S.E. Babin's Blog, page 3

Sequel Snippet!

Hermes has taken over my sequel and, I have to admit, he is SMOKING HOT! I wanted to share a fun snippet with everyone from the as of yet untitled sequel to Out of Practice Aphrodite. Abby is in another tangled web, but all of her friends and some news ones are back in this one because the stakes couldn't be any higher. 

In a short moment of levity, Abby suggests a game of magical paint ball to keep them from killing each other out of sheer frustration. This snippet is from Chapter 17. 

During the game, Hermes manages to find Abby in the woods. 

I hope you enjoy! This is an unedited piece and is subject to change. All errors are my own. 




Thwack! My head spun around. Thwack! Thwack! Bright blue paint hit me square in the chest splattering up to my face and hair. “Aaaagh!”  I screamed, looking around for the culprit. Blonde hair peeked around the edge of the house. “Hermes, I’m going to kill you!” A deep chuckle rang out. “You’d be breaking your own rules, now wouldn’t you?” He stepped out, his gun raised at eye level. “Don’t shoot,” I whimpered. His look of concern almost made me smile. He walked quickly towards me. “Did I hurt you? I am so-“ Thwack thwack! I laughed maniacally at the site of yellow paint running down his face as I fired and took off running. His roar of rage only increased my giggling as my legs pumped as fast as they could. Yes, I could have disappeared, but where was the fun in that? I looked back and wished I hadn’t. Hermes was gaining on me, a lunatic smile spread across his face. “Shit,” I murmured and snorted with laughter because sometime in the first few minutes after the game started, he had streaked mud across his face and shoulders. With the addition of the yellow paint, he looked like an angry bumble bee. “I’m coming for you, my pretty. And when I get you I’m going to sully you and make you scream.” Hermes was normally light on his feet, but now he crashed through the woods like an angry bear. I screamed with laughter and kept running. “You’re getting old if you can’t catch up with me!” I spied a large log right in my path and jumped over it gracefully, praying Hermes wouldn’t see it. From the loud crash and shouted curse words, he didn’t. I slowed down and turned to look at him. He struggled to extricate himself from the log, and when he finally stood up, the look on his face had me shouting again with laughter. Twigs and leaves stuck out all over his head. The paint had smeared into his hair, matting the curls flat onto his head. I grinned and waved. His lips twitched. “You are going to pay for this.” I kept grinning, watching him for any sudden movements. “Don’t be a sore loser,” I said. “You can’t always win.” Hermes raised an eyebrow and called for his Caduceus. Crap. I felt my eyes widen, saw that wide monkey grin spread across his face again and I got the hell out of dodge. Magic burst into the air as Hermes’ curse words filled the air. “Your mama should wash your mouth out with soap,” I screamed just as I disappeared.
Sheryl

What's going on!

Good morning!

I hope everyone had a beautiful weekend. I have been recovering over the past week and a half from neck surgery. Crazy stuff, but I'm happy to say I'm finally feeling much better.

So, what's going on?

My blog tour ended on Friday. Would I do one again? Probably not. But I will say I formed a couple of relationships with some awesome bloggers, so that was a good thing. I will, however, do an only review "tour." I should have one of those coming up soon.

I'm advertising with sporadic luck. So far static ads haven't served me well. Emails blasts have.

I hope to eventually have more than two people on my newsletter so I can start sending those out. From what I've read, newsletters are a fantastic way to get the word out about what you're working on. But, considering one of the two people on my list is my webmaster, I'm going to focus my time on other endeavors right now. Like...writing!!




Ha. Exactly.

Current projects include a chick-lit novel I have out on submission. Wish me luck on that one. And, I have a twist on the traditional fairytales being written over on Wattpad. Find me under the handle chandlermaid and read for free!


Hope everyone has a great week! I'll post again sometime this week.

Sheryl

The Time I Accidentally Resorted to Prostitution...

I am green to marketing. Although I've worked in "sales" before, this new venture is unlike anything I've ever done. I have spent hours in front of the computer looking at author promotion...how to get word of my book out without being an annoying salesperson and how to increase my sales.

As with many things involving me...hilarity ensued.

I decided to do my very first Facebook ad. Everything was great. I had it all set up and ready to go. Facebook approved my ads and all was good with the world. I was so excited...




I was about to get my stuff shown to almost 16 million people. What the what?! Awesome, right?




So what happened was, Facebook said I could pick three pictures to help me advertise the book. I chose a book cover pic, my web banner and a picture of me. Sounds legit.

What I didn't expect to happen was Facebook plastering my picture on the ad with the slogan, "A fun, sexy romp!" beside it.


And now I can't figure out how to fix it.

For the record, I just want to state that I have not resorted to prostitution in order to sell my book.




Learn from me, young writers. Let me show you the path to stay away from.

*Caveat - If I suddenly find myself on the bestseller lists, I will no longer have any qualms about shamelessly promoting my sexuality in order to increase sales.

**Not really. But I would be sorely tempted.


Sheryl

*** UPDATE - I FIXED IT!! So, if it ever happens to you, I can be your crisis manager. It's a win, win.

Monday Madness

Good morning, everyone! I am making a March 24th resolution to be a better blogger and open the doors a little wider to let readers get a glimpse into my life. See how specific that was? Bah humbug, New Year's resolutions.

First, here's how I feel on Mondays...



So...what's going on in the personal front? Let's see. Hubby and I went to see the Zac Brown Band this weekend. They were phenomenal. I got goosies when they sang Chicken Fried. Here's me and the handsome guy lucky enough to call himself my husband...


Today it's back to normal with kids, life and craziness. However, I'm also over at Book Girl Knitting answering some fun questions. Pop over there and enter to win a gift basket chock full of delicious goodies.

Anna Silver Guest Post - 10 Things You Don't Know About Me!

  YA Author Anna Silver is taking over the blog today and discussing some things about her most of us don't know. Sit back and enjoy because some of these are hilarious!

One of my favorite things about being an author is that all your eccentricities, of which I have plenty, are considered an acceptable side effect of the job. Writing in the Young Adult Science Fiction and fantasy subgenres means I have a wild imagination. Here are ten things you probably don’t know—never even dreamed—about me.

 
1. Christmas Elf
I’ve had a lot of odd jobs. Primarily because I bore easily and I have always been intrigued by the atypical so I don’t often look for employment in the usual places. But maybe one of my more impressively strange positions has been as a holiday designer. In other words, I decorated Christmas trees for a living…for four years. It was actually really fun work with some of the coolest people I’ve met to date. But it tears up your hands and is truly more grueling and exhausting than you can imagine. There is no way tiny elves could do that work. Sorry, Santa.
2. Brewmaster
Okay, I’m hardly a brewmaster. More like a brewminion. But I have brewed my fair share of beer, and I’ve brewed a few batches of mead as well (a.k.a. wine made from honey). I love doing it because it makes me feel connected to something ancient and magical. I mean, as magical as yeast can be.
3. The Number 8
I’m one of those weird people who have a favorite number and not just a favorite color. I have no idea why, but I have loved the number 8 and considered it my lucky number since I was just a girl. Very odd, I know. I even used to repeat things I said in my head 8 more times. Did I mention I was an unusual child?
4. Surgery Seconds, Please!
This is kind of a sucky one. I got appendicitis when I was six and for some ungodly reason, no one knew I had it. They knew I was sick. I’d been to the doctor more than once. But somehow it went undetected until my appendix ruptured. Enter violent, life-threatening illness and emergency surgery. I spent maybe a week or two in the hospital recovering and was sent home just in time for the holidays only to get deathly ill again with an infection. Enter surgery number two and a hospital Christmas. I have these oddly vivid memories from that time. I can still taste the broth they made me eat for days. And I remember this pillow all the nurses pitched in and bought for me to squeeze as I walked my rounds (because it huuuuurt to get up and move). And I remember having my blood drawn so much it’s a wonder I have any left. But the upside is, I have no fear whatsoever of needles or hospitals, which is more than I can say for my husband.
5. Fairy Architect
I love art of any kind. I paint (oils) and have even had some of my work in a gallery here in Houston. But probably everyone’s favorite art of mine is my fairy houses. I design, construct, and sell miniscule abodes for homeless fairies. Which equates to just about the coolest nightlight you’ve ever seen. I haven’t done any in a while, but here’s a picture so you get the idea.

 
6. Tarot
I LOVE tarot. I love the decks of cards. I love reading them and collecting them. I have kind of a gypsy-fortune-teller-archetype complex. Throw down some tarot cards and crystals and I’m right at home. It’s this very bohemian vibe my mother did her damnedest to train out of me, but no such luck. Now all I need is a vardo.
7. Escalaphobia
Don’t laugh, it’s totally real. I have a ridiculous fear of escalators. I can usually go up with only mild anxiety. But I can only come down about half the escalators I come across, and that’s with me white-knuckling that rubbery handrail all the way. The other half, for whatever reason, I deem too hazardous to even try. Go figure.
8. My Psychic Life
I’m a bit psychic. I’m not gonna say I can tell you when the next earthquake or stock market crash is going to hit, but I will say that I’ve had one too many precognitive incidents to rule out my very strong intuition. Although some of the things I dream or sense before they occur are really random and useless. So I’m like the world’s most unnecessary psychic. The good thing about it is that my family is all a bit spooked by it now. They don’t try to pull anything past me, and they listen when I tell them something. Very handy stuff with teenagers in the house
9. Tattoo-plasty
Remember the surgeries I talked about in number four? Well, they left a nasty little scar that I hated my whole life. Then one day I watched this special on how tattoos can cover scars and I thought, “Bingo!” Give or take a few years and here I am, down one scar, up one brilliant tattoo. Granted, it’s a little bit bigger than it had to be. The scar is the size of a large paperclip, but the tattoo is more the size of…a man’s fist. You know, go big or go home.
10. Pineywoods
Everyone who knows me knows I have a pine tree obsession. It’s really weird. I spent my weekends as a kid exploring the East Texas Pineywoods with my dad. I now use pine oil in my body spray, light pine-scented incense, and mop my floors just so I can smell the Pine Sol. I seem to have developed this positive neuro-association that there is just no use fighting. Finally, my hubbie gave up last year and let me move us all north of the city into the pine trees. If you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em!



Author Bio:   
 Anna Silver is an author and artist living in the greater Houstonarea with her family, pets, and overactive imagination. Her art has been featured in the Houstongallery Las Manos Magicas. She studied English Writing & Rhetoric at St. Edward’s University. She's freelanced for private clients and small publications like the Hill Country Current. OTHERBORN, her first published novel, has been featured on 2 of Amazon's "Bestsellers" lists. She is represented by Rebecca Podos and Nicole LaBombard of Rees Literary Agency.

Website: http://www.annasilverauthor.com/index.html
Blog: http://www.annasilverauthor.blogspot.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/SaysAnnaSilver
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authorannasilver
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6862122.Anna_Silver
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/AnnaSilver/
Publisher: http://www.sapphirestarpublishing.com/
 

Holy crackers, it's RELEASE DAY!!

It seemed like my release took forever, but the last week it seems like time has flown. But, it's now here and I couldn't be happier! The release day for Out of Practice Aphrodite is finally here.

I have several things going on today. The giveaway to win a Kindle Fire HD and a handmade leather case from JoeV Leather has started. You'll see a Rafflecopter Widget at the top of my blog. Go there for a chance to win. The contest ends at midnight on April 4th.

Also, I'm guest posting over at Laurie's Thoughts and Reviews today. Head there and comment on the blog for a chance to win a coffee and wine themed gift basket, put together by yours truly. At the end of the tour on April 4th, one person will be randomly selected to win.

As the tour progresses, I'll be updating social media and my blog to tell you where I'm at and what I'm doing. Thanks for making this an amazing release day!

New Release Available HERE!



 

Cover Reveal!

I've already put this all over social media, but I still wanted to do a blog post showing off my debut's purty new cover. I love it so much!!



I had three to choose from, but I chose this one because it best represented the tone of the book. It's a lighthearted, fun mystery.

And, in other news, Plotting Mr. Perfect has been climbing the charts at Wattpad. I'm now at #51 on the Chick-Lit Hot List!

Click on the cover and head over for a read. I hope you enjoy it.

Sheryl





  

Holiday Giveaway! ENDS TODAY!

There is a HUGE sale going on over at Amazon right now for hundreds of books. And I'm feeling super generous. The first five people to respond to this blog and tell me what their favorite Christmas gift this year was will be gifted with a free e-book of my choice (Muahahaha). Leave your email address in the comments, or if you aren't comfortable with doing that, send me an email through my Facebook page with it. It will be either romance, steampunk or women's fiction. I wish I could give my book away to some people, but it's not quite ready yet. You MUST have a Kindle or the Kindle app to read it because it will be in epub format and you'll have to part with your email address so I can send it to you. Ready? Go!

And remember kids, because it's still the holidays,




With lots of love and appreciation for your support,

Sheryl

Facebook link to my page, just in case you didn't get there from that link - https://www.facebook.com/SEBabin?ref=hl

New Work!

Hi everyone!

I've been super busy with my newest side project entitled, Plotting Mr. Perfect. I'm having so much fun with it right now. The project is up for free on Wattpad. You can find it here. If you enjoy it, please consider giving me a vote. Your support is appreciated.

      My debut mystery is tentatively scheduled for release sometime in January. As soon as I hear more information I will let you know.    Sheryl

Wrinkle Serums for the Crafty Reader

I always have trouble figuring out a subject to blog about. So I finally just decided to do topics that interest me and take suggestions from people who’d like to see something specific.
I have a confession to make. I haven’t purchased beauty products from a store in over four years, besides makeup (which I don’t purchase often and will likely be the subject of another blog). In 2011, sales of beauty products reached a whopping 426 billion. BILLION!!! Skin care represented the top seller with 27% of the market, followed closely by personal care, then makeup and hair care.
Several years ago I became concerned about what I was eating and what I was putting on my skin. When I finally broke down and looked at the ingredients, I decided there had to be a better way to reap the same benefits without the use of toxic ingredients and also save money in the process.
I found a method called OCM (Oil Cleansing Method). The link will take you to a tutorial from Crunchy Betty. It was hands down the best thing I’ve ever done for my skin and I never looked back. The tutorial breaks down exactly how to do it and what oils you can use. Although, keep in mind, it’s not an end all, be all. I tend to stick with straight Grapeseed oil for my routine.
As I became more comfortable with the routine, I decided to try my hands at moisturizers and serums. I have dry skin so I also normally use the Grapeseed oil for a moisturizer as well. People with normal to oily skin using the OCM might not have to use any additional moisturizer after they wash their face.
I wanted something for fine lines because I’m getting older. Yes, it happens to the best of us. And this is the point of the blog. I wanted to share the recipe I came up with for a wrinkle/anti-aging serum. I purchase all of my essential oils from reputable vendors, most often Mountain Rose Herbs.
I use a 1 ounce amber glass bottle with a dropper for this recipe.
You will need:
Jojoba Oil
Evening Primrose Oil
6 Vitamin E capsules
Carrot Seed Oil
Lavender Oil
Rose Oil (I use the cheaper rose oil – Rosa damascena) Regular rose oil can break the bank. You can also substitute Geranium oil
Neroli Oil – no sub for this one. I think it’s worth the investment. As with all oils, a little bit goes a long way.
Droppers and a small funnel unless you have a very steady hand. I do not.
In the bottle combine equal parts Jojoba and Evening Primrose Oils. I use about 2 tblspns of each.
Pierce and add 6 vitamin e capsules
Add 10 drops Carrot Seed Oil
Add 6 drops Neroli oil and 6 drops of Rose oil.
End with 6 drops of Lavender.
Once everything is combined, put the dropper top back on the bottle, close tightly and roll several times to combine the oils.
Before use, roll the bottle again to ensure it stays combined.
I use this any place where fine lines might creep up and also on my neck. As an added benefit, when you finish you can just rub the excess into your hands. I’ve noticed softer hands and longer nails by doing this. A little bit will go along way. I can take one drop and use it on both of my eyes and the corners of my lips.
Notes
When using essential oils, never use the same dropper for different oils unless you thoroughly clean it with alcohol.  
Always perform a skin test to ensure you don’t have a reaction to any of the oils.
Remember I am not a doctor nor a professional. Think of me like the crazy aunt that always brings booze to the family get-togethers. Sheryl