Loni Townsend's Blog, page 36

A to Z Challenge – B #atozchallenge

For the A to Z challenge, I present Murder Most Fowl, an unedited serial story from the unpublished Cera Chronicles. Please excuse the grammar mistakes. This hasn’t been critiqued yet. Read part A here.

Bullets whizzed past me. Dust clouds puffed to life inches from my feet. I stared at the fresh hole in my designer top. Red didn’t exactly clash with the blue, but it wasn’t the same shade as my hair, which I would’ve preferred.

I prodded my stomach and grimaced when my fingers found an added bulge to my normally unblemished physique. Already healed over. I’d have to perform self-surgery to get the bullet out. At least it wasn’t in my back.

The badged man and skirted girl raced in opposite directions. The other men opened fire. I took cover behind a wooden pole and glanced about the foray of weapon fire. If my companions were in this town, where would they be?

Glass shattered as bullets hit windows and cut sharp lines across the now-abandoned road. One struck a hanging metal sign and ricocheted into the air.

Something screeched over my head. A bundle of bloodied feathers fell from the sky and landed in an oozing mass at my feet. It twitched twice before emitting a dying squawk.

I bumped my stalker’s corpse with my shoe. “Told you.”

A bullet grazed my pole and showered me with splinters. Apparently they had no shortage of ammunition on this world. Strange. They seemed to be zeroing in on…

The girl slammed into me and we both tumbled back out into the open. I shoved at her. “Watch where you’re going!”

“You watch where I’m runnin’,” she snapped back. She met my gaze and jerked to her feet. “You ain’t human!”

“And you ain’t very coordinated, now are you?”

The gunfire stopped, replaced by slow, thudding footsteps and the metallic rattle of spurs. I craned my gaze up to the shadowed silhouette of the badged man. He leaned forward. A pair of wide set eyes and flaring nostrils came into focus.

I nudged the girl. “He isn’t human either.”

“I knew that.” The girl rolled her eyes. “He’s a cowboy.”

That’s it for today. Check back tomorrow for C! If you missed part A, read it here. In the meantime, go visit other bloggers participating in the A to Z Challenge.

The post A to Z Challenge – B #atozchallenge appeared first on Squirrel Talk.

Murder Most Fowl – Part A #atozchallenge

For the A to Z challenge, I present Murder Most Fowl, an unedited serial story from the unpublished Cera Chronicles. Please excuse the grammar mistakes. This hasn’t been critiqued yet.

At times, alternate worlds could be seriously foul. Or was that fowl? The unnerving screech of my feathered stalker raised the hair on my arms. I could’ve sworn he was waiting for me to keel over and die.

I cupped a hand and shielded my eyes from the glaring sun. Not far until I reached the next town. Heat waves distorted the dilapidated wooden buildings. They rose and fell like broken teeth between sneering sagebrush lips.

Please don’t eat me.

The heel of my right pump caught in the former home of a dislodged rock. It snapped, and I pitched forward, flailing my arms. “Frigging pain in the…” Not my custom-made heels! They’d been handcrafted on the last world by one of those midget-elves in pink tutus. Never had I owned a better pair.

I hopped on one foot–the one with the broken shoe. Right. Heels and desert didn’t mix. I would’ve changed into my spare pair of boots, but those were in my bag. And my bag was with my guardian—who wasn’t here.

Stupid world. It’d separated me from my companions upon arrival. It also locked down the power I typically used to locate them.

If I was lucky, my traveling companions would be in this next town, waiting for me.

Yeah right.

A scraggly creature—some form of bald scavenging bird—scampered out from it’s earthly dwelling and… “Hey!” It frigging stole my broken heel!

It disappeared into a hole with the priceless piece of fashion accessory.

“Yeah, well, I hope you choke on it.”

Choking sounds came from the hole. I frowned.

“And then I hope you bring back my heel.” I waited. No such luck. I almost felt bad. Klepto-bird hadn’t been the one stalking me. The remaining feathered bird glowered at me. I pointed a threatening finger at its beak. “You’re next, buddy.”

I snapped the heel off my still-intact shoe and started walking the rest of the compacted dirt road in my stylish new flats. Better than scorching my soles.

Cacti greeted my entrance into the new town. Men stood on wooden boardwalks, staring at the two people—a man with a badge and a girl—facing off in the middle of the main road. I studied the feminine backside of the young girl, clad in a ruched skirt and bolero. Her fingers twitched at her belt.

Hands whipped to holsters. Guns flared and cracked.

“Ow!” Had someone just…? I glanced down. Red bloomed in the center of my abdomen. “Dammit. Not my blouse too…”

Read B here.

Don’t forget to visit other bloggers participating in the A to Z Challenge.

The post Murder Most Fowl – Part A #atozchallenge appeared first on Squirrel Talk.

A to Z Challenge – A #atozchallenge

For the A to Z challenge, I present Murder Most Fowl, an unedited serial story from the unpublished Cera Chronicles. Please excuse the grammar mistakes. This hasn’t been critiqued yet.

At times, alternate worlds could be seriously foul. Or was that fowl? The unnerving screech of my feathered stalker raised the hair on my arms. I could’ve sworn he was waiting for me to keel over and die.

I cupped a hand and shielded my eyes from the glaring sun. Not far until I reached the next town. Heat waves distorted the dilapidated wooden buildings. They rose and fell like broken teeth between sneering sagebrush lips.

Please don’t eat me.

The heel of my right pump caught in the former home of a dislodged rock. It snapped, and I pitched forward, flailing my arms. “Frigging pain in the…” Not my custom-made heels! They’d been handcrafted on the last world by one of those midget-elves in pink tutus. Never had I owned a better pair.

I hopped on one foot–the one with the broken shoe. Right. Heels and desert didn’t mix. I would’ve changed into my spare pair of boots, but those were in my bag. And my bag was with my guardian—who wasn’t here.

Stupid world. It’d separated me from my companions upon arrival. It also locked down the power I typically used to locate them.

If I was lucky, my traveling companions would be in this next town, waiting for me.

Yeah right.

A scraggly creature—some form of bald scavenging bird—scampered out from it’s earthly dwelling and… “Hey!” It frigging stole my broken heel!

It disappeared into a hole with the priceless piece of fashion accessory.

“Yeah, well, I hope you choke on it.”

Choking sounds came from the hole. I frowned.

“And then I hope you bring back my heel.” I waited. No such luck. I almost felt bad. Klepto-bird hadn’t been the one stalking me. The remaining feathered bird glowered at me. I pointed a threatening finger at its beak. “You’re next, buddy.”

I snapped the heel off my still-intact shoe and started walking the rest of the compacted dirt road in my stylish new flats. Better than scorching my soles.

Cacti greeted my entrance into the new town. Men stood on wooden boardwalks, staring at the two people—a man with a badge and a girl—facing off in the middle of the main road. I studied the feminine backside of the young girl, clad in a ruched skirt and bolero. Her fingers twitched at her belt.

Hands whipped to holsters. Guns flared and cracked.

“Ow!” Had someone just…? I glanced down. Red bloomed in the center of my abdomen. “Dammit. Not my blouse too…”

Read B here.

That’s it for today. Check back tomorrow for B! In the meantime, go visit other bloggers participating in the A to Z Challenge.

The post A to Z Challenge – A #atozchallenge appeared first on Squirrel Talk.

Melissa Maygrove – Come Back Cover Reveal

This is so exciting. Melissa Maygrove’s cover is here!

Sometimes a single choice alters the course of a person’s life forever.

Title: Come Back

Author: Melissa Maygrove

Genre: Western Historical Romance

Category: Adult / New Adult

Publisher: Truelove Press

Expected release: May 12, 2014

Left behind by everyone she loves…

Rebecca Garvey had the promise of a California future dreams are made of, until the wagon train her family was traveling with left her behind. Now she’s slowly dying in the wilderness, abandoned and stripped of her self-worth. Once the shock of her desertion turns to embittered despair, she doesn’t want to be found. Then a handsome stranger challenges her convictions and changes her mind.

Headed for Texas, chased by the demons of his past…

Seth Emerson knows exactly what he wants. Working to save for a cattle ranch of his own keeps him busy and keeps his pain buried. Rescuing a stubborn woman from the hills of New Mexico Territory isn’t part of his plan—but she’s exactly what he needs.

Making greater sacrifices than either of them could foresee…

Seth and Rebecca set off on a risky journey and a quest for truth, each healing the other’s love-starved soul along the way. Will they give in to their growing attraction? Or will they honor their commitments when Seth returns Rebecca to civilization… and her betrothed?

And now…

Cover design by Carrie Butler, Forward Authority Design Services

Isn’t that steamy?

Native Texan Melissa Maygrove is a wife, mother, nurse, freelance editor, and romance writer. When she’s not busy caring for her tiny nursery patients or shuttling teenagers back and forth to after-school activities, she’s hunched over her laptop, complicating the lives of her imaginary friends and playing matchmaker. Melissa loves books with unpretentious characters and unforgettable romance, and she strives to create those same kinds of stories for her readers.

Website | Blog | Twitter @MelissaMaygrove | Facebook | Google+

Are you looking forward to seeing this book in print as much as I am?

The post Melissa Maygrove – Come Back Cover Reveal appeared first on Squirrel Talk.

Featured Photo Friday

I know I did a macro shot last week, but I took this featured photo and have since set it as my phone background because I like it so much.

This is the clip-on macro lens on my phone, but no other filters.

I get to see these beauties every year, and they are my favorite front-yard decoration.

Do you like macro shots? What do you think of the flower?

The post Featured Photo Friday appeared first on Squirrel Talk.

Come Back – A Teaser by Melissa Maygrove

Have you heard the news?

Monday, March 31st, Melissa Maygrove will reveal (ooh-la-la) her cover for her upcoming romance—Come Back. This week, she’s sharing some teaser images. *wink, wink* And to top that, she’s offering up a prize!

You can win a free e-copy of her book once it’s published and a $10 gift certificate to either Amazon or Barnes & Noble. How awesome is that?

Here’s how to do it:

1. Hop to the blogs hosting this challenge.

2. Answer all 7 questions

3. Submit them to Melissa by Saturday, March 29th

Take your best guess at all the questions. Your answers don’t need to be correct in order to win. But you must provide an answer to every single question, and you need to submit them before the deadline. She’ll take entries via email to melissamaygrove(at)gmail(dot)com or use her blog’s contact form.

Here’s the teaser puzzle piece:

‘Sometimes a single choice

alters the course of a person’s life forever.’

Come Back

Western Historical Romance

Adult / New Adult

Coming May 2014

Teaser images designed by Carrie Butler,

Forward Authority Design Services

And here’s the question:

Alright. Think you know the answer? Good! Now go to Melissa’s blog and get the links to the other puzzle pieces (check back each day to find the location of the others). Compile your answers, and email them to her! Remember, the deadline for entries is Saturday, March 29th at midnight central time.

She’ll announce the randomly chosen winner via her blog on Monday, March 31st. Check out the results, gawk at the cover, and find the answers to the questions.

If you’d like to be notified of important events, like cover reveals and releases, consider signing up for Melissa’s newsletter. Do so on the home page of her website, www.melissamaygrove.com.

Native Texan Melissa Maygrove is a wife, mother, nurse, freelance editor, and romance writer. When she’s not busy caring for her tiny nursery patients or shuttling teenagers back and forth to after-school activities, she’s hunched over her laptop, complicating the lives of her imaginary friends and playing matchmaker. Melissa loves books with unpretentious characters and unforgettable romance, and she strives to create those same kinds of stories for her readers.

Website | Blog | Twitter @MelissaMaygrove | Facebook | Google+

Are you looking forward to the cover? Do you think you know the answer to the question?

The post Come Back – A Teaser by Melissa Maygrove appeared first on Squirrel Talk.

Featured Photo Friday

If you’re looking for the A to Z Theme Reveal, that went live earlier this morning. You can find the post here.

Yesterday was the first day of Spring! It’s still too cold outside for my liking. But inside? It’s just about right.

Today’s featured photo comes from our future garden.

My birthday is coming up on Monday, and my daughter—courtesy of her father—got me some clip on lenses that work with my phone. This photo was taken with the macro lens. The other lenses include wide-turn macro, fish eye…

… and telephoto.

Yes, my phone has its own personal telescope.

But wait! If that’s my phone, what did I use to take the photo? Glad you asked! My husband got me something with a few more features:

Yeah, I’m spoiled. I don’t know jack about cameras, but my husband assures me it’s the best mid-range camera that’s both compact and has interchangeable lenses, and isn’t a full DSLR (which cost a minimum of 3x’s as much).

Hopefully that means you’ll get better pictures from me going forward.

Happy Spring everyone! Now go check out the A to Z Theme Reveal. Are you participating?

The post Featured Photo Friday appeared first on Squirrel Talk.

A to Z Theme Reveal

Today is a blog hop about a blog hop (click the image to view the list of participants).

April’s A to Z Challenge rapidly approaches. Today is the day we reveal our theme.

I’ve been diligently working on a serialized story based on an unreleased series of novellas I’ve called the Cera Chronicles. They are meant to be parodies, so if you struggle to take them seriously, know you’re not alone.

Cera and her companions are from Chikara (the world created in Thanmir War). They are traveling to other worlds, searching for a cure to her father’s coma. This story is based on a world where the West is still wild and things get a little … fowl.

If you enjoy silly stories, I hope to see you stopping by in April. Now go check out who else is posting!

The post A to Z Theme Reveal appeared first on Squirrel Talk.

Throwing Glitter at the Screen (My First Book Signing)

“Writing is like giving yourself homework, really hard homework, every day, for the rest of your life. You want glamorous? Throw glitter at the computer screen.”

― Katrina Monroe

Monday night, I had my first book signing event. It was fantastic. I wore a fancy dress. I saw old friends. I met new people.

There were some things I would’ve done differently, and a few things I’d keep the same.

First, the things I should’ve done:

Created An Email Sign-Up List

I should have made a sign reading: Sign up for the monthly email newsletter and you’ll be entered to win a handmade bookmark. Instead, I had a little piece of paper with a handwritten note and some other pieces of paper for people to write on. I might have gotten more sign-ups.

Practiced My Pitch

Yeah, Thanmir War is about a guy… I seriously stumbled through my pitch and book description. Talk about embarrassing. At least the first people were gracious enough to ask further questions to help guide me along.

Eaten

I was running on Red Bull and adrenaline. The only thing I’d eaten was a package of ramen for brunch. I took a sip of wine and that went straight to my head. Good thing my husband was there to drive me home. (Seriously, I only had one glass.)

Checked My Card Reader

The first card transaction worked. All other subsequent ones failed. Not sure what was wrong, if it was my phone, the connection, the app, or the reader, but after trying and trying, I resorted to cash only transactions.

Have Change

It should’ve been the first thing I checked, but yeah, I didn’t have cash to give change. >_< *groan* I live in a digital world. I'm not used to these little things called dollar bills. Thankfully the establishment hosting us was able to break bigger bills.

Taken More Pictures

I love him dearly, but my husband is a horrible photographer. I have only a couple of non-blurry pictures during the actual event.

Taken More Books

Call me a novice, I took 10 with me and sold them all. I should’ve taken at least 15. Sherry was far more prepared. She took 50. I’ll know better next time.

Had Personal Business Cards

I had the parent company business cards, but nothing

Things I’m glad I did:

Worn Flats

I’m not sure about Troy and Sherry, but I was on my feet almost the whole time. I sat down to sign books, but mostly (call it a nervous habit) I was standing.

Took My Husband

I had worried my husband would be bored or feel uncomfortable spending the entire time at the table with me. He didn’t stand around nearly as much as I’d thought he would. Mutual friends visited and chatted him up. And not only did he encourage me, he carried my box of books and gave me his coat.

Custom Crafts

I hand-made bookmarks and decorations for the event. It added a bit of extra flair and allowed me to pass out some goodies (besides the wine and appetizers). Plus they looked great.

I owe my sis-in-law BIG TIME for watching the kids. She said the night started with two screaming children and three howling dogs. *sigh*

After all is said and done, I’d have to say the night was pretty darn glamorous (this is me throwing glitter at the screen).

Do you have any glamorous writing moments? Have you done an author signing? Can you offer any suggestions?

The post Throwing Glitter at the Screen (My First Book Signing) appeared first on Squirrel Talk.

Featured Photo Friday

It was a rare day. The rain abated, gracing us with a brilliant view of that long-lost friend: the sun.

This one, surprisingly, had no filters applied.

The image could be cleaned up. I’m not sure if a couple of those clouds are actually clouds or if they’re water spots. (I was sitting in the backseat of my co-worker’s car on our way to lunch.)

But I liked the shot.

Are you looking forward to seeing the sun more often?

The post Featured Photo Friday appeared first on Squirrel Talk.