of news. I’ve put sign-up prizes on both the regular and the Brown Rain newsletter sign-ups. That’s right. If you sign up for my newsletter you get a free story from me. Be prepared for fun and contests! Click on the video link for a short video from me. Hear what I’m working on. Join my “A” Team to be the first to read my books and hear what new books are coming.

Newest Book Release:

Troubled Streets released on October 15th! I’m pretty excited about it. You can buy it and my other books at: Apple, Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Kobo, Smashwords, Gumroads or Chatebooks today! I’m still getting it loaded onto Gumroad and Chatebooks. You can also see all my books on www.ConniesRandomThoughts.com. If you’ve read any of my books, please drop a short, honest, review on the site where you bought it or on Goodreads. It’s critical to help me promote the books to other readers. Thanks in advance.

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Black Dog: Friday Flash Fiction Post

Black Dog

The pounding rain nearly drowned out the sound. Milla stopped, rain splashing up her stockinged legs, listening. A tiny sound coming from the alley. She went in and heard it again, coming from a pile of cardboard boxes. There, huddled, wet and shivering, a puppy. Milla didn’t stop to think. She scooped up the bundle of wet fur, tucked it inside her rain coat and hurried home.

Dry, warm and fed, the black puppy with white markings slept in a box in a blanket nest. A mutt, maybe some black lab, maybe some collie, Milla raised the dog, now named, Mave, and trained her well. The only thing Milla couldn’t do was break Mave of growling at people. Not everyone, it seemed, but it was a detail that Milla didn’t like. There was no way to tell why Mave growled at some people and not others.

Two years later, Milla was walking Mave in the nearby park. She was enjoying the soft spring evening when she was knocked off of the path, the leash flying from her hand. A man, full-faced knit cap over his head, was on top of her, fumbling at her clothes. She screamed and from the left, she saw all seventy-five pounds of Mave leap onto the man, teeth at his throat and growling in a way that made Milla’s blood run cold. The man rolled off her, fighting Mave and now screaming in fear himself.

Heart racing, Milla stood up and grabbed Mave’s leash, pulling the dog from the man. Two uniformed bicycle officers rode up and took the man into custody. Shaking, Milla told the officer what happened and left her contact information. Mave stared at the attacker until the police took him away, shouting, “Keep that dog away from me!”

At home, Milla gave Mave an extra treat. “Good girl.” She gave the dog a hug. “What a good girl you are.”

The next day a police officer visited Milla to ask follow-up questions. “Your attacker said your dog’s eyes were glowing red.”

Milla laughed. She looked at the dog at the officer’s feet, on her back, tail wagging, looking for a belly rub. “I’ve never seen her eyes glow red. I think the guy is just trying to get out of confessing that he attacked me.”

The officer closed his notebook and gave Mave a belly rug. “Most likely. The dog hardly seems capable of attacking anyone.”

“I found her as a very young puppy. She’s protective but I’ve never seen her attack anything.”

The officer stood up. “There are no complaints against your dog on file so I don’t think there will be any more trouble.”

Milla walked the officer to the door. “I appreciate that Officer. Have a good day.”

“You too, Ms. Parker.”

She talked to a dog expert. “She’s protective of you. Dogs can sense things we can’t. It looks like Mave thinks some people are a threat.”

Milla stroked Mave’s big lab head. “I can’t have her growling at random people. Someone is going to call the dog catcher on us.”

The expert nodded. “Keep an eye on who she growls at. You may be able to see a pattern.”

That didn’t seem helpful but on their walks, Milla took notice of who Mave growled at. There didn’t seem to be a pattern. Men, women, children, all ages, all social strata, were all growled at. Milla did teach Mave to growl softer, so only she could hear. But it made her nervous that her beloved pet might attack someone.

One Halloween, she was giving candy out at the apartment door. The usually friendly Mave snarled, her hackles up, at a parent.

“Keep that mutt under control or I’m calling the cops.”

Milla closed the door to just a small opening. “My apologies. I don’t know why she does that.” She closed the door and looked through the peephole. She saw the man cuff the boy with him so that the boy crashed into the wall. Grabbing her phone, she called the police. Throwing on her coat and putting Mave on a leash, she followed the man and boy, now crying.

“I have a man, abusing a boy,” she told the dispatcher. “I’m following them.”

Despite pleas from the dispatcher, Milla followed, Mave growling deep in her chest. Milla provided her location at every corner. She saw the man pinch the boy, slap him, and once, knock him to the sidewalk. “Clumsy brat.” He hauled the boy up by the arm and dragged him to the corner.

A few feet back, Milla could hear the man verbally abusing the boy, crying uncontrollably. Mave strained at the leash. “Hurry,” Milla whispered into the phone. “I think the man is going to really hurt that child.”

It was too late. Milla watched in horror as the man said, “I’m sick of you,” and slapped the boy on the back. Mave launched at the man as Milla grabbed for the child. She snatched the boy out of the path of a taxi as Mave latched onto the man’s arm. She saw him spin, Mave still biting his arm, flying through the air. Bystanders screamed. The man punched Mave and slammed her into the side of the nearest building. Milla screamed, “No!” Police charged up. Mave dropped her attack as soon as the police arrived.

Holding his arm, the man pointed at Mave. “That dog attacked me! I want that dog put down.”

Milla’s stomach rolled as she cradled the boy, still sobbing. “No! She was defending the boy.”

The police officers questioned each person. Child services took the boy. Milla turned over her phone. She’d taken pictures of the man hitting the child. She never mentioned Mave’s red eyes. It took some time but both Milla and Mave were released. She gave Mave a big hug and an extra treat. “I’ll have to pay more attention, girl, won’t I?”

Mave gave her a lick and wagged her tail.

 

 

Thank You!

993 Words

Find more of the Forward Motion Flash Friday Group here: http://www.fmwriters.com/flash.html
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Author Interviews: S. C. McCole

Author S.C. McCole

Let’s give a warm round of applause to today’s author, S.C. McCole. McCole is a vagabond tapping tales on his iPad everywhere he travels. When he finally gets back to Peachtree City, GA, it’s nap time with his wonderful wife and two dogs, refresh the bags, then back on the road again! He can often be found hiding out in one of these boxes:  Ghost Writer | Shark Diver | Metal Guitarist | Dog Lover | Runner | Hubby | Dad |.

Thank you S.C. for joining us today. Let’s get right to the questions, shall we?

1. Favorite Hobby?

Oh, so many to choose from! Some people say they can’t retire because they’d be bored out of their skulls. I can’t wait. I have way too many hobbies (and bucket-list-items); I’d never be bored.

Shark-swimmin’, song-playin’, sword-collectin’, spirit-summonin’, Survivor-preppin’ (the TV show not bunker-hoardin’ lol)… but, if you’re making me pick just one, it would have to be story-readin’. I could spend my first year in retirement just page-turnin’ my way through the to-read shelf, starting with the Bhagavad Gita.

2. Who would I spend the afternoon with?

The greatest man that ever lived: My Dad. Fate stole my opportunity for a sit-down in-depth conversation with him and I have so many things I’d want to discuss.

3. Coffee, tea, soda, or something else?

I love this topic. Big fan of imbibing! Depends on the moment:

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– I drink Dunkin’ Donuts coffee with half & half religiously every morning. I grind my own beans, and use filtered water—ok, I’m a bit OCD.

– When I’m home, I drink several spots-o-tea with the wife in the evening—mostly bagged herbal, floral, or green, though sometimes we brew from a fresh mix (Champagne Rose is our fave). Also, living in the South, I’m required to drink iced tea—unsweetened, because I’m a northern intruder, heh.

– Alcohol, on occasion, as a social lubricant. My go-to is a Crown & Diet Coke w Lime. Beer: I like anything interesting and not too hoppy. My fave is a Belgian Grimbergen Blonde or a pint of Murphy’s. But, a good margarita is hard to beat when I’m on vacation (rim salted please).

– For all other times I’m a big fan of water. I drink a lot of it. It does the body good!

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– One rule for liquids: I never use a sweetener. I’m scared it may spoil my finely-crafted curmudgeoness!

4. What am I working on right now?

Writing: I’m in the draft phase of my first novel—Black Friday, an urban fantasy thriller featuring the heroine Kali Stone. The book begins a series, which is the first in a group of chronological series based in a supernatural, apocalyptic world I’ve been developing the last few years. It’s an ambitious blueprint. I hope my hobbies leave me time to do it justice!

Craft: Lately, much to the chagrin of my novel, I’m spending quite a bit of time launching a new fiction writer’s resource. It’s a newsletter/blog where I put my 25 years as an investigator on the line to crack the code of publishing today. It’s all free, interactive, no-holds-barred info. That project is launching soon.

5. How would I describe my writing style?

My style of writing is: FAST HEAT.

I created this acronym to explain that I strive to be FAST (Fearless;

Authentic, Sexy; True) and deliver the HEAT (a story that is: Hot; Exposed; Adventurous; Thrilling).

6. Advice for a new writer?

“Do or Do Not. There is no TRY.” ~ Yoda.

“Even if it’s crap, just get it on the page.” ~ my coffee mug.

7. Where do my writing ideas come from?

The most fertile breeding grounds for my ideas are Titles. I start by brainstorming an intriguing plot nugget (usually the inciting incident or the final showdown) then I wrack my noggin for a working title before I begin a detailed outline. Once I start writing the title often changes, but I need to start with one that thrills me.

In college, I majored in Architecture, so I’m a planner when it comes to art. Since I have a master blueprint for my fiction, my plot nuggets are usually inspired by the world foundation I’ve built. But, my current novel wasn’t part of that original plan—it was born out of necessity. I was enrolled in James Patterson’s MasterClass and needed to submit a thriller plot, so I extracted a nugget from my current profession (in anti-terrorism) and created the plot of Black Friday. It wasn’t intended to be a series or even part of my world, but I’ve since morphed it to fit into the greater structure.

Last, but certainly not least, one of my bucket-list writing ideas comes from my dad. At bedtime, he would spin a fascinating yarn with some crazy characters he made up. Those memories are very special to me. So, for my future grandchildren, I plan to write a series of bedtime stories based upon my dad’s characters. That will be my tribute to him and my our legacy.

8. Where can I be found online?

Come chat with me on Facebook: fb.com/SCMcCole or Twitter @SCMcCole. I’ll be sharing the release of my upcoming investigative report site in those hangouts. Cheers!

Thank you so much for sharing with us today, S.C. We appreciate your time. Good luck on your release of Black Friday.

So, gentle readers, stop on by S.C.s facebook and say hello.

 

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Cranberry Orange Relish: Chicklets in the Kitchen Post

Cranberry Orange Relish

I’m jumping the holiday gun just a little. Since my posts appear on the 25th, I wanted to share this before your Thanksgiving holiday meal. This is the cranberry sauce I grew up with. It used to be right on the back of the 12 oz Ocean Spray fresh cranberry bag but this year when I looked, it wasn’t. I had to go to www.OceanSpray.com where it, and a good many other holiday recipes, are located and download it. This is also great because there’s no cooking, freeing up a burner on your stove for other things, like gravy!

To see the rest, click here.

 

Thanks for stopping by Chicklets in the Kitchen. What is your favorite holiday recipe? Please tell us about it in the comments box below if you feel so inclined.

My name is Connie Cockrell and I write SciFi, Fantasy, Mysteries, and a lot of other things and you can find links to all of my books at www.ConniesRandomThoughts.com.

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Wrapping Up October: Monday Blog Post

Fall Color

Newest News:

Oh my Gosh! It’s the last full week of October. Are you planning on attending any parties this coming weekend? Hubby and I are. I’m going as a Ghost Buster. Fun! I’ll try and post a pic in next Monday’s blog post.

If you follow me on Pinterest, twitter, Facebook, Instagram or other sites, you’ll see some changes. If you don’t follow me on those sites, why not? You can find all my links here.

National Novel Writing Month

In my efforts to prep for November’s National Novel Writing month I’ve been writing blog posts (not the Monday posts) and newsletters and my flash fiction Friday stories in advance and scheduling them to be sent out on the appropriate days. That means even if I’m deep into Tested, my 4th Brown Rain series book, you don’t miss out on those free Friday stories or my Chicklets in the Kitchen post at all.

Troubled Streets is out! Hooray! It’s already up on Amazon, both as an ebook and as a paperback. It’s also now up on Kobo and Barnes and Noble. See my links at the end of this newsletter. I’m very excited to have the 1st book about Zoe Ohale out and into reader hands. As always, if you get it, I’d appreciate it if you could take 5 minutes and give me a review.

Giveaways:

The Halloween Author Group Giveaway is still going until the end of the month. You can find the Rafflecopter link on my website. You do have to sign up to Rafflecopter but after that, you’re free to click away. I have links to it on my facebook and twitter pages, too. This giveaway I offer a free ebook, Recall, or for second prize, a copy of my Halloween Tales ebook. Over a hundred prizes from 30 authors plus a grand prize of $100 Paypal Cash. It’s not hard to enter, there are multiple ways to enter, and it doesn’t cost you anything. You could easily win a prize. If you haven’t entered yet, enter today and every day!

I’m also going to be on Facebook for an event called Thirteen Days of Halloween. From the 19th, a number of us authors have been on the event page: https://www.facebook.com/events/11036.... Scroll all the way to the bottom to See All Discussions. I’ll be on the site on the 31st at 6pm Eastern time. Yes, I’ll remind you next Monday. I’ll have some giveaways myself but don’t wait for me. The group I’m working with have some event prizes as well as the individual prizes the authors are giving out during their hour. So stop on by. There’s a complete list of the author schedule under About as you scroll down the event page in the Details. Find some new to you authors today!

 

 

Shout Out:

Author S.C. McCole

Author S.C. McCole is on tap to talk to us during my author interview on Wednesday. A multi-talented person and world-traveler. If you can’t wait, you can find him on facebook at facebook.com/SCMcCole.

Garden News:

I watered the lemon tree and the bay leaf tree and my jade plant since we haven’t had rain in weeks. I’m tired of the garden at this point. I should take some time this week and clean it all up before the November NaNo madness. The question is, will I have the gumption or not? How about you? Is your garden clean-up done or do you still have some growing season left?

Where Will I Be?:

The wonderful people at Dog-Eared Pages Book store (http://www.dogearedpagesusedbooks.com/) were kind enough to put a few of my Mystery at the Fair books on their shelves. If you’re in Phoenix, stop by the shop and say hi to the nice people there.

Newsletter Sign Up:

Click here to sign up for my newsletter. I sent one out on Sunday with all kinds of news. I’ve put sign-up prizes on both the regular and the Brown Rain newsletter sign-ups. That’s right. If you sign up for my newsletter you get a free story from me. Be prepared for fun and contests! Click on the video link for a short video from me. Hear what I’m working on. Join my “A” Team to be the first to read my books and hear what new books are coming.

Newest Book Release:

Troubled Streets released on October 15th! I’m pretty excited about it. You can buy it and my other books at: Apple, Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Kobo, Smashwords, Gumroads or Chatebooks today! I’m still getting it loaded onto Gumroad and Chatebooks. You can also see all my books on www.ConniesRandomThoughts.com. If you’ve read any of my books, please drop a short, honest, review on the site where you bought it or on Goodreads. It’s critical to help me promote the books to other readers. Thanks in advance.

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