Progress is Being Made

I started at 9am this morning putting the brown base coat on the front of the house. Mom and Dad arrived at 11:30am. Dad got all the high places I could not reach, Mom cut in where she could reach standing on the ground. We finished the garage front, lower part and called it a day. It was after 4pm. Dad went on to power wash the south side and part of the west side of my house.

I had cousins arrive about 5pm. They took the tour of the  house to see all the improvements. Then we went to a local place called Jerry's Joint for burgers. It was a good end to a very productive day.

Tomorrow I begin cutting in the front of the house with the yellow and rolling it. I want this house to sell. I can also finish the north side of the garage with the yellow. Mom has most of it cut in. I wouldn't be this far without them.

TTFN

This is Where I'm At

I have been getting my house ready for sale. Since August I have had the help of an old friend. He has decided he has better things to do, so I am left with painting the outside of the house. It will be yellow when I am done. 

I have a bathroom to paint, but am not concerned I have painted it twice since I've lived here. Once more will be no big deal.

I am hosting a painting party in a couple of weeks but hope to have more of the base coat painted before that happens. I am off today to buy an extension cord for the power washer and I'm going to finish some of that. I'll need a new hose but am going as far as this one will let me go. Tomorrow or later today I'll start the base coat as high as I can reach. Some work is better than no work.

Keeping busy.

TTFN

Another Big Announcement

The staff at Blue Harvest Creative...my official book cover artists have a promotional for all their authors.

Follow this link for more information:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CAEmn3CQCws&feature=youtu.be

Be sure to join in the fun and games.

TTFN

Cover Reveal: Gypsy of Spirits by Bestselling Author Katie Jennings

My writer friend Katie Jennings is revealing her new book cover today.  This is Katie.

Here is her book cover:

Here's what Katie has to say:

International Bestselling Author Katie Jennings has been hard at work on a hauntingly romantic novel entitled So Fell the Sparrow, due out November 21^st of this year! However, before the main novel releases, she will debut a prequel short story called Gypsy of Spirits, which poetically highlights one of the main characters and offers an exclusive sneak peek of So Fell the Sparrow.

This is the stunning cover for Gypsy of Spirits, available in eBook on September 21^st!

WOW

It's a happening kind of day. I get to release the cover for a book coming out of my friend, Ashley Fontaine's publishing company. One I am excited to read. You had to have been a kid in November, 1963 to remember how devastated our nation was with the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. To be the man who arrested Lee Harvey Oswald would have been a major  coup.

Then I have an early morning radio interview with Bob Krejcarek at WLDY AM talk radio out of Ladysmith, WI. An interview that ran for thirty minutes instead of the ten to fifteen I was expecting.

Now I'm off to start my real day, if there is such a thing. Trip to Mom and Dad's to see if I can snatch some of Dad's paintings for my house. Race back home to work on said house. Maybe if I'm lucky get some writing in on Sanctuary which has been grossly neglected this month.

TTFN

Check This Out

New book cover release today.

It is a rare event when you are fortunate enough to be a part of releasing a piece of history to the public. My publishing imprint, RMSW Press, falls into that category. While conducting research for a historical novel I am currently working on, a chance meeting took place with Daisy McDonald, the widow of former Dallas Police Officer Maurice N. “Nick” McDonald.  Mr. McDonald had written his memoirs about how his life was impacted from the moment he arrested Lee Harvey Oswald at a movie theater in Dallas. Sadly, Mr. McDonald passed away in 2005 and his heartfelt, 300+ page story sat unread inside a thick binder.

I met Daisy McDonald in Hot Springs, Arkansas in April of 2013 after a speaking/fact finding engagement. After the meeting, she approached me with questions about my experiences in publishing. We immediately hit it off and talked several times over the course of the next few weeks when she offered me the unimaginable: she wanted RMSW Press to publish her husband’s work.

So, it is with humility, thankfulness and a sense of duty to honor one of Mr. McDonald’s dying wishes that I bring to you the amazing cover (designed by the team of professionals at Blue Harvest Creative) for Mr. McDonald’s novel, Oswald & I, as well as the book trailer. Look for the paperback and ebook on Amazon, Barnes&Noble and Kobo November 2013.

INSERT PICTURE HERE

Book trailer:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WTxIa2eHO2U

We've Made Our Debut

Lilac Publishing has released its first book Crossing the Line by Rebecka Vigus. The book came out on April 29, 2013.

We now have an official presence on Facebook. You can find us at:  https://www.facebook.com/LilacPublishing

Be sure to check us out.

Nominated for Liebster Award

I've been nominated for a Liebster Award for my blog. First let me thank Jessica Peterson who nominated me. You'll find her at :http://mamajess66.blogspot.ca/

Now let me explain the Liebster Award. The Liebster award is given to up and coming bloggers who have less than 200 followers.  What is a Liebster?  The meaning: Liebster is German and means sweetest, kindest, nicest, dearest, beloved, lovely, kind, pleasant, valued, cute, endearing, and welcome.

Here are the rules for receiving this award:
1. Each person must post 11 things about themselves.
2. Answer the questions that the tagger set for you plus create 11 questions for the people you’ve tagged to answer.
3. Choose 11 people and link them in your post.
4. Go to their page and tell them.
5. No tag backs!

Here are the 11 questions from Jessica:

1. What is your favourite day of the week? Don't have a favorite...so any day I'm at the beach.
2. What is your favourite TV show?  NCIS
3. Out of all your family members, who are you closest to? My daughter
4. What is one thing you are grateful for today?  I'm most grateful for the people who bring love and laughter to my life.
5. Who is the one person you've lost contact with over the years and wish you could get in touch with? My childhood best friend, Patty Pettinger. I have no idea where she might be today.
6. Do you believe in marriage? Yes
7. Salty or Sweet? Sweet
8. What is one of the most beautiful/amazing things you've ever been a witness to? The births of my two youngest grandchildren.
9. What is one thing you've done to help make a stranger's day better?  Bought the meal for the car behind me at McDonald's.
10. If you had one wish for the world, what would it be? To sell my house quickly and find the perfect new home in South Carolina.
11. What made you start blogging? It started as a way to get my name known as a writer. Now I do it because I enjoy it.

Here are 11 things about me:
1. I am a retired special education teacher.
2. I have just published my fifth novel and seventh book.
3. I prefer rural areas to cities.
4. My favorite flowers are lily of the valley and yellow roses.
5. I have four wonderful grandchildren.
6. I hate housework.
7. I love the beach.
8. I'm hoping to relocate to South Carolina.
9. I've opened my own publishing company.
10. I believe in faeries.
11. Age is only a number....some days I am 30 other days I know I'm 130.

These are the people I've chosen for this award.
1. Jen Evans http://dreamsofalostgirl.blogspot.com/2011/12/family-is-not-always-blood-related.html
2. Jamie Kline http://ajksrant.blogspot.com/
3. Pastor Tim http://ofmusicandpancakes.blogspot.com/
4. http://whilethecoffeebrews.blogspot.com/2013/05/may-photo-day-day-16-mailbox.html#comment-form
5. Traci http://tmcanadawrites.blogspot.com/
6. http://www.mauijungalow.com
7. Mallory http://goingvegan1.blogspot.com/
8. Cariann McCready http://curtainjourney.blogspot.com/
9. Ros http://www.genwestuk.blogspot.co.uk/
10. Dani http://nfromn.blogspot.com/
11. Nadica http://adaydreamersmusings.blogspot.com

Here are my 11 questions for you.
1. What prompted you to start a blog?
2. Have you written any books?
3. Have the books been published? Traditional or Indie?
4. Do you have a favorite place to write?
5. What is your biggest dream?
6. What prevents you from writing?
7. If money were no object, what would you do?
8. Do you have a dream vacation spot?
9. What gets you motivated?
10. Do you have a favorite genre of novel to read? If so, which one?
11. What is the best part of your life?

TTFN

I hope I won't regret this

I have just signed up for JuNoWriMo. Having done NaNoWriMo a couple of times and succeeded I thought it might be time for something different. 

My third novel in the Macy McVannel series: Sanctuary, needs a jumpstart. I am close to having the house ready to list, so I should be able to type out 50,000  words in a month. 

Anyone looking to join me on this adventure please do. The following link will take you there:  http://junowrimo.com/about-us/a-30-day-writing-adventure/  Don't put it off. Get started. Make a commitment to your writing. 

If I can get Santuary finished, I'll be doing rewrites and edits to get it ready to go to reviewers. I need four months to get to the reviewers I need. So the plan would be to get it sent out by August and into publication by possibly December or early January, 2014. 

Wish me luck, I'll try to keep you posted on my progress.

TTFN

And Now I Wait

I have been working since February to get Lilac Publishing launched. My setup crew came up with a wonderful layout and a superb cover. I thank Blue Harvest Creative every day for the work they have done on my behalf.

I have my NOOK Press account set up. Crossing the Line is available for NOOK. You can find it here:
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/books/1115241166?ean=2940016699332

I have my KDP account set up. I did not go exclusive for ninety days with them however, Crossing the Line is available for Kindle. You can find it here:  http://www.amazon.com/Crossing-Line-McVannel-Mysteries-ebook/dp/B00CLH18PQ/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1367804598&sr=8-2&keywords=rebecka+vigus

However you cannot yet find the print copy. I am waiting on Lightning Source to give my account the final approval. I have been working with their application department since March. I still am not approved. I only plan to put out two books a year. I am wondering if that is the issue.

Meanwhile I have several readers anxiously awaiting the print version. Have I mentioned I hate waiting? You will find me pacing between the things I'm working on. Ugh.
TTFN

Bedroom Before and After

I thought I'd done a great job...now I know I didn't.
Bedroom when I finished it the first time.

While the bed was centered, the wall art wasn't. The art also got lost on the wall.

Preparing to paint.

And now the finished bedroom. Look at the difference in the focus wall now.

And one more to show the contrasting walls.

So, the A-Z Blogging challenge for 2013 is done and it that time I have finished two rooms. Not without the help of Randy Benner who put in the laundry room floor, painted walls, and built the frame around my wall art. Yes, we have lots more to do, but for now, I am pleased with what is done.

TTFN