Community Colleges, Contests and Just Stuff

Its been awhile since I've posted one so...here's another Meghan painting.

Want to help me out? Question of the day: What word would you use to describe the sound a scissors make cutting denim?

CONTEST
VI contest will be running from February 15th through March 13th.To enter the random drawing just leave a comment at downtownya.blogspot.com. It can be as simple as hello.And... send an email to sandracox1@gmail.com. In the header write VI Contest.The winner will receive an autographed copy of Vampire Island and a pair of vampire red and hissss silver earrings. Only one entry per person please.

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For those of you are thinking of furthering your education but unsure where to start, Dr. Ralph Soney has joined us today to talk about one option that is growing by leaps and bounds in this depressed economy: communities colleges. Dr. Soney is President of Roanoke-Chowan Community College in Ahoskie, NC. Welcome Dr. Soney.

The Advantage of Community Colleges

Community Colleges are uniquely American in origin. No institution represents opportunity, hope and equality on the same level as the community college. The name itself provides insight into the focal point of these special institutions. There are approximately 1200 community colleges across the United States and they all focus on providing a tailored educational experience that can meet the need of mostly any citizen that attends.

Community colleges can be the gateway to students wanting to gain a higher education credential like a bachelor’s degree by providing transferable degrees and courses for the first two years of a college education. For individuals wanting to learn a marketable skill that provides them entry into the workforce without spending years at the college or university level, the community college is a great place to start. Most of the registered nurses and health care technicians that an individual encounters when seeking medical care have been educated and trained at community colleges. The majority of emergency workers, whether they be police, fire or EMS/EMT workers have also received their credentials at the community college.

Community colleges also serve the basic literacy needs for adults through basic skills and GED programs. Immigrants seeking to assimilate to American culture and become productive and functioning workers find that the English as a Second Language (ESL) programs at most community colleges are more than adequate at giving them the skills and tools they need to succeed.

It would not be an overstatement to say that the average community college is all things to all people when it comes to education.

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Can You Come Out and Play?

Crocuses, Contest and Vampires

I'm so excited. After all the cold weather and snow we've had lately, look what I discovered in the backyard.

CONTEST

VI contest will be running from February 15th through March 13th.To enter the random drawing just leave a comment at downtownya.blogspot.com. It can be as simple as hello.And... send an email to sandracox1@gmail.com. In the header write VI Contest.The winner will receive an autographed copy of Vampire Island and a pair of vampire red and hissss silver earrings. Only one entry per person please.

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Vampires

They frighten and fascinate. For years vampires were the stereotypical black caped, coffin variety that could turn into a bat and fly away at a moments notice, outlined against the moon. These vamps had fangs that sucked their victims’ blood and secreted venom. They only came out at night, because they fried in the sunlight. Humans were nothing but a food source. And even though we feared and loathed them, they still held us enthrall.

Today that has changed. Vampires come in all varieties. Not only are there the badass villain-vamps, but there are now hero vamps that we love and lust for. Vamps that protect frail humans. We have Angel from the Buffy series, Nora Robert's Ciane,and Stephanie Meyer's phenom Edward to name a few. The new vamps can be out during the day as long as it’s overcast. And Edward doesn't have the classic fangs. He has regular teeth though they are still laced with venom.

Vampire Island has classic villain vampires and the pranic variety. The pranics can be good or bad and instead of sucking blood, suck energy from their victims. The good pranics know when to stop before they do serious damage. Like their counterparts, pranics operate best at night. That is when their energy level is at its highest and their vision at its best. Sunlight burns their skin.

Given the wide scope of vampires, who are some of your favorites? Which vampire do you loathe? Which do you love?

Moonlight Lace and Mayhem

Greetings,
I'm blogging this week at Moonlight, Lace and Mayhem in the YA room. If you get an opportunity, please stop by and chat.
http://mlmya.blogspot.com/2010/02/ya-author-spotlight-presents_15.html

Vampire Island

Release date: February 15, 2010 at Class Act Books, http://www.classactbooks.com/ in paper or e.
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Blurb:
My name is Zoe Tempest. Just let me say here that I never had any intention of becoming a vampire hunter. My world revolved around the trendiest clothes, texting, shopping and the boy of the week.
My life was as close to perfect as a seventeen year old can get. Then my parents were murdered and my world came crashing down.
After the funeral I went to live with my uncle Julian Kilmer. That's when everything changed in a manner more terrifying than anything I could have imagined.
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Excerpt:

“Don’t go out after dark.”

“You’re joking right?” I said the first thing that came into my head then heaved a sigh from deep in my flat, toned belly. In the short twenty-some odd hours I’d known him, the dark brooding man standing in front of me had never cracked a smile let alone joked. Too bad, for an older man—he’s thirty-seven if he’s a day—Uncle Julian is a bit of a hottie…in an intense sort of way. His olive-colored skin stretches tight across high cheekbones. His thin nose reminds me of a predatory hawk.

I really couldn’t say a thing about his eyes. I’d never seen them. He invariably wears dark glasses.

“I never joke.”

There’s a news flash.

We stood in the dark gloomy hall of his mansion. As thunder boomed, the lights flickered. Moment’s later a streak of white lightning, visible through the long narrow window, hit nearby. The floor shook. Outside something screamed in the night. Though the room felt hot and stuffy, goose bumps roughened my skin. I rubbed my arms.

He leaned toward me. His shadow loomed menacingly across the floor engulfing me in black. Before I could stop myself, I took a hasty step back and bumped against the door. The cool knob pressed into my back. He might be my uncle, but he was a stranger and a scary one at that.

With his index finger, he pulled down the sunglasses and looked over them. I gasped. His eyes were the same distinctive cobalt as my own. But where my eyes only added to my Barbie doll appearance, his sucked you in like a vortex. As if he could suction every thought right out of your head just by looking at you.

Get a grip, Zoe.

A trace of unease flickered across his face. “You aren’t sick are you?”

“No. What makes you think that?”

“You’re white as a sheet. Goose bumps are standing up on your arms like a plucked turkey.”

Being a vegetarian, the mental image wasn’t exactly a pleasant one. I gathered my courage and asked “Why can’t I go out?”

“Because I said so.”

I barely refrained from rolling my eyes.

He shifted his weight, his expression impatient. The silence stretched between us.

Cold clammy beads of sweat trickled between my shoulder blades. I twitched my shoulders. “Well?” I demanded fisting my hands on my hips.

“Because it’s dangerous,” he said curtly.

“What do you mean?”

He raised a black slashed eyebrow. “What about dangerous don’t you understand?”

I watched his gaze travel over my hot pink top and short white skirt. When his glance came to rest on my manicured toenails visible in my pink polka dot sandals with rhinestone bows, he shook his head his expression dismissive. I shouldn’t have let it bother me. I was used to being looked at like an empty-headed blonde who’s only thought was her wardrobe. I even encouraged it. But it hurt coming from family. If he’d been around while I was growing up, he’d have known better.

“This is the Bahamas. How dangerous can it be?” I challenged, straightening my shoulders and lifting my chin. Why should I care what this man thinks of me?

“This is a remote, unknown, island in the Bahamas.” He flicked an imaginary piece of lint off his black silk shirt.

“Does this remote island have a name?”

His cobalt gaze locked with mine. The deep black flecks in them flickered like crashing tidal waves. “Vampire Island.”

Contest: VI contest will be running from February 15th through March 13th.
To enter the random drawing just leave a comment at downtownya.blogspot.com. It can be as simple as hello.
And send an email to sandracox1@gmail.com. In the header write VI Contest.
The winner will receive an autographed copy of Vampire Island and a pair of vampire red and hissss silver earrings. Only one entry per person please.

Sunday at the Movies

Its 'Sunday at the Movies' at downtownya.blogspot.com. There are some fun YA book trailers up. If you have an interest, please stop by.

Okay the bags have it for the cats. Me I prefer chocolate and a good book.

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Want to read a hot romance and help a good cause at the same time. Try Amarinda Jone's Pet Me. The proceeds go to the Martha Punches scholarship fund.

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"How come you to have a cat? Is she your slave like man's dog?" Seth asked Terra the healer.
Sasha jumped to her feet, arched her back, her thick fur sticking straight out and hissed, "I am no slave. The human is mine."
Seth felt his eyes cross. "I don't understand. How can you own a human?"
"She loves me, therefore I own her," Sasha responded. ODIN CATS

Cat Burglar...Seriously

No Cat--short for Catastrophe--doesn't steal anything. He just breaks in. Apparently, none of his pals have told him B and E is a crime and can get you incarcerated.

I've had cats that can open french doors. Piece of cake. Just put their paw on that long handle and push down. Wa-la the door opens. But this one amazes me. We have wooden doors fronted by storm doors front and back. When we are at home, we don't always shut them securely. If they aren't secured and locked, Cat has figured out how to open both the front and back door. Kinda woo-woo stuff.

What has your pet done that's taken you by surprise?

'Oh, Seth, you look so handsome today. You are becoming so big and strong. Would you care to take a walk in the catnip garden?' Female cat in heat. ODIN CATS

Snow and Red Birds

When I got home today our feeders were filled with birds: Juncos, Chickadees, Carolina Wrens, Nuthatchers, etc. But what always catches my eyes are the Cardinals. I always try to count them. They of course don't cooperate. I'll get almost to my goal and they realign themselves. They all take turns at the feeder so everyone is in constant motion. I did count seventeen males today. So including their significant others there were probably about three dozen Cardinals in the backyard, looking like a painting against the winter white.

Julia Barrett, author extraordinaire shares my love for Cardinals. What about you. What's your favorite bird?