M.J. Compton's Blog, page 57

DOWN FOR MAINTENANCE

Spring cleaning the blog

Batman vs. Superman: Dawn of Justice

The new DC Comics “superhero” movie, Batman vs. Superman: Dawn of Justice premieres on March 25. Ben Affleck is the newest incarnation of Bruce Wayne (Batman) and British actor Henry Cavill returns as Superman (Clark Kent).

Initially, I was upset that a British actor was cast to play the most American of all heroes–“truth, justice, and the American way” and all that–until I realized that Superman wasn’t American. His Clark Kent disguise is American, but Superman (Kal-El) is an immigrant. He may be the ultimate immigrant.

And Henry Cavill is very very easy to look at.

A couple of items of note:

Superman is not really a superhero. He’s an alien living among us, doing good.

Batman is not at all a superhero. He’s a (well-motivated) sicko with gadgets.

Purse Project: Gayle Callen

Hello, and thanks for having me stop by, MJ! My purse is a utilitarian bag for me—as evidenced by its basic look. It only has to function well and hold up for a few years. I don’t change my purse, even for the seasons (although I will use a cute little cocktail party purse as necessary). But 95% of the time, this is it!

Notice the lovely pocket on the right side for my phone—there’s actually one on each side of the purse, which I love! Gotta be able to reach the phone quickly, right?

In the many zipper pockets (a necessity), I put things like lip gloss (at least two kinds!), paper, pens, tissues, gum, and reading glasses.

Inside the main body of my purse, you can find my wallet, a nice long one. It has to fit I.D., money, credit cards, those endless store reward cards, and some photos (although that’s just by habit, since now I have a phone for those!). Let’s not forget the library card, of course!

I also carry a small makeup bag, but instead of make-up, it has things like a little plastic container for ibuprofen, band-aids, cough drops, and hand lotion. I’m a mom—people always expect me to have everything, even though my kids are grown.

I’m an author, too, so I carry autographed-copy stickers in case I spot my books in the wild. Instead of business cards, I started carrying postcards years ago, with the covers on the front (I write historical romance as Gayle Callen and contemporary romance as Emma Cane) and on the back, a brief book blurb along with my website addresses. Then people can see exactly what I write and have a way to contact me.

Last but not least, is this little handy device. Can you guess what it is? It’s a purse hanger! You know, when you go to a restaurant, and you don’t want to set your purse on the floor, because…just because. Very handy.

So thanks for taking a peek into my life!

Gayle’s latest release, The Groom Wore Plaid, is available at Amazon.

 

Maggie McCallum’s dreams about her new fiancé aren’t the romantic sort. After being bartered to Owen Duff like a piece of property, she’s also haunted by premonitions of his death on their upcoming wedding day. Yet the exasperating Highlander won’t let her call it off, even though his life and clan are both in jeopardy.

Owen has wanted Maggie in his bed since he first glimpsed her years ago. If their union restores peace between neighbors, so much the better. But Owen is falling deeply in love with the one woman he cannot hope to claim…and survive.

Follow Gayle on Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/GayleCallen

 

 

Nat’l Everything You Do Is Right Day

Ever have one of those days where it feels like everything goes wrong? Too many to count, I’m sure.

Today is National Everything You Do is Right Day.

Isn’t that a wonderful concept? I’m going to embrace it.

Every sentence I write will be perfect. Each word is precise and strong. Emotion shall drip from every syllable.

Everything is going to be right.

Who wants to join me?

 

Tantalizing Triva: Disks

Yes, the SAVE icon on your computer looks like this.

This photo is of a few 3.5″ floppy disks I saved when I purged my office a few years ago.

I also have a couple 5.25″ disks, which were common before the 3.5″ version came into being.

There are many technical reasons given for the shrinkage of disks (they started out 8″). The truth?

A 3.5″ floppy fits into a shirt pocket.*

 

 

 

 

National Get Over It Day with Author Ryan Jo Summers

  When you are handed a shocking diagnosis, with horrible and scary images and then left with more questions than answers, it’s a lot to be expected “to just get over”. The future is suddenly uncertain while worry and fear become your new best friends. Dealing with a chronic medical condition is not something one “just gets over”. It’s impossible to when all they can do is look forward to an unknown future.
                But what if you also suddenly fell in love? How does that piece fit into the puzzle your life has become? Now you are asking for someone new to join in this uncertain future with you. Isn’t that asking a lot? Family, sure, we expect to mold around our new life, but a romantic partner?
                My character, Kasey Griffin, in Glimpse Eternity is coping with Multiple Sclerosis. She’s doing so-so with it overall. Then hunky musician Ben Salem rolls into town and their chemistry is perfect. And undeniable.  Kasey has seen how her father loved her mother before the MS took her and wonders how Ben will react for the long haul.
                While Kasey can’t ‘get over’ her MS, she can work past her fears of its uncertainties if she wants to have a future with Ben.  The question is: will she? Or will she allow them to drive Ben away?

Glimpse Eternity is a sweet contemporary romance novella:

Kasey Griffin is determined to prove a diagnosis of Multiple Sclerosis isn’t going to ruin her life or define her expectations. She is dedicated to her pregnant sister, her pets and operating her bookstore, ‘The Next Chapter’. She has everything she needs to have a full and satisfying life–the daily challenges of her condition notwithstanding.
         Then hunky musician Ben Salem rolls into town. Ben’s subtle charm quickly reminds Kasey she is more than a woman with a disease, she is also a woman with a heart. And Ben wants it.
         Will Ben still desire her once he learns the terrible details of her condition?

Glimpse Eternity is available at Amazon and Smashwords.




Ryan Jo Summers is a North Carolina writer who likes to pen romances with a twist. Love stories blended as inspirational, with paranormal, suspense or time travel–or several at once. She also writes non-fiction for regional periodicals. Her dad is a songwriter and his aunt wrote poetry, so Ryan came by the writing gene honestly.

Her hobbies include poetry, bird watching, houseplants and gardening, gathering with friends, hiking in the forest, painting canvas and ceramics, and working wiggly word find puzzles, mah johngg or chess.  She lives in a 1920 cottage with a menagerie of pets. She often daydreams of the shore and frequently uses water as settings in her stories.


Follow Ryan Jo on her website, her blog, Twitter, Facebook, Goodreads, and Romance Reviews.

Silly Things

I used to do some really silly things as a child/teenager. One of the silliest things was trying to close the gap between my front teeth myself—by wearing rubber bands. No, it didn’t work, but then I didn’t do it regularly.

Rubber Band Ball courtesy X-Chromo

What silly thing did you do when you were younger?

National Read Across America Day

Today is National Read Across America Day. I believe in reading. I read like most people watch television—and then some. It’s also Dr. Seuss Day, which puts me in mind of children’s books. One of my favorite books as a child was Harriet, The Spy.

I related to Harriet. I kept a diary (journal). I observed things going on around me. I had a couple of good friends, and we weren’t the “in” group.  Most of that hasn’t changed.

I loved sharing the story with my children. My copy of the book is well loved.

What was your favorite childhood book?

Snarky Sunday: Carole Ann Moleti

Thanks for having me on Snarky Sunday. I am from the capitol of snark, so this is a nice opportunity to showcase a more refined side than what would normally be exhibited on New York City streets or subways. But we’re really a nice bunch of people who believe in getting to the point, getting on with it, and not wasting anyone’s time. Here’s my new home voicemail message:

You’ve reached a number I only have because it’s part of the cable package. If you don’t know how to pronounce my name, hang up and dial another sucker. If you are calling on behalf of the Republican Party, you are peeing on the wrong tree. If it’s Sunday, before or after 9 a.m. or pm, I will return your call at 2 a.m.

I don’t need chimney cleaning, home repair, a subscription, or a membership to anything. I didn’t enter any contests for cars or trips, and only respond to an invitation to discuss my Class One Felony charge if I get a subpoena, written in grammatically correct English–and a lawyer.

If you are a charity, the amount of my donation will be inversely related to the number of calls, letters, calendars, or emails I receive in any given year. If you are a real friend or family member, you know a better way to get in touch with me. If you are returning a call, I apologize and invite you to leave a message after the tone.

 

Carole Ann Moleti lives and works as nurse-midwife in New York City, so she is often awake to return calls a 2 a.m. Her memoir excerpts range from the sweet and sentimental in This Path and Shifts to the edgy and irreverent in the Not Your Mother’s Books: On Being a Parent and On Being a Woman.

Carole’s writes fiction in the speculative genres. Breakwater Beach, the second book Her Cape Cod paranormal romance series, is forthcoming from Soulmate Publishing. Her gritty urban fantasies have been published in the Toil, Trouble and Temptation and Ten Tales anthologies.

Check out these free reads, both excerpts from her memoir Karma, Kickbacks, and Kids.

Concrete  http://www.noneuclideancafe.com/issues/vol3_issue2_WinterSpring2008/moleti.htm

Going on Pointe http://www.noneuclideancafe.com/issues/vol2_issue4_Summer2007/moleti.htm

Contact/connect:

http://caroleannmoleti.com

http://amazon.com/author/carolemoleti

 

Best Fortune Cookie Ever: Author K. Angello-Mayfield

Fortune Cookies, the freebie you get with your Chinese food; the food you get from the little smoke filled shop with the little girl at the front, who is so tiny and beautiful, and yet can boom her voice in a tone that seems ever so condescending to the cooks behind her – of course not being fluent in any language other than English, I image what is being said.

Wait for the food, wait for traffic – WAIT.

Like Veruca Salt, I wanted it now!

I want to go home; inside my head rattled around all the things I had placed upon my own plate; working at the law firm, updating my Facebook pages, what to make to donate at a benefit I agreed to, researching, writing, housework. (insert scream here) Can I eat and type? Probably not effectively!

The fortune cookie seemed to mock me. I took it and smashed it with my fist. The “POP” of the bag fulfilling; pulling the papery goodness from within, prepared for mockery, it simply read:

“Always remember to have patience.”

RIGHT! Stop and smell the roses! My dog and cats sat patiently, waiting for their turn with me, I thought – this should be my New Year resolution. Confucius even said, “It does not matter how slowly you go as long as you do not stop.” So, I will let my fortune come from patience – why rush perfection? Thanks cookie for reminding me to breathe!

K. Angello-Mayfield is the author of The Visionary -Series Parts 1-5 available at:

Amazon.com
Barnes and Noble
ITunes
and other on-line booksellers.

You can follow her on Twitter and Facebook.