When the Government is Out of Control

I am angry. My anger is directed at Mylan Pharmaceuticals. Let me explain what has happened.
Last year about this time AviQ an alternative to the Epi-Pen was pulled from the market. It happened because there was a flaw in the dispensing system, preventing the correct amount of medication from being dispensed when needed. This left Mylan's Epi-Pen the sole provider for allergy emergencies.

I carry a dual Epi-Pen, because my reactions are so severe I could need two shots before I can get to an ER. Most of the time, mine out date and are never used. Knowing they are in my purse takes a bit of stress out of my life.

Recently Mylan has raised the price of a single Epi-Pen by 400%. Since it only takes $1.75 to make a pen, I have a hard time swallowing the fact they now want to charge between $400 and $600 per pen. I know children who have come close to dying because of bee stings and no Epi-Pen was available. Should one of my many food allergens end up in my food by mistake, I could be at risk of death. I will not pay that kind of money for two reasons: 1) I don't have the kind of money they are asking. Because the price quoted is after the insurance pays. 2) I don't have the kind of money to spend on something which will out date and never get used.

I feel for families who are struggling in the current economy, this is going to devastate them. The last time I had an allergic reaction to something the PA who was my primary care almost killed me. I can't risk that happening. My allergies are severe and life threatening. We don't even know what caused the last reaction. Which to me is even scarier.

If that weren't bad enough, the CEO of Mylan Pharmaceuticals announced yesterday she was getting an $18million dollar raise. Well, not from me. I will boycott her company. I am leaving orders for my pharmacist that if the only place I can get meds is from Mylan, I will go without. She is a greedy bitch.

I hope she is IRS audited. It is my understanding Congress is looking into this, however at the rate Congress actually does anything productive, I will be dead and gone before it is resolved. This is nothing more than greed and is allowed by a corrupt government. Not getting into politics. No one in the last 8 years has done anything to improve my life. But they sure have managed to tax me to death. I will not stand for this kind of blatant greed.

TTFN

Just in Case You Missed it.

In case you missed my take over of Shelley Wilson-Author's blog here's the link.

https://blueharvestcreative.wordpress.com/2016/08/19/guest-post-writing-and-creativity-by-author-rebecka-vigus-writerslife/

It's Coming!!!!!

Don't miss The Big Blue Blog Takeover featured on Shelley Wilson's award-winning blog now through September 1st!

Link to blog: https://shelleywilsonauthor.com/

#Books #GuestPosts #AuthorInterviews #FridayBookShare

On the Dawn of Our Nation's Birth

I've pondered a few things today...I know scary thought. The world I grew up in is gone. The world my daughter grew up in is gone. Our entire world changed with the attacks on the World Trade Center.

At the time we pulled together as a Nation, believing in United we stand. I don't feel real united at the moment. I feel our government is out of control. Congress--House and Senate are living high on the hog at our expense. We have no one truly worthy running for President. And Obama Care or as I call it Obama Doesn't Care has not helped anyone but those who were not working to begin with. We now have more people on welfare than we ever have.

Welfare is NOT a career choice, however our government is using it to control the people it governs. I'm not saying there are no people who need help. There are more than you know. We need to find our roots. Every family should have a garden for fresh vegetables not infected by Monsanto. We should share our bounty with family and friends. If everyone grew something different, we could trade off.

I'm all for planting my lawn with fruit, vegetables, and flowers. I'm also willing to share. I know there are people who need it. I'm one person, I could make a difference to someone. Just think if we all did this...we could change lives.

We need to give teachers the respect they deserve. They spent four years learning how to be the best they could be. They spend summers and evenings during the year taking classes to stay abreast of new things to teach your children. Think about it, if it weren't for teachers, there would be no doctors, lawyers, bankers, Wall Street brokers, Congress, Senate, President, Justices...no one would have a job. Teachers think out of the box. They spend hours trying to reach the unreachable child so he/she gets the education they need to be a productive adult. Test scores don't give you a full picture of any child. I know children who were awesome artists who did not do well on standardized tests. But the tests where one week out of their lives and they measured ability...NOT.

I have a friend on Facebook who is posting the number of deaths in Chicago this weekend. I have lost count, but the last post I read said two officers were injured when someone threw a firecracker at a patrol car. What have we come to? Instead of trying to improve things, we are killing each other and those who serve and protect us. Yes, I know there are bad police officers. They are thankfully in the minority. But, we have bad teachers, bad doctors, seriously bad politicians. When did we stop seeing each other as people with potential?

Deep pondering for someone who is not adulting today or tomorrow. It makes me wonder how we can change things? How can we become a "kinder, gentler nation." I spend Mondays from 9-1 reaching out to help those who want help. What about those who don't know how to ask for help? I work with a marvelous group of people with deep Christian roots, who believe no one gets ahead if you don't reach out. We have many success. We have those who give up on themselves or cannot overcome the obstacles in their lives.

We need to educate ourselves so we don't repeat the mistakes of the past. We need to demand our Congress and President uphold the Constitution our forefathers fought so bravely for. We need to start looking out for each other. We need to be vigilant--not vigilanties. Lawlessness is uncalled for. We need to support those who protect us, police, fire fighters, service personnel. We need to report suspicious activities. It's time to get involved. We can't sit back and do nothing.

Now, I think I've done enough pondering for one day. I'm going to turn in. Tomorrow I tackle some personal things I've been neglecting. I can return to adulting on Tuesday.

Happy 4th of July!!! May God Bless America.

Friday Night in the Hood

For those who don't know, I was not told when I bought my house it was a  habitat house. I would not have purchased it if I had known. While they started this neighborhood in 1997, my house was not built until 2003. It's not a bad house if you like neighborhoods, I don't. So, tonight I see police lights flashing in my front yard. I decide to see what is going on. The following are the photos I took from the front porch.

This is looking down Yost  Lane from my house. In the first photo there were at least twenty police cars and I watched the fire truck pull in. Then I grabbed my phone. The second one is across from my house and someone was trying to find out what was going on. One woman had parked her car across the road and walked to her house with her groceries as they were not letting people drive down the road. The third one is also in front of my house, by this time the ambulance and four police cars have made and exit. The fire truck was making its way toward leaving.

Someone on the street said they thought it was a hostage situation. It was not. We were the  Breaking News at 11pm. Three boys were walking down Yost Lane at about 9pm when a car slowed down and fired two shots before speeding away. One sixteen year old boy was taken to the hospital with a non-life threatening injury.  Yes, folks, he was shot.

I am feeling safer with the new alarm system, however this is not the way I want to live. Am seriously rethinking where I want to live. 

A police car just drove through the neighborhood. I believe it is going to be a very long summer.

TTFN

So Much to Catch up On.

Let's start with June 3rd, on my way to Michigan I stopped to see my great nephew, Teddy.

 I caught him at work helping out his mom. It was also time for a bottle so I got to feed him. Love his cuddles.

June 5th my two granddaughters, Megan Kline and Jime Bejas graduated high school.

This is Megan before graduation...her plans are to attend CMU and study neuro science. Long term goal is to be a neuro surgeon.

Here are my two girls together. Jime left on June 27th to return to her family in Argentina. We miss her already. She has to finish her high school down there, then she can go on to her future.

I also got to spend time with Mike.

At graduation and her open house the following weekend.

This was before graduation but we had some 'us' time, too.

Then it was on to the Ann Arbor Book Fest with Blue Harvest Creative.

It was awesome. Hot so I drank a lot of water. We sold 51 books in five hours. Met a lot of people and did some great networking. Fantastic success.

I have returned home to plants gone wild.

My money tree needed a new pot. While you can't tell it is three feet high.

I have also learned Next Steps Johns Island, the organization I volunteer for is no longer having fund raisers. Too much apathy here on the island. Sad, when we are trying to bring the islands together as a community. But, there are big things still happening.

Time to find my routine and get back to being busy. Office room paint has been purchased and is ready to go. Accent wall paint in my dining room has been purchased and is ready to go. Mirrors are ready to go up so I can unpack tea pots. It's starting to come together.

Oh, the first addition to the fairy garden has gone out.

Lily of the valley have been planted and well watered as it has rained the past two days. Not complaining, just wish the humidity would go away.

Hope y'all are well.

TTFN

Book Review Time

I was lucky enough to receive this book from C. Hope Clark for review purposes. Once again she has created lovable characters while bringing in the rich history of the low country.

Edisto Island is south of me, I've not been to Edisto, but believe it will be worth a trip. I love Calllie Lawton as a character. She is flawed and fighting her own demons while at the same time taking on the demons in Edisto. Her former years as a police officer, show she has not lost her touch. She knows how to root out the bad guys.

The twists and turns this story takes will keep you reading well into the wee hours. The parallels to Callie's personal life, make you second guess. I was unable to figure it out until Ms. Clark was ready to divulge the culprit. I was surprised it was not someone I had even suspected.

The question is will she nab him in time to save her friend?

A remarkable read and should be on your summer reading list.

Huge Book Sale May 27th to May 3

Many have read these, many more have not. Some will share this because they love them, other won’t because they don’t wish to inflict my books on people they care about. On the flip side of that, if you didn’t like them, share this to your enemies! Plenty of opportunity abounds for lovers and haters alike! Here is your chance to spread the love (or torture those you feel are deserving). All of my books are on sale in one way or another, so take advantage of it since I don’t do these often. The sale runs from today, May 27th thru Monday, May 30th

A New Beginning (short prequel) – FREE

In the War of Fire, death often heralds a new beginning…
Dragons, magic, and war are commonplace for sixteen year old Emallya. Though she longs for the simple life of hearth and home, some things are not meant to be.
Her dreams for the future are changed in a single night when battle breaches the walls of her home, and she finds her true calling. The innocent hopes of youth are cast aside as Emallya steps forward into a future she never imagined for herself.
*This is a short story within the Dragon’s Call world and includes a bonus peek into Embers at Galdrilene, the first Dragon’s Call book.

Get it FREE on Amazon

Embers at Galdrilene (Dragon’s Call book 1)

“A ray of light, a stain of shadow, shall endure to breathe life and death into the future”
The war between the Guardians and the Shadow Riders ended in total devastation. The final battle killed all the dragons and left nothing but fields of ash. A small clutch of dragon eggs was all that remained to provide hope for the future.
Five hundred years later, the ability to use magic is a death sentence and dragons are remembered as a curse. But the unhatched dragons sing for their riders…and six lives will be changed forever.
The elements of magic are drawn together as the dragons’ call leads them on a journey where they learn everything they’ve been taught to believe about magic and dragons is wrong.
With the last of the dragons and the world at stake, they will risk everything to heed the call.
But an evil from the past rises again. Shadow Dragons ride the dawn once more…

Get it for .99 on Amazon

Tears of War (Dragon’s Call book 2)

“Old things come again and new things surface.”
Faced with a looming war, the riders have no choice but to leave the safety of Galdrilene and reach out to the nations for help. But the Shadow Riders are doing the same and not all nations are opposed to their rule.
New discoveries are made, old wounds are reopened and betrayal hides among welcoming smiles.
As one nation begins to unravel it’s clear that some choices, even those made with the best of intentions, can have devastating consequences.

Get it for 1.99 on Amazon

Ashes and Spirits (Dragon’s Call book 3)

“The incomplete weave breeds the darkness…”
Presented with impossible odds, the Guardians struggle to hold against the Shadow Riders. While enemies from within are discovered and allegiances are formed, the losses mount.
As the war escalates, one Guardian may have to make the ultimate sacrifice to save all.

Get it for 1.99 on Amazon

Bound by Time -FREE

Time knows no bounds when you are tested to your limits…
Isobel Moore is looking forward to spending her summer break alone while her parents are overseas. But when she returns home from college she discovers it’s no longer the welcoming place it used to be…and that something sinister now resides within.
As Isobel begins to question her sanity, a mysterious neighbor moves next door with plenty of his own secrets…and Damien DeLuca has the uncanny ability to always show up when the unexplainable happens.
Now Isobel must unravel a past that tests her limits and everything she thought she knew—before the darkness kills her.
Get it for FREE on Amazon

Bound by Legend

When demons show up there will be hell to pay…
At nineteen Morgan has already faced more loss than she can handle and has more experience living on the street than she wants. Unable to do anything other than keep on the move in order to hide from the demons that hunt her, she guards her heart and emotions carefully. But when the demons start talking to her and calling her by a name from another life, things spiral beyond her control.
Lucian, an ancient dark angel who has seen his fair share of lives, is happy being a free agent until he’s assigned to Morgan. Determined to do everything on her own, she’s unlike any channel he’s ever met.
As the danger mounts and a demon prepares to open a gateway to the underworld, Morgan must find a way to overcome her past in order stop him. Offered what her heart desperately wants, and holding a key that will close the gate but open another, Morgan struggles find the strength to make the right choice.
Get it for .99 on Amazon 

 What people are saying about the Dragon’s Call books
The people that were happy:
“I thoroughly enjoy these books and feel anyone that love true Fantasy, full of magic and dragons, will enjoy these books. The characters are richly written and the storyline is addictive. The interaction between dragon and rider is some of the best Fantasy I’ve read. I love the relationships the author has developed between the two.”
“Took a well used genre (dragon riders) but added a new twist that had me struggling to put the book down. Real page turner that keeps you on your toes.”
“All 3 books are just wonderful. From start to finish it will keep on edge just waiting for what will come next. You won’t be disappointed!! These books have gotten me in trouble!! I couldn’t put it down, tried for work as a result!! Dragon Loves must read set. Looking forward to reading more books by this Author!!!”
And the people who weren’t happy:
“Very boring. ….”
“This book might take prize for overall, most cliche fantasy book Ive read this year.”

And those that are neither:
USA Bestseller List says, “Who are you?”
New York Times says, “This is a restraining order…”

The happy for the Bound series:
“Such a sweet, romantic and action packed story. From the onset, you’re drawn in and intrigued by everything going on. I never knew a window could be so menacing!”
“I have to say that I thoroughly enjoyed reading Bound by Time.”
“Amazing & intriguing story. From the very beginning I was drawn in & it never disappointed.”
The unhappy:
“The storyline was slow and uneventful with very little happening along the way.”
“Dull…”
“Hated main character.”

USA Bestseller lists says, “We still have no clue who you are.”

Writer Beware!!!!

You have written a book. Now you want it published. Do you query agents and see if you can get it into a traditional publisher. (Assuming you know the Big 6 in New York have 12 authors who get all their attention). Which means at least a two year or more wait. (James Patterson had 27 rejections on his first book. Chicken Soup for the Soul the first book had 47 rejections before being published). Or do you self-publish?

This is where you need to do your homework. There are ways to be an Indie Author and there are vanity presses. Here's how you know the difference:

  

    A Vanity Press:

     1. Charges you a ton of money

     2. Takes 80% of your royalties

     3. Might give you a 40% discount on your purchases

     4. Discounts your sales to Amazon and other wholesalers.

     5 Keeps you losing money

Small Presses:

     1. Offer you a contract

     2. Do NOT charge you up front money

     3. Take a portion of your royalties 40% to cover their expenses

     4. Will pay you royalties once you have made $20.

Indie Authors:

     1. YOU are the boss

     2. Have a great design team

     3. You pay for set up and book design

     4. 100% of your royalties are yours.

     5. Have your own logo

     6. Can be printed with your logo through Createspace.com with world wide distribution at NO COST to you.

Vanity Presses: Tate Publishing, Xlibris Publishing, Author House Publishing, Infinity Publishing these are the most widely known. There are dozens more. Check pred-ed.com under Publishers for a complete  list. Stay away from them. They are NOT interested in promoting you. They are out to make money from you.

Small Presses are good. You have no risk. The downfall is they come and they go. So, there's the risk.

Being an Indie Author is the best if you have a stellar design team. I can recommend one. A good design team will help with your branding. People will come to recognize your books by their covers. They will be stand out with the right team.

Please be wary when you enter the publishing ring.

TTFN

And the Rollercoaster Ride is Coming to an End

This man, my Dad, has gone through two surgeries for stents in his heart since last Friday. I am pleased to say, he is doing very well and will be transferred out of the Coronary Care Unit tomorrow.

It is looking good for him to come home on Friday.

On Sunday, May 15th, he will celebrate his 82nd birthday. And a belated Mother's Day with my sister and her family and my daughter and her family. While the festivities will be low key they will be a celebration.

I am looking forward to going home in June for two reasons now. To see my dad and to watch my granddaughter graduate from high school. Again low key on the celebrating, but it will be good to be home.

Thank you all for your prayers.

TTFN

When Life Becomes a Rollercoaster

Most days life runs smoothly. I'm a normal person who does normal things. But every now and then life throws me a curve ball. It came on Friday. With a message on my phone.

I'll start with my dad calling, oh wait it wasn't Dad. Mom's voice on the message telling me Dad had a heart attack and was in the hospital.

Mom, my granddaughter, Megan, and Dad, Aug. 8, 2014. We were at a family wedding.

The good news is Dad had two stents put in. He has one completely blocked artery. He needs two more stents probably on Tues. Expected to be back home by Friday.

In the meantime, my sister, Diane has been on site and keeping the rest of us informed. These are the times I hate being so far from home. I know it bothers Dean and Nancy both being so far away.

Sending prayers for God to watch over him. And trying to keep busy.

TTFN