Monday, October 31, 2011

Sunday, October 30, 2011

Pricing

Any Nora fans out there? Raise your hands. Mine is waving madly. Why do I ask? I got a notice from Amazon that she had a new book out. The prices:
Kindle 9.99
Paperback 9.60
I know we've talked about this before but I just don't get it. Doesn't this seem a little skewed to be selling the paper version cheaper than the e? As I'm sure you remember, when e first came on the scene, the mantra from every e publisher was--let's all say it together--'you can get an e book much cheaper than a paper book'. But that was e publishers, not the large publishing industries moving into the e trade.
I believe after everything settles, the prices will level out. Right now they fluctuate from publisher to publisher like daily gas prices. One of the reasons I believe prices will settle is that Amazon and Smashwords are leveling the playing field. Plus indie publishers are selling their books at a more reasonable price.
Any Eisler fans out there? I met him at RT a few years ago. Okay, I got my book signed. Meeting might be a slight exaggeration. Barry is a former CIA operative who now writes thrillers. He turned down a book deal with St. Martin's and opted to go with Amazon. He'll be out in both e and paper. The article I read said it took St. Martin's four months to send him a draft of the contract, whereas Amazon got him a contract immediately. Smart Amazon. It also quoted him as saying if there was a way to get his books to the readers that cost less and were delivered better and faster that's what he wanted.
'The times they are a changing'. I trust the publishing houses change with them.
~*~
Blogs of interest:
Amarinda Jones
Anny Cook
Julia Barrett

Saturday, October 29, 2011

Vegans and Sex Offenders

Have you been following the ex-Ohio teacher convicted in a student sex case?

Here's a quote I saw online from the Associated Press:
"Earlier testimony from a defense psychologist indicated that Schuler's medical and physical ailments combined with her vegan diet and use of alcohol and an antidepressant were a "perfect storm" that impaired her ability to tell right from wrong."

Say what?

I understand the use of alcohol and antidepressants but they lost me on vegan diets. What does being a vegan have to do with being a sex offender? This one's a head scratcher for me.
~*~
Blogs of interest:
Anny Cook
Amarinda Jones
Julia Barrett
Shelley Munro

Thursday, October 27, 2011

Pay It Forward

"There is nobody in this country who got rich on his own. Nobody. You built a factory out there—good for you.

"But I want to be clear. You moved your goods to market on the roads the rest of us paid for. You hired workers that the rest of us paid to educate...Part of the underlying social contract is you take a hunk of that and pay forward for the next kid who comes along." Elizabeth Warren

Wednesday, October 26, 2011

Night Writers

Showing a vid today on Alex the Parrot at Night Writers. If you've never heard of him, Alex was an amazing creature. He knew over one hundred words. The parrot was part of a thirty year study with animal psychologist Irene Pepperberg. He died in 2007. At the time of his passing, he was credited with having the intelligence level of a five year old human and the Link emotional level of a two year old.
If you haven't been by Night Writers lately we also have new members: Anny Cook, Beth Trissel, Vonnie Davis, Mary Montague Sikes, Jinny Baxter, Colleen Michaels, Robin Weaver and Nicole Green. They discuss everything from Calligraphy to Geekery. If you have an opportunity stop by and say hey.

Tuesday, October 25, 2011

Movie Night

We picked up pizza, chocolate kettle popcorn (OMG, delicious) and a couple of movies over the weekend. We saw Green Lantern. I usually enjoy the comic book action movies, but the previews for Green Lantern didn't interest me. I was pleasantly surprised. It turned out to be a fun, action movie. And Ryan Reynolds didn't look half bad in his green lantern costume:)

We also watched TRON, a good movie for gamers. My favorite two things about TRON. One: Bruce Boxleitner was in it. Anybody remember Scarecrow and Mrs. King? I've been a Boxleitner fan ever since. And two: it twice mentioned rescue. It was subtle, but the point was made.

Has anybody else seen these movies? What did you think?
~*~
Blogs of interest:
Anny Cook
Amarinda Jones
Julia Barrett

Monday, October 24, 2011

Hide N Go Seek

BLURB:


A twisted game of Hide’n Go Seek forces an unlikely alliance between a no-nonsense FBI agent and a search-and-rescue worker.

Celebrated search-and-rescue worker Kali Jordon has hidden her psychic abilities by crediting her canine partner Shiloh with the recoveries. But Kali knows the grim truth—The Sight that she inherited from her grandmother allows her to trace violent energy unerringly to victims of murder. No one knows her secret until a twisted killer challenges her to a deadly game of Hide'n Go Seek that threatens those closest to her.
Now she must rely on FBI Special Agent Grant Summers, a man who has sworn to protect her, even as he suspects there's more to Kali and Shiloh than meets the eye. As the killer draws a tighter and tighter circle around Kali, she and Grant find there's no place to hide.

Are her visions the key to finding the latest victim alive or will this cruel game of Hide’n Go Seek cost her…everything.


EXCERPT:

Twenty minutes later, Kali made her way to the kitchen. She fed Shiloh on the deck in the morning sunlight. Running her fingers through her shoulder-length hair, she remembered last night's painting. She headed to her studio to take a look. She'd almost reached it when apprehension washed over her.

The door was closed.

She never closed the door after painting. It wasn't good for the wet canvases, besides, the room only had a small window so the paint fumes built up fast. A frown wrinkled her forehead. Had she simply forgotten? She had been deadly tired last night.

Bolstering her courage, she pushed the door wide and flinched as the fumes rushed out almost stinging her nose. "Oh gross."

Holding her breath, Kali crossed to the window, shoving it as far open as it would go. Fresh air surged into the small space. She'd love a huge studio, except painting wasn't exactly a full time career for her – no matter how much she'd like it to be. It was a release for when depression and madness overcame her soul. Maybe later, when she no longer did rescue work, she could indulge her art as a creative hobby instead of as an outlet of pain and turmoil.

Walking around the easel, Kali stopped midstride.

The painting stood where she'd left it. With surreal and strangely enticing clarity, blacks and purples and browns popped off the canvas. Heavy paint splotched at places, then thinned and stretched across the top.

She stepped back and frowned. Up close, besides the heavy amount of paint, the picture resembled a distorted nightmare. Not surprising. Still, she caught a glimmer of an intentional design. She tilted her head and looked at it from a different angle. Nothing changed.

Sniffing the air, Shiloh ambled into the doorway.

Kali smiled down at the dog. "Not very sweet smelling, is it?"

She glanced back at the jumble of colors and stilled. There. She studied the abstract mess, letting the colors move and form to reveal the image hidden within.

Shivers slid over her spine.

Oh my God.

No way.

Kali blinked. It was.

There was no mistaking the image of a person buried under small bushes, civilization of some kind crouched on the horizon with a series of rough rock formations soaring behind the bushes.

"What the hell?" she whispered.

Kali was not a great artist, by any means. Blind escapism kept bringing her back to the process because it worked. She painted with wild abandon. The paint slapped on canvas with no thought discharged her emotions. For some reason it always worked.

And it always looked like shit.

This, on the other hand, was ingenious. Sure the subject matter was gruesome; however, given her volunteer work, not unexpected. Especially after finding the letter.

The artistic abandon was still there. The paint was so thick in spots the picture was almost three-dimensional. The terrain had depth and movement. The light was dark and terse, yet still shone with gruesome clarity—and way beyond her artistic abilities.

"It's fucking brilliant."

It was also scary as hell.

Contest info at bottom of post.


ABOUT THE AUTHOR:



Dale Mayer is a prolific multi-published writer. She's best known for Tuesday's Child, her romantic suspense novel that was one of the final four in the Kensington Brava/Romantic Times contest this last year. Besides her romantic suspense/thrillers, Dale also writes paranormal romance and crossover young adult books in several different genres. To go with her fiction, she also writes nonfiction in many different fields with books available on resume writing, companion gardening and the US mortgage system. She has recently published her Career Essentials Series in ebook format.





To find out more about Dale and her books, visit her at http://www.dalemayer.com. Or connect with her online with Twitter at www.twitter.com/dalemayer and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/dalemayer.author


Books by Dale Mayer:

Psychic Vision Series

Tuesday's Child

Hide'n Go Seek

Maddy's Floor- out soon

Young Adult Books


Dangerous Designs – Book I

Vampire in Denial – Book I of Blood Ties

Gem Stone Mystery Series- out soon

In Cassie's Corner- soon

Non-Fiction Books

Career Essentials: The Resume


Career Essentials: The Cover Letter


Career Essentials: The Interview


Career Essentials: 3 in 1


Contest: For a chance to win a download of Hide N Go Seek just leave a comment and your email address.

Amazon - http://www.amazon.com/paranormal-romantic-suspense-Psychic-ebook/dp/B005Y8538W/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1319322324&sr=8-3

Allromanceebooks.com - http://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-hide039ngoseekaparanormalromanticsuspense-624870-140.html

Smashwords - http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/98494

Sunday, October 23, 2011

Shoes


Whoever said shoes don't make the woman obviously hadn't talked to Cinderella.

Saturday, October 22, 2011

It Is


www.free-extras.com
It is what it is-----
Till it becomes what we make it

Friday, October 21, 2011

Tuesday's Child



BLURB:

What she doesn’t want…is exactly what he needs.

Shunned and ridiculed all her life for something she can’t control, Samantha Blair hides her psychic abilities and lives on the fringes of society. Against her will, however, she’s tapped into a killer—or rather, his victims. Each woman’s murder, blow-by-blow, ravages her mind until their death releases her back to her body. Sam knows she must go to the authorities, but will the rugged, no-nonsense detective in charge of tracking down the killer believe her?

Detective Brandt Sutherland only trusts hard evidence, yet Sam’s visions offer clues he needs to catch a killer. The more he learns about her incredible abilities, however, the clearer it becomes that Sam’s visions have put her in the killer’s line of fire. Now Brandt must save her from something he cannot see or understand…and risk losing his heart in the process.

As danger and desire collide, passion raises the stakes in a game Sam and Brandt don’t dare lose.

EXCERPT:

Lying in bed that night, Sam couldn’t sleep, her overwrought mind refused to let up. The tantalizing possibility that she was meant to do something with this gift worried the frayed edges of her mind. Depressed and unsettled she fell into a fitful sleep, her dreams dark and disjointed pieces of past visions.

Screams jarred her from a deep sleep. Confusion turned to fear when Sam realized the horrific sounds were coming from her own mouth. Even worse, she had no idea where she was.

Terror overwhelmed her. Her fingers spasmed in a death grip around a strange steering wheel as the car she drove careened further out of control. Still trying to toss off the remnants of sleep, Sam yanked hard on the wheel in a futile attempt to turn it. The mid-sized car plowed through a steel barricade to hang suspended in midair before plummeting to the rocks below. Screams ripped from her throat and she reefed on the useless steering wheel, helpless to stop the deadly impact. Her foot pounded on useless brakes. The front grill of the car crumpled and metal buckled upward. The car smashed into the first of the rocks below, snapping her forward into the windshield. Agonizing pain shattered her spine. Grinding metal, exploding glass and continuous crunching sounds filled the air as first the bumper flew off, then the rear window shattered outward. Twisted metal ripped and groaned, flying to land beside the crash site. The car tumbled, smashed on a huge rock, careened to the left and flipped end over end before coming to a hard landing on its wheels at the bottom of the cliff.

Then utter silence.

Sam trembled. Shock and pain pulsed through her veins even as her blood dripped out one beat at a time onto the shredded seat beside her. God, she didn’t want to die.

She wanted to live. Please, dear God.

Someone help!

Blood streamed over her face, her spine…where a shearing heat set off continuous stabbing pain. The steering wheel jammed into her ribs. The front dash had crumpled into a mess of twisted steel and plastic, the famous Mercedes emblem now hung drunk in mid air over the remains of the once beautiful cream leather seats.

Sam couldn’t feel her right arm. And wished she couldn’t feel her left. She closed her eyes, willing away the image of bone shards that had sliced through her sweater, a few loose strands of wool clinging to the ends. Heart wrenching sobs poured from her throat, tears coated her cheeks. She was alone. And dying.

A brilliant flash of light engulfed the car as the fuel from the pierced gas line flashed into flames. Heat seared her lungs and scorched her hair, the strands melting against the inside of her car window. Panicked, she screamed as flames licked at her feet, burning, and cooking the flesh right off her bones.

Agony. Pain. Terror.

A voice whispered through the blackness of her mind, so odd, so different it caught her attention. She strained to hear the words.

“Let go. It’s time to let go.”

Sam stared through the flames, stunned. Let go of what? She couldn’t hear over the roaring fire and could barely see, but knowing that someone was there stirred her survival instinct, and she started fighting against the seatbelt jammed at her side. She was saved. Just another minute and they’d open the door and pull her free. She’d be fine.

“Please hurry,” she cried out.

“Let go. You don’t need to be in there. Let it all go, and come with me.”

She peered through the golden orange windshield to see a strange male face peering at her through the flames.

He smiled.

“Come with me.”

“I want to, damn it. Can’t you see I’m trapped?” she screamed, her vocals crisping in the heat.

“Release yourself. Come with me. Say yes.”

The pain hit a crescendo. She twisted against it, hearing her spine splinter. The car seat melted into her skin. So much pain, she couldn’t breathe. Blackness crowded into her mind, blessed quiet, soothing darkness. She reached for it.

“Let it go. You don’t need to go through this. Hurry.”

She started. Why wasn’t he opening the door or getting others to help? He should be trying to save her. Shouldn’t he? Sam, so confused and so tired, she could barely feel the pain overtaking her body. Where had he gone? She tried to concentrate. His face was now only a vague outline that rippled with the heat waves. A soft smile played at the corner of his mouth. The flames burned around him, weird as they centered him in the warm glow. She wanted to be with him. To live.

“Here, take my hand.”

Dazed and on the brink of death, Sam focused on the hand reaching for her. She struggled to raise the charred piece of flesh that had been her arm and reached out to grasp his.

She was free.

Overwhelmed, cries of relief escaped. She turned to hug her savior, her head just reaching his shoulder. He stood beside her, the same radiant beaming look on his face. His blond hair glowed, and he had the brightest teeth. She sighed. This beautiful man pointed to her right arm. Confused, Sam glanced down at her burned arm, realizing she could feel none of her injuries. Just like her other one, her broken arm had miraculously healed – whole, smooth and soft. Her skin hadn’t looked this good in ten years.

Realization hit.

She spun around to find a massive fireball below. What the hell? She had to be dead. But instead of the horror or shock, she expected to feel, she felt good. In fact, she felt great. She turned to the ever-smiling stranger.

“Let’s go sweetheart.”

Sam didn’t know why he’d called her that, but she bloomed under his loving gaze. Honestly, she was so damned grateful to be out of the car, she let him get away with it.

Holding hands, they floated higher into the cloudless blue sky. Then when the crash site below had become a tiny speck, Sam felt a hard flick on her arm and the words, “Thanks, but I can take it from here.”

And she woke up.

BUY LINKS:

Amazon - http://www.amazon.com/Tuesdays-Child-Psychic-Visions-ebook/dp/B0056I5M22/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1318799904&sr=8-2

Barnes & Noble - http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/tuesdays-child-dale-mayer/1104562657?ean=2940011406607&itm=4&usri=tuesday27s%2bchild

All Romance eBooks - http://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-tuesday039schildbook1ofpsychicvisions-569718-140.html

REVIEWS:

“This book grabbed me from the get-go and never let up! The story unfolds brilliantly, transporting the reader on a horrific journey. This mesmerizing horror-thriller is a must-read for any fan of the genre.” ~Laurie - Reviewer for Night Owl Reviews

“I place TUESDAY'S CHILD in my top ten reads of the year and I have no doubt you will enjoy this book just as much as I did!” ~Neis - Reviewer from The Romance Reviews

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Dale Mayer is a prolific multi-published writer. She's best known for Tuesday's Child, her romantic suspense novel that was one of the final four in the Kensington Brava/Romantic Times contest this last year. Besides her romantic suspense/thrillers, Dale also writes paranormal romance and crossover young adult books in several different genres. To go with her fiction, she also writes nonfiction in many different fields with books available on resume writing, companion gardening and the US mortgage system. She has recently published her Career Essentials Series in ebook format.

To find out more about Dale and her books, visit her at http://www.dalemayer.com. Or connect with her online with Twitter at www.twitter.com/dalemayer and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/dalemayer.author

Books by Dale Mayer:

Psychic Vision Series

Tuesday's Child

Hide'n Go Seek

Maddy's Floor- out soon

Young Adult Books

Dangerous Designs – Book I

Vampire in Denial – Book I of Blood Ties

Gem Stone Mystery Series- out soon

In Cassie's Corner- soon

Non-Fiction Books

Career Essentials: The Resume

Career Essentials: The Cover Letter

Career Essentials: The Interview

Career Essentials: 3 in 1

Contest:

For a chance to win a copy of TUESDAY'S CHILD, leave a message with your email address.

Thursday, October 20, 2011

Ouija Boards


Remember Ouija Boards? My friends and I were fascinated by them when I was in high school. Since Halloween is approaching and since a Ouija board makes an appearance in my current wip, I thought I'd go over the rules and regs in case some of you haven't played or don't remember.
1. The sun on the top left represents good spirits.
2. The moon on the top right represents evil spirits.
3. Two people lay their fingers gently on the planchette. If a third person is present, have them take notes.
4. The first question to ask is, 'Ouija are you there?' Ask it until the planchette points to yes.
5. Electronic devices should be turned off, so they don't block the electronic impulses of the spirits trying to communicate.
6. Ask who you are talking to.
7. Only ask one question at a time.
8. Don't let the planchette drop from the Ouija Board. This can let loose a spirit.
9. Don't use the Ouija Board when you are feeling sick or weak, this makes you vulnerable to possession. Also don't use it in a graveyard.
10. When you are ready to end the session do not take your fingers from the planchette until the spirit has said goodbye. The planchette will move to the word good bye.
11. Close the board properly, so malevolent spirits don't remain behind.
12. Don't ever try to burn a Ouija Board. If you must destroy it, break it into seven pieces, sprinkle it with holy water then bury it.
13.....Did you know the original Ouija boards were made from the wood of coffins........
~*~
Blogs of interest:
Anny Cook
Amarinda Jones
Julia Barrett

Tuesday, October 18, 2011

Changing Seasons


I took this while we were in the mountains the other weekend. I'd love to see Maine and New England in the fall, but nature puts on quite a show here too.

Monday, October 17, 2011

Sunday Afternoon



This is how the critters spent their Sunday afternoon at the Cox household. The lazy bums:)Maggie, the dog is fourteen. The gray kitty on the right is seventeen.
Did you have a good weekend? Do anything exciting? The HH and I went to the walking park. Our motivation--ice cream when we finish our walk. I keep telling myself the ice cream has nothing to do with my recent weight gain.......

Sunday, October 16, 2011

I Cannot Live Without Books




I cannot live without books~Thomas Jefferson





Doesn't it make you wonder what his preference would be today? Would Thomas Jefferson prefer paper or e? And if e would he carry an ipad or a reader?

Saturday, October 15, 2011

Word for the Day: Outlier

I just ran across the word Outlier for the first time today. Don't you love it? It's going on my future titles list. Seriously, wouldn't it make a great book title?

What does Outlier mean? An outlier basically skews numbers. Its the sample maximum and sample minimum. In writers parlance, example of outliers might be: Stephen King, Norah Roberts, James Patterson and Stephanie Meyer. Wikipedia, says ' In statistics, an outlier is an observation that is numerically distant from the rest of the data. Yup that still fits in our writer's scenario.

Okay, what are the causes of outliers? As far as our author outliers, I'd have to say damn fine writing, though that wasn't mentioned on Wiki:) One of Wikipedia's thoughts: A sample may have been contaminated with elements from outside the population being examined. Hmm, translation, our author outliers must think outside the box.

Wiki talked about 'fat tails' in outliers non normal distribution. Nope not touching that one other than to say its a large skew. Or maybe that should be large tales?

I'm going to end with another Wiki quote on outliers that I felt was apropos to our top notch writers:

"Caution:Unless it can be ascertained that the deviation is not significant, it is ill-advised to ignore the presence of outliers. Outliers that cannot be readily explained demand special attention."

Information on the word outlier found at:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Outlier
Picture from:
www.i-love-cats.com

Friday, October 14, 2011

Being A Writer

Vonnie Davis makes her debut at Night Writers today. If you get an opportunity stop by. She posted an amazing blog on being a writer.

Wednesday, October 12, 2011

Celtic Thunder

The hh and I went to see Celtic Thunder this past weekend. Wow! Ever seen them? They are absolutely amazing. They're five male Celtic singers ranging in age from thirteen to forty-two that sing an eclectic blend of ballads and hits. If you haven't heard them, give a listen.



Tuesday, October 11, 2011

Monday, October 10, 2011

Gordon Kessler




Welcome, Gordon. Before we get started I'd just like to say, I love the premise of your book. And it always fun to meet another person in the community college system.
Please tell us about Jezebel.


[Gordon Kessler] Thanks for hosting me on your really neat blog, Sandra!

The Halloween season is the perfect time to promote my suspense thriller Jezebel. It’s not just another Cujo—as a matter of fact, the only thing they have in common is that the book’s namesake is a huge dog whose mind has come under control of an outside source and has killed its master. Initially, the reader will find true horror with Jezebel. But while exploring the character, empathy with her is inevitable while discovering a kind of depth unlike any other character they’ve read.

Animals are like special children. They’re all basically good and they don’t intend to do wrong. They want to live and be happy and their basic values and morals are as high or higher than any adult human—until those values and morals have been corrupted. Jezebel is a good dog, sensitive and gentle as a butterfly. But after her mind is corrupted, she struggles throughout the story to bring herself back to the norm.

Tony Parker has his own issues. He’s a faithful family man, handing a midlife crisis as good as most men can. That changes when Jezebel goes on the loose, and other large dogs begin attacking their masters for no apparent cause. Tony relies heavily on his beautiful and seductive assistant Sarah to help stop the murderous attacks. But something seems to get ahold of him, as well, and he begins to lose self-control as his morals wander while leaning a little too heavily on the lovely young vixen.

Julie Parker is the steadfast wife. She knows what she wants, and has worked hard for it: a normal life. She’s strong but feminine, and couldn’t be a better mother to their young son and infant daughter. But, when “normal life” isn’t an option and Jezebel seems to be stalking her and her children as well, Julie digs in and prepares for the fight of her life. Doc and Patsy White Cloud are like parents to Tony and seem to be his only anchor to reality. Along with the White Clouds, Tony’s old friend Lt. Jack Simpson try to help solve the mystery and steer Tony straight—until they all become victims of the plot.

But what evil has come to town to tear all their lives apart—and what could possibly be its motive? You’ll find out when you read Jezebel. But you won’t know the whole story until you’ve read the final words.

Why did you choose a great dane for your killer?

[Gordon Kessler] Great Danes are beautiful dogs. They’re herculean in size and power, yet super loyal, very gentle, unassuming and many times timid. To corrupt the mind of something so gentle yet so awesome in potential power, is about as frightening to me as it gets: your loyal best friend and trusted bodyguard, armed to the teeth, suddenly gone berserk….

What will I as a reader like best about your main male character, Tony Parker?

[Gordon Kessler] Tony is a great guy and family man. He’s a loyal friend, generally easy going—the guy everyone loves. But his temples are showing a little grey, and he isn’t where he’d like to be professionally. He’s focused on family up to now, and sacrificed considerable without complaint. I think male readers can easily identify with Tony. Female readers seem to find him the kind of guy they should have married. But, in a thriller, you have to push buttons, and his buttons are pushed to the limit. He reacts, not always the way you wish he would, and you’ll hope he comes through this incredible plot a better man—if he survives.

How will women identify with beautiful, seductive Sarah Hill?

[Gordon Kessler] Sarah is the girl that guys wish they could find—especially when going through a midlife crisis. The motivation isn’t obvious for most, but an estranged father and abusive relationships could be suggested. Sarah is smart and is passionate about her job. In her personal life, she takes what she wants and uses her assets to their fullest. I think most women readers would like to try on Sarah Hill’s shoes just to see what it’s like to leave inhibitions behind, even if only for a day or two.

Who is your favorite author?

[Gordon Kessler] I can’t name just one. I love thrillers, but not heavy horror. I’m after the suspense and gamut of emotions—a roller coaster ride. I also like to learn new things, understand life’s workings better. The ones who take me on the most exciting and educational ride are: Douglas Preston, James Rollins, Clive Cussler, Dean Koontz and some James Patterson (Alex Cross books) and Stephen King.

What books of yours are currently for sale and where can a reader buy them?

[Gordon Kessler] All three of my thrillers and a couple of short stories are currently on sale as eBooks for only $.99 (just to get those numbers up and to reward my readers for their loyalty). Of course, they’re also available as hardcover and paperback. You can find them on Amazon, B&N, Kobo, iBooks, Sony—all the major online bookstores including my Amazon author’s page at: http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B005HL46E8, as well as www.ReadersMatrix.com. Also, you can check out the Jezebel and Brainstorm book trailers on YouTube at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_zHD9pmHOzk&feature=related and http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6eDjWJFbRdI.

By the way, I’m currently working on sequels for all three thrillers. Find out a little more at www.GordonKessler.com and provide feedback/input on my blog at www.WMxBlog.com. Please check them out.

Of course, you can always email me at gordon[at]gordonkessler[dot]com. Please drop me a line!

I hear you've got a great giveaway. Please tell the readers about it and how they can get in on it.

[Gordon Kessler] I’m giving away a $50 Amazon gift certificate to a randomly chosen blogger at the end of my Jezebel blog tour. Let’s hope they buy my books with at least some of it! Thanks again for hosting me, Sandra! It’s been a pleasure, Gordon.

You're most welcome, Gordon. Wishing you many sales on this fascinating book.

Blurb:

Sleep lightly tonight…

A madman has come to town seeking a diabolical revenge and large dogs begin attacking their masters for no apparent reason and with heinous results.

Animal Control Director Tony Parker must find out why and stop the murderous attacks. Meanwhile, Jezebel, a huge black Great Dane has killed her master and is loose, terrorizing the city and stalking Parker and his family. Parker and Sarah Hill, his beautiful and seductive young assistant, attempt to unravel the mystery and stop the terrible carnage while dealing with their own demons and lusty desires.

The attacks must be stopped. Jezebel must be found-and soon, you see--there is one other complication. Parker seems to have come down with an annoying little virus. No, it's not one of those irritating summer colds. It's certain death.

She's a murderess, huge and black as a hell-bound night.

Beware. Jezebel is on the loose!

Excerpt:

Hill went to the front door and watched Chin’s van make a U-turn at the corner and head down the street. The headlights flashed in Hill’s face, momentarily blinding her. She winced. The light burned her already blood-shot, weary eyes.

A silent moment passed before a sound came from outside. The back yard. Scratching. Something was climbing over the fence.

The rifle. It was still next to the back door. Hill moved quickly toward the kitchen. As she made it to the hall, the dog port began to open. Hill stepped to the side, out of sight, before seeing what was coming through.

She trembled, backing up to the wall next to the large window that was painted shut. She could run for the door, but by the time she reached it, she’d be seen. No way out. Hide. Where? There was no place. Behind the sheer curtain, maybe. In the dark, she might not be seen if she was quiet and didn’t move.

She pulled the curtain around her. She could see through it, but it made the already dim room even dimmer. The blowing fan was the only noise. Nothing moved except the oscillating shadows of the fan blades beating the stale air through the room. The green flash of the clock on the CD player caused an eerie, strobing light.

A dark shape slowly emerged from the hallway and moved into the room. Large. Huge. Black.

Author bio: Gordon A Kessler is a former US Marine parachutist, recon scout, and Super Squad team leader, with a bachelor's degree in creative writing. He is a Master Instructor for Johnson County Community College, National Academy of Railroad Sciences, and the BNSF Railway. He has taught novel writing for Butler County Community College, English Composition for Hutchinson Junior College and has previously indie-published the thriller novels Brainstorm and Dead Reckoning, and a book about the novel-writing craft, Novel Writing Made Simple.

He is a founder and current president of the Kansas Writers Association and tries to stay connected to writers and the writing industry by doing speaking engagements at writers conferences and for writers organizations, and does his own "The Storyteller" seminar in Wichita, Lincoln (Nebraska), Kansas City, and other Midwestern cities based on his Novel Writing Made Simple book. His websites, http://www.WritersMatrix.com and http://www.IndieWritersAlliance are landing pages for writers to help them in their writing endeavors.
His author website is http://www.GordonKessler.com .
Other links: http://www.ReadersMatrix.com
http://www.Twitter.com/GordonKessler
http://www.Facebook.com/GordonKessler1
http://www.LinkedIn.com/in/GordonKessler.

THE AUTHOR WILL BE GIVING AWAY: a $50 Amazon.com GC. To increase your chances follow the tour. The tour dates can be found here: http://goddessfishpromotions.blogspot.com/2011/09/virtual-book-tour-jezebel-by-gordon.html

Friday, October 7, 2011

Into The Fire


With us today is Cherie Marks to tell us about her new release Into the Fire, a story of two chefs with a romantic past. Not only is Cherie going to share with us tidbits from her book and talk about the sensuality of cooking, she's also sharing a favorite recipe and a great giveaway (see bottom of page).

Welcome, Sherry. First, please tell us your thoughts on food and sensuality.

When we eat, we actually eat with all of our senses, so it’s no wonder food is so completely sensuous. There have been cookbooks devoted to the idea that the first sense that invites us to eat is sight. It is said you eat with your eyes first. Ask any preschooler, if it doesn’t look good, we aren’t eating it.

Food must be appealing visually first.Next, the smell of food is usually what we notice, but this can be tricky. Just because the aroma is pleasing, doesn’t mean you’ll love it (coffee, garlic, bratwurst), and the same can be said for those foods that have more of an odor. They might be the most flavorful and alluring offerings on the table.Texture and taste go together. Melt in your mouth, a nice crunch, chewy and delicious—these often describe the feel and taste of the food as it moves around the tongue. Both must be pleasing to the palate to draw us in for another bite.

Of course, even the way food sounds can attract or repel diners. Slurping, smacking, crunching, and escaping, pleasant moans can be tell-tale signs that a dish is divine.
With all these sensual connections, it’s no wonder food is often associated with romance.
In my short stor
y, Into the Fire, two chefs with a romantic past go head-to-head on a televised cooking competition, and tempting food play is a prominent part of the story. Luke and Shyann are foodies, so it is only natural that they would be turned on by food. The oven isn’t the only thing making it hot in the kitchen.

Now it’s your turn. Do you associate food with romance? What senses draw you to a dish? Comment for a chance to win.
Included below is a recipe from one of my favorite cookbooks, Saving Dinner, by Leanne Ely. She’s a Certified Nutrition Counselor and her cookbook conveniently gives weekly dinners, along with shopping lists and nutritional information. As if that wasn’t great enough, the dishes are the tastiest I’ve found. Here’s one of her recipe raves—Garlic Lime Chicken:

1 teaspoon salt 2 tablespoons butter
¾ teaspoon pepper 2 tablespoons olive oil
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper 4 tablespoons olive oil
¼ teaspoon paprika ½ cup chicken broth
1 teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon onion powder
½ teaspoon thyme
6 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
On a dinner plate, mix together first seven ingredients. Sprinkle mixture on both sides of chicken breasts.


In a skillet heat butter and olive oil together over medium-high heat. Saute’ chicken until golden brown about 5 minutes on each side. Remove chicken and add lime juice and chicken broth to the pan, whisking up the browned bits off the bottom of the pan. Keep cooking until sauce has reduce slightly. Add chicken back to the pan to thoroughly coat and serve (57-58).

I love to hear from readers, writers, and in-betweeners, so please e-mail me at
authorcheriemarks@gmail.com
http://www.cheriemarks.com/
http://www.cheriemarks.blogspot.com/
Facebook--
http://on.fb.me/qRl1lD
Twitter— http://twitter.com/cheriemarks
Book Trailer--http://youtu.be/lXrDrRC1daM
Into the Fire available at
http://tinyurl.com/3mfn3zj
from The Wild Rose Press, October 5, 2011
Blurb:
Months after he st
ole her affections—then her executive chef position—Shyann and Luke meet again under sizzling circumstances, competing head-to-head on a televised cooking show called Kitchen Twist.

Each arrives with a motive: Luke intends to win back Shyann’s heart, even as she wants closure on the not-so-tasty heartbreak he once served up. Luke knows culinary masterpieces require a delicate touch, but that knowledge is tossed out with the leftovers as he works to show Shyann he’s not such a bad guy.

Now he pushes his skills to the limit to win the competition and satisfy a bet. Can two top chefs resist each other as they move out of the pan and into the fire?

Excerpt:

Silence reigned for half a minute before he reached out a hand and touched hers like a breezy whisper. Her head went a little fuzzy at the warm contact. He shouldn’t still be able to affect her so strongly.

“I regret it went down the way it did, but why did you show me the exit before giving me a chance to explain, not to mention—dress? Enlighten me, sugar cheeks?”

With a jerk, she pulled her hand free. He was really asking for it. Sugar cheeks? Seriously? Now she knew he was only messing with her. She could give as well as she got.

“Tell you what. You win tonight, and I’ll give you your chance. You lose, we go our separate ways, and you walk out all by yourself, big boy.”

A crooked grin formed on his face as he reached a hand toward her hair. He fingered an escaping curl before she pulled away, leaving his hand hanging in midair.“You can call me big boy all you want, but I’ll do you one better. How about if I win, I take you to dinner, and you let me explain the whole situation?”
She felt her eyebrow rise and knew he’d read it as interest, but she didn’t care at the moment. “I honestly don’t want to hear any explanation from you now or ever, but if I win? Which I will, of course.”
“Then I’ll leave it up to you. If you want me to walk away, I will.” He took a step closer, placed his hand on her shoulder, and leaned down, his mouth right next to her ear. “But if you want me to call you darling, sweetheart, and sugar cheeks all night long, I’ll do that too.”

Author Bio
It all started with an old fashioned typewriter. When my family brought it home, all those stories and characters rolling around in my head could finally get out. The press and click of the keys satisfied in their own right, but when I pulled out a finished page, I knew this was for me. Since then, I’ve graduated to a laptop, but the stories still find a way out.
I’m a breast cancer survivor, a teacher, a wife, a mother, and from the very beginning—a storyteller. Always a hint humorous and honest to a fault, I love to make people laugh and smile. My goal in life is to achieve tact and stop procrastinating. The battle wages on.
Http://www.cheriemarks.com/
http://www.cheriemarks.blogspot.com/
http://www.facebook.com/?ref=home#%21/pages/Cherie-Marks/112358508843288

http://twitter.com/cheriemarks



THE AUTHOR WILL BE GIVING AWAY: two $10 GCs to The Wild Rose Press and one $10 GC to Amazon.com to randomly drawn commenters during the tour. The more you follow the tour and comment; the better your chances of winning. The tour dates can be found here: http://goddessfishpromotions.blogspot.com/2011/09/virtual-book-tour-into-fire-by-cherie.html

Thursday, October 6, 2011

Coming Tomorrow



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Unemployed?Laid off? Have friends and loved ones struggling? You need to read this article. Talk about out of touch with America's reality. But thank goodness he's sharing his views before its time to go to the polls.

Click on link below


http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2011/10/05/cain-not-rich-no-job-blame-yourself/?hpt=hp_t2

Wednesday, October 5, 2011

Muse It Up Online Conference


I pit stopped in the forums at the Muse It Up On Line Conference. Lots going on. They had several pitch sessions from different publishers and agents. Since I don't have anything finished, I didn't sign up. They've also got workshops on social networking, writing query letters, building suspense and character development to name a few. All kinds of good stuff.

Tuesday, October 4, 2011

Google +

Okay, I admit it. I suck at social networking. Not totally suck, its just not my strong suite. Or is it suit? Homonyms as you recall aren't one of my strengths either. But I like Google +. Have you tried it yet? Very user friendly. I'm on Facebook but I've never figured out how to separate a professional page from family and friends etc. And I live in fear of sending an email, afraid I'm posting it on someone's wall. Google plus is great for people like me. They have separate circles created for family/friends/acquaintances/plus circles that you create for other interests such as professional communities, etc. I'm curious to see how its going to play against Facebook.
What's your preference Facebook or Google +? Any My Space Users?

Monday, October 3, 2011

Sunday, October 2, 2011

October Tricks and Treats



Greetings everyone. In the interest of spooky--and of course sales--Vampire Bay can purchased this month for 50% off at smashwords.com, with the following coupon code: LS73D


Link
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Okay, now that the advertising portion is out of the way, I could use some help from the history buffs out there. What expression would a man or woman have used in the 1860s, in America, for 'touchy feely'.
Any ideas? Help with this one would be much appreciated.

Saturday, October 1, 2011

Wrapping It Up

Okay, I'm going to wrap up blogging about the conference. I imagine you're ready for a change of topic. grin.

First off,sh...it was great to have no responsibilities except getting myself to the conference. No cats. No dog. No day job. No writing. Just eating, sleeping and going to workshops. Ah......

There were very few speakers that didn't mention the fact that there's a large difference between police work and the Hollywood version. Since I've heard the BLET instructors where I work gripe about the very same thing, can't say's I'm surprised.

The banquet speaker was Chris Reich author of Numbered Account, The Patriots Club and Rules of Betrayal. Fascinating man. He went from being a swiss banker to a writer and a quite successful one I might add. He sold his first book for 750K. Where oh where did I go wrong:)
He's friends with James Patterson and worked on the television pilot The Diplomat. The consultant for the program was General Tommy Franks. Needless to say he had some pretty good stories to share:)


All meals had vegetarian options. YAY. This may not seem like a big deal to the carnivores:) out there but trust me, its great if you're a vegetarian:)

Last but not least I got to meet and hang with on line pal Sherry Morris. (Pic above)

So what were you doing while I was gone?