Blog Crawl???

Tried something new tonight. A blog crawl on Twitter. Okay, let's start with I am not Twitter savvy. I don't use it on my phone, I use it on my computer, usually for posting my blogs. I only check  it when I get a notification someone is following me or commented on a tweet. So, poured my frozen strawberry daquiri and joined in.

It was a  bit disjointed. Someone suggested I use Tweet Deck...not a clue what it is. Doubt it's on my computer.  I ended up hopping from my home page to the blog crawl.

We were given a silly topic to write about. Synchronicity featuring skinny dipping and  a proud moment (non-family related). Ugh, never been skinny dipping so cannot begin to write about it and most of my proud moments are family related. Think I'll pass on the topic altogether.

Was not getting  all the tweets of members of the group which made it even more difficult. Not sure why it happened but it did. As far as I knew there were only two other people particitpating. A gentleman from Canada and another author. Imagine my surprise to find out there were many others and the conversation was quite lively.

While this was a learning experience, I would try it again. It was interesting to say the least.
TTFN

Already Planning & a Challenge

Several years ago my daughter did a daily photo blog. She called it her 365 day project. Each day she took a photo or found an old one of something special to her. Since I am going to be snowbound this winter, I have decided I'm going to try for a photo a day and blog about it.

Some days might just be photos and some days might be photos and an explanation. Some will be good photos and some will not. Some will be though provoking, some will make you laugh, some will do absolutely nothing for you...but the will do something for me.

However I am making a challenge to all my friends and followers. Can you take a photo a day? Will it be something that reflects your life, where you live, or just inspires you? Will any of you take up the challenge? If you do, please let me know your blog link so I can follow along.

Happy picture taking.
TTFN

Huge Leap of Faith

I took a leap of faith and offered another writer a contract with Lilac Publishing. Her book won't be out until next year. We have a lot of editing to do. I want her to be a smashing success. She has planned at least one other book in this series.

Now I have to wait for her to read through the contract and decide if it is something she wants to work with. She is an unknown to me, but I believe she has potential.

I have also hired someone to read through it, ask questions, make comments, and in general pick it apart. So, really two things have happened today. I have out sourced and am actually contracting for work. AND, I've offered a contract to an author.  Big steps for a small company.

I believe everyone has to start somewhere. I have procrastinated making both of these decisions. I've been holding out for another author whose book is close to being finished. I cannot hold out forever if I truly wish to be a publisher.

The next thing will be to contract out and get a website for Lilac Publishing. One I can connect to my authors with and give people another place to purchase author books. That will mean business cards for Lilac Publishing as well as letterhead.

Did someone forget to tell me I'd retired? What am I thinking????

TTFN

Lost My Motivation

I have just the main bathroom to paint and put down a floor.

These are shots of the floor.

I am not a pink person and this floor has made me crazy long enough. Even scrubbed it looks dirty. Ugh.

Then we have the walls.

Yes, they are different colors. 

As you can see hardware is off the walls, I have washed them. I just need to start painting. Today, I cannot make myself do it. It is the last room in the house and it needs to be done. Then I will allow myself to go back to packing up stuff I am not using. (Which also means finding more stuff for a moving sale). 

Oh, wait, someone has to come look at the house before they can buy it. Then they have to like the house. The only thing progressing on my house is my painter comes around 3 o'clock most afternoons and works until 8 or 9 pm. So the outside of the house is progressing. 

Just feeling down in the dumps I guess.

TTFN

Here We are in August

How did we get here? I am still frustrated at not having my house sold. I know it's only been a month.

We have made great strides on painting the outside of my house. I have hired someone to finish it. He starts this week. I have torn apart the main bathroom and am busy getting it ready to paint. 

I have to take a break on house stuff tomorrow to mow the lawn. I will spend about two to four hours on that. But it will look better when it's done.

I went to South Carolina to look at a couple of houses. I really thought I'd be putting in an offer on one of them. I was wrong. I did however come back with a game plan for the next trip down. I'm going to spend a week and look at houses and condos every day. I'm making a list of what I must have and them I'm going to look at the pros and cons of each. I am really not a condo person, having grown up in rural areas, I'm not fond of city life.

In the meantime, I work on the house and pack up things I'm not using. No one said this was going to be easy.

TTFN

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