End of a Year

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year everyone!

It's the end of 2011 and I think about the goals I set for the year.  I met some and way missed others, but all in all it was a good year for me.  Some of the good things:

Shadow Warrior book 2 in the Shadow Dancer series, is gearing up for release in a few short weeks.  I got the best Christmas gift in the mail today (December 24), which was my ARC.  Holding my new book and seeing the colors and the artwork up close and in detail really sent me over the moon.  It looks wonderful. A special great big THANK YOU shout out to Carrie for her fantastic map of Acadia.  It looks so cool.  I can't wait for you to see it. 

A Howl in the Night, my new paranormal book has been accepted and is in the works for a 2012 release. All you shape-shifter fans out there, this is a read for you.  

I had a few magazine acceptances and several anthologies.  I will have an updated "PUBLICATION" list at the start of the new year.

Shadow's End, my work in progress is coming along very nicely.  I plan on having it finished up asap as I cant wait for everyone to see how the Shadow Dancer series ends. 

That's all I got for now.  The rest, I can work with.  I am going to focus on the good and forget about the rest for now.  I have time and faith in myself. 

Have a great Holiday Season everyone.  I will catch you on the flip side. 

La!  Ctny

Hey Santa.....hey Santa!

Yeeee!  It’s the count down to Christmas week!  I’m so excited.  I have the decorations done the packages purchased and almost completely wrapped.  The cookies and bread are baked and the house is spic-an-span.  I am so ready for the big red suited man to come and visit me.  Yes, I said me. 

I know, I know, I have children now and that means he isn’t suppose to come and visit me anymore, but he makes a special exception for me.  So what is on me list you ask?

1.         H&D Gummy Bears of course!  I can’t find them.  It’s depressing as all hell.  You can’t buy them on line anymore and a lot, a LOT of the brick and mortar stores, don’t carry them anymore.  What am I going to do!  Well I’m asking Santa to bring me a few bags or ten.  If the big man can’t do it, who can?

2.         Chance perfume by Channel.  Yes, I have expensive taste when it comes to perfume.  Usually I request Love’s Baby Soft, but I got a free sample of the Chance last February and I LOVE it.  I made that tiny little tester last six months.  Maybe more.  So it’s definitely on my list. 

3.         Uggs.  Yes.  I want a new pair of brown moccasins.  I NEED them.  Must have them.  Actually it’s not really me.  It’s my feet.  See my feet don’t like to be cold.  They are threatening to go on strike if I don’t take care of the cold problem.  So as you can see, it’s a must have.

4.         Zumba for the WII.  You can only do so much YOGA, I want something fun and new this year to get me through the cabin-fever of the winter.  Plus a great way to burn off all the winter comfort food I tend to ingest during the months of January, February, and March. 

5.         New pots and pans.  I have had the same ole cheap pans for years now.  I want to get rid of all the old crap and buy something nice and new.  I promise I will goodwill all the other stuff. I wont keep any of it or stash it away “just in case”.  When browning hamburger sticks to the pan, you know its time for new. 

That’s all.  See my list really isn’t all that oppressive. Come on Santa, I have been really really good this year.  I have.  I promise!  You can ask my mom…er maybe not.  Ask my husband…no don’t ask him either.  Just take my work for it.  I have been ACE this whole year. 

What’s on your lists this year people?  Come on, share….

ctny

Undead Drive-Thru by Rebecca Besser

This week I was lucky to be able to read the new book by Rebecca Besser, titled Undead Drive-Thru. 

Undead Drive Thru is the story of Betty, or Aunt B. as you come to know her.  Her husband is turned into a Zombie by nefarious deeds and instead of having her husband turned into a science project or killed, she decides that she will just take care of him herself and to do this, she opens up a diner.  Hey we all have to make a living right?  Enter John, Aunt B.'s nephew, who knows of the big zombie secret.  Then Jose, Colleen, and Ky that don't.  What you get is chaos at its best, blood, guts, and even a love story thrown it.

Sometimes you read a zombie book or watch a zombie movie and the word that comes to mind is "hokey".  Undead Drive-Thru is not hokey at all.  In fact it was a very good and entertaining read.  I sat down and read it straight through as I just wanted to know what would come next. The characters have depth and you feel for them as they make their way through their respective journeys in this book.  Undead Drive-Thru begins with a bang and ends just a dramatically.  Very well done of this author.

I give it 4 out of 5 stars because I really did enjoy this read.  You can find this book on amazon  HERE at the fantastic price of $5.99 for the Ebook version or $9.99 for the paperback version. 

ctny

End of Nano 2011

Yes, I survived Nano, and with a few lovely badges as well, which you can find HERE.  Aren’t they lovely?  So you are all now wondering how did it go?  Well, it went.  What I have found out about Nano is that yes I can write 50,000 in 30 days, but the writing isn’t wonderful.  As the goal of Nano is to just write, don’t revise or correct along the way, I now have quite the revision ahead of me.  But, I do know most of the areas that need some work as well as the areas that need more explanation.  I found that I spent a lot of my time making notes to myself such as:  “Chapter 7 is icky.  Go back and rework….or…Relationship with Lucas, so not feeling it.  Go back and add.  Seriously, I have a page and a half of notes like that to myself.  Oh the revision I am dreading. 

The story however, is pretty good.  So far.  Lots of new character and lots of action and quite the ending even if it is me saying so.  However, I am not touching that draft until January 1^st..er 5^th actually.  For now, I am catching up on my reading and all the administrative stuff that goes with being a freelance writer (loads of it..yeesh!)

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On a separate note, look to the right of my blog and you will see, yep, the new and lovely cover for Shadow Warrior.  Isn’t it beautiful?  You can look for it around January 15, 2012.  I will confirm the release date as we get closer as well as provide links to where to find it. 

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Lastly, my latest contribution to an anthology is out.  If you would like to check it out, you can find it HERE.  It’s a cute little evil story.