The Best New Year's Resolution of All:
Best Wishes for a Very Happy & Healthy New Year Everyone!
Monday, December 31, 2012
Friday, December 28, 2012
As the Spirit of Christmas Continues!
Hope everyone is enjoying the Holiday Season with friends and loved ones!
Sharing some inspiration for planning our "New Years Resolutions". Not so much the usual ones to lose weight, workout more, etc. These will accomplish more results in the long run...and are easier to achieve!
1. Resolve to be kind.
“If you really understood everything, all your wrong reactions would turn into compassion. Those who evoke wrong reactions in you are out of harmony, and especially in need of love. Yes, it is most important to be loving. Meet every situation with love and you will be able to handle it. If someone does the meanest thing to me, I feel the deepest compassion for that person and pray for that person - I do not hurt myself by a wrong reaction of bitterness and anger.”
- Peace Pilgrim: Her Life and Work In Her Own Words
2. Resolve to make a difference.
There are 3 kinds of people in the world:
Those that make things happen.
Those that watch what happens.
Those that wonder what happened.
Resolve to make things happen!
3. Resolve to expand your horizons!
Wednesday, December 26, 2012
Guest Author, Antonia Van Zandt. What's a nice girl like you...
We are excited to welcome Guest Author, Antonia Van Zandt today!
I'm going to turn things over to Antonia to tell us whatever she wants us to know...or perhaps what we most want to know, but might be hesitant to ask...lol...
What’s
a Nice Girl Like You…
OK, I’ll finish off the question. “What’s a nice girl like you doing
writing naughty books?”
Depending on who is asking, and the circumstances we find ourselves in,
my answer varies from, “I enjoy doing the research” (usually accompanied by a
grin and a wink), to “Well, if E.L. James can make a fortune out of it, why
shouldn’t I have a go?”
Responses vary. To the latter, many people nod their heads in agreement
while still giving me sideways looks, as if to say, “Does she, or doesn’t
she?”. To the former, I have received some interesting propositions…
There is however, one common denominator that writers of sexy fiction
continually encounter, that writers in other genres don’t. The majority of
people we meet believe we can only write about erotic (and exotic) sex if we
are at it like rampant bunnies day and night, experimenting with every
conceivable position (and some inconceivable ones), trying out sex toys of
every possible shape, size and configuration and lounging around in see through
negligees. Oh, and if we include bondage in our stories, we must have clamped
nipples, whips, handcuffs, and piercings in interesting places.
Oh, please!
Did J.K. Rowling go to a school for witches? Was Agatha Christie
Belgian? Did H.G. Wells transport himself millions of years into the future and
then come back to tell the tale of his time machine?
So, why oh why, do so many people believe you can only write about -
shall we say – creative sexual
practices if you’ve actually done it all and can’t get enough of it?
In my latest novella, Seducing
Amanda, my main character is a loner. She’s not had the easiest of lives
and she is relieved to be rid of both a controlling, bullying father and an
abusive husband. She is swept away by the attentions of a beautiful, mysterious
couple who just appear one day but seem to have been part of her house since
long before she inherited it.
The story popped into my head one day as I was in what I call ‘muse’
mode. This is when I try not to concentrate on anything in particular, but just
relax and let thoughts swim around in my head. I find it creatively productive.
It helps that I live in an old house that creaks at night and has plenty of
dark corners. It lends quite a lot to the imagination. The character of Amanda
came to me first and then this ghostly couple, bringing sizzling passion and
joy into her life.
Is she me? No. In no way does she resemble me, either physically or
psychologically, nor does she resemble anyone I know. Are the couple based on anyone
I know? No. Have I ever been made love to by a ghost? No. All the ideas poured
into my head and my fingers tapped away at the keyboard until the story spilled
out, with a beginning, a middle and an end.
It’s unashamedly adult and erotic, with a certain poignancy
(particularly at the end). I hope my readers enjoy it and if they want to try
out some of the bedroom action in the privacy of their own homes, I wish them
much pleasure. Let me know how you get on…
Thank you, Antonia, for joining us, for sharing your talents and for spicing up the day after Christmas!
Readers: It's not too late to buy yourself or someone else the holiday gift of Antonia's new book, Seducing Amanda. Here is a a blurb on the book. Enjoy!
Seducing
Amanda – Antonia van Zandt
A lonely girl, a haunted house and a ghostly passion from the past…
Escaping
from a disastrous marriage, Amanda Dalton seeks a chance to heal her troubled
mind at Dalton Manor, the rambling Victorian mansion recently inherited from
her aunt. Her new home seems the perfect place to recuperate, but the house has
a secret or two of its own. A mysterious couple comes to call--a beautiful man
and woman who share their passion and encourage Amanda to explore her deepest
sexual fantasies. But who are they? Where have they come from? Why won’t they
tell her their names?
When Amanda discovers she is not the first to enjoy a ménage a trois with the couple, she’s drawn in ever deeper. She combs the house for clues to their identity, her desire to learn the truth becoming an obsession. But her work proves fruitless. With Christmas coming, Amanda knows she will soon have to make a decision--one that will determine the rest of her life. The snow is falling as she sips her wine. In the corner of her room, the lights twinkle on the Christmas tree near the fire. All is still and quiet. Until there’s a knock at the door…
When Amanda discovers she is not the first to enjoy a ménage a trois with the couple, she’s drawn in ever deeper. She combs the house for clues to their identity, her desire to learn the truth becoming an obsession. But her work proves fruitless. With Christmas coming, Amanda knows she will soon have to make a decision--one that will determine the rest of her life. The snow is falling as she sips her wine. In the corner of her room, the lights twinkle on the Christmas tree near the fire. All is still and quiet. Until there’s a knock at the door…
Buy Links
Antonia's Author's Bio
Antonia van Zandt grew up
in the ancient city of Salisbury Vienna , Austria
Web Links
www.facebook.com/antonia.vanzandt
https://twitter.com/AntoniavanZandt_._
Monday, December 24, 2012
Peace on Earth...and Beyond!
On this Christmas Eve...Peace on Earth (and beyond) and good will toward men...and women...and animals...and all creatures great and small!
Wishing you quality time with cherished loved ones, a cup of hot chocolate and Christmas cookies!
Friday, December 21, 2012
"Look for the helpers..."
This is always a very busy and hectic time of year, but normally, a happy and joyous one, too. This year, however, with the tragedy in Newtown, Connecticut one week ago today, it's been a confusing time of celebration mixed with unspeakable grief.
Let's commit to pay tribute to the 26 angels of Sandy Hook Elementary School by each of us doing something kind for someone else today. Whether it's a small act or a large one, show someone a kindness you ordinarily would not stop and think to do and let that act be in honor of those we lost one week ago today.
I came across this quote from, of all people, Mr. Rogers, that I thought was beautiful and very true.
“When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, 'Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.' To this day, especially in times of disaster, I remember my mother’s words and I am always comforted by realizing that there are still so many helpers – so many caring people in this world.”
-Mr. Rogers
The news is always difficult to watch as it seems there is so much more bad than good being reported. It's been bad before, it was so much worse than usual last week and there will continue to be upsetting reports bombarding us from what seems like every direction. But let's try to keep those simple yet profound words of wisdom in mind and "look for the helpers" - the good people (or animals, in the case of the therapy "comfort dogs") that always step up and appear in these stories.
Let us focus not on the villains, but on the heroes.
Wednesday, December 19, 2012
Guest Author, Steve Emmett
I want to welcome this week's guest author, Steve Emmett!
Let's start with Steve's brief Author's Bio:
Steve Emmett is a British author, occasional book reviewer and creative
writing tutor, and a member of the Society of Authors.
Born in Harrogate, the genteel Yorkshire
spa town known as the place where Agatha Christie hid away from the world
thirty-two years earlier. He studied at the Architectural
Association School of Architecture in London
And now...Steve, please tell us anything you'd like us to know about yourself and your writing.
I often get asked if I’ve always
wanted to write. You know how some authors say they always knew, that even as
children they would write stories and stick them in boxes under their beds?
Well, I didn’t do that. I didn’t even read much in my early years. My father
never read and one of his proudest boasts was that he’d only ever read one book
in his life, so it’s hardly surprising that as a small child I had little
exposure to books.
That all changed, of course, when I went to school. The
funny thing is, I could read before I started school and I’ve been trying to
remember how I learned. I think I taught myself because I have vague memories
of sitting on the stairs at home with some books I’d been given by one of my
aunts and my grandparents. So once in the classroom, my reading and writing
took off.
But things didn’t change significantly at home to provide the kind
of environment in which I could easily discover myself. My mother did read when
she could, in other words when my father wasn’t around to criticise her for
doing so, and that’s how I stumbled upon Dennis Wheatley’s The Irish Witch, but
you have to imagine that I went to school by day, and by night had to listen to
the mantra ‘education doesn’t matter’. It’s amazing that I went to university.There is one event from schooldays that sticks in my mind. Do you know the poem Death in
She died in the upstairs bedroom
By the light of the ev'ning star
That shone through the plate glass window
From over Leamington Spa
Beside her the lonely crochet
By the light of the ev'ning star
That shone through the plate glass window
From over Leamington Spa
Beside her the lonely crochet
Lay patiently and unstirred,
But the fingers that would have work'd it
Were dead as the spoken word.
And Nurse came in with the tea-things
Breast high 'mid the stands and chairs-
But Nurse was alone with her own little soul,
And the things were alone with theirs.
She bolted the big round window,
She let the blinds unroll,
She set a match to the mantle,
She covered the fire with coal.
And "Tea!" she said in a tiny voice
"Wake up! It's nearly five"
Oh! Chintzy, chintzy cheeriness,
Half dead and half alive.
Do you know that the stucco is peeling?
Do you know that the heart will stop?
From those yellow Italianate arches
Do you hear the plaster drop?
Nurse looked at the silent bedstead,
At the gray, decaying face,
As the calm of a Leamington ev'ning
Drifted into the place.
Away from the bed to the wall;
And tiptoeing gently over the stairs
Turned down the gas in the hall.
 |
| King James School Founded in 1616 |
But here we are. No point crying over spilled milk, as they say, and the one thing that I did gain from my previous career is varied experience. Of course, looking back, I would have loved to have been a writer in my twenties – but what the hell would I have written about? Now I have a whole lifetime (well, half a lifetime or thereabouts, I hope) behind me, rich with events and characters that I can draw on to create my weird stories. In Diavolino I used Italy and things that happened to me when I lived there to build a Gothic horror, contrasting the beauty of the place with evil. I have just completed a vampire novel which draws on my
 |
| Book Signing With Fellow Authors Julia Kaven (left) and Cat Cavendish (right) |
The other obvious question, then, is how did I make this massive change from real estate agent of twenty-five years to published author? You know, the real answer is that I had it forced upon me. In 2008 I had already grown tired of my work and had returned to reading horror fiction in a big way. I knew I wanted to do it, to take that big step, but it’s one thing saying that and another walking away from a business that has supported you for over two decades. Lehman Bros made the decision for me, because when they went down so our business ground to a halt. I could have waited, bided my time as I had done in previous downturns, but I didn’t want to. It was my chance and I took it.
The first thing I did was to research what writing courses were available. I finally settled on a novel writing course run by the London School of Journalists which I could complete online (being still in Italy with lots of paperwork to be done this was important). That really set me up, and by the time I’d completed the course, Diavolino had been born. It took me another couple of years to complete the book to my satisfaction and I felt elated when, amongst the various rejections, I got an acceptance from Etopia Press.
That all seems a long time ago. I’m now comfortable being a writer and it no longer requires gritting my teeth to tell someone what I do when they ask. I love my work, even though it is the hardest thing I have ever done. I’ve made some terrific new friends to whom I owe a great deal for the way in which my writing has developed. The main thing is that I am now proud of what I do, and that is a new experience to add to all the old ones. Experience, like education, is our future; we just need to learn.
Thank you so much for joining us here today, Steve!
Here is a short excerpt from Diavolino (it sounds wonderful!):
There was no heat wave in Clavelli’s
apartment. The fire raged in the hearth as it always had. The renewal had
improved his inner strength. He could pass among the hordes in the Basilica and
the labyrinthine corridors without drawing too much attention to himself. To
them he was just another decrepit old cleric living out his final days in
comfort. He enjoyed watching them. They came from all
over the world, attracted to the place like flies to shit. Soon he would
destroy them all.
He went
out onto the small balcony, impervious to the suffocating temperature. He could
sense that she was near. How many centuries had he waited? Now, at last, he
would be able to delight his Master. He would have his reward.
He
inhaled deeply. Not for his senses the choking diesel of the taxis and the
two-stroke scooters, not the wafts of cooking smells from the seedy restaurants
where the insects gorged themselves, not the stink of sweat from the unwashed
masses below, their armpits wet and rank with the heat. No, among all this he
found it; the smell was unmistakable. Faint, undeniably female, a scent that
reeked of sexual desires that could snuff out life with the twinkle of an eye
that had at its very core the power to create doubt and blunt the sharpest
intellect.
He raised
his eyes to the stars. The sky was deepest purple with a film of haze drawn
across like chiffon. He was aware of the blackness lurking around the fringes.
He knew, yet it was as imperceptible as a leopard inching upon its prey. It
would be no easy task to accomplish—but he had no choice. The chance had not
come to all. He had been chosen.
Diavolino is available as an eBook or paperback from major retailers including:
There are signed copies available directly from Steve via his website (lots of reviews, interviews, other buy links and posts too!):
Steve's creative writing services are here:
And you can also find/follow Steve at:
Monday, December 17, 2012
"The endless vista of stars..."
 |
| The William Miller Sperry Observatory Cranford, New Jersey |
-Quote from The Kabrini Message regarding main character, Jeffrey Driscoll.
To be clear, the above refers to the background and childhood of main character, Jeffrey Driscoll...not Author, J.R. Egles.
Jeffrey Driscoll had a loving mother, but a "drunken bastard" of a father. Author J.R. Egles was blessed to have two loving parents, Marie and Bob Egles. In fact, as mentioned in the Author's Bio previously posted, when Joe built his own telescope, it was his Dad who helped him permanently install it in their back yard by pouring concrete and setting it into a base.
But although their families differ considerably, there are definite similarities between Jeffrey and Joe. They both "built their own telescopes from scratch", loved studying constellations since childhood and spent their teen and young adult years "hanging out" at the observatory.
In the book, Jeffrey attends Princeton University on an astronomy scholarship. For the record, that would have been the Peyton Observatory at Princeton University in Princeton, New Jersey. You can check out Jeffrey's observatory by clicking on this link:
Petyon Observatory at Princeton University
In "real life", Author Joe attended Union County College and frequented The William Miller Sperry Observatory in Cranford, New Jersey. It is probable that the very inspiration for, and origin of, The Kabrini Message was the many hours Joe spent at The William Miller Sperry Observatory. Click on this link to visit Joe's observatory:
The William Miller Sperry Observatory
In addition to clicking on the above links, you may want to make plans to actually visit one or both of these observatories in person, to check out "The endless vista of stars..." for yourself, just as Jeffrey and Joe did!
Friday, December 14, 2012
Release Date Announcement! And...A Poem For Your Friday!
First, the release date has been announced by Etopia Press for "The Kabrini Message"! It is...drum roll please...Friday, January 18th, 2013!
 |
| We FINALLY know the date of publication: 01/18/13 |
More info. will be released as it becomes available, but that's the publication date!
And now...a poem for your Friday.
I Will Watch Over You
A drunk man in
an Oldsmobile
They said had run the light
That caused the six-car pileup
On 109 that night.
When broken bodies lay about
And blood was everywhere,
The sirens screamed out eulogies,
For death was in the air.
A mother, trapped inside her car,
Was heard above the noise;
Her plaintive plea near split the air:
"Oh, God, please spare my boys!"
She fought to loose her pinned hands;
She struggled to get free,
But mangled metal held her fast
In grim captivity.
Her frightened eyes then focused
On where the back seat once had been,
But all she saw was broken glass and
Two children's seats crushed in.
Her twins were nowhere to be seen;
She did not hear them cry,
And then she prayed they'd been thrown free,
"Oh, God, don't let them die!"
Then firemen came and cut her loose,
But when they searched the back,
They found therein no little boys,
But the seat belts were intact.
They thought the woman had gone mad
And was traveling alone,
But when they turned to question her,
They discovered she was gone.
Policemen saw her running wild
And screaming above the noise
In beseeching supplication,
"Please help me find my boys!
They're four years old and wear blue shirts;
Their jeans are blue to match."
One cop spoke up, "They're in my car,
And they don't have a scratch.
They said their daddy put them there
And gave them each a cone,
Then told them both to wait for Mom
To come and take them home.
I've searched the area high and low,
But I can't find their dad.
He must have fled the scene,
I guess, and that is very bad."
The mother hugged the twins and said,
While wiping at a tear,
"He could not flee the scene, you see,
For he's been dead a year."
The cop just looked confused and asked,
"Now, how can that be true?"
The boys said, "Mommy, Daddy came
And left a kiss for you.
He told us not to worry
And that you would be all right,
And then he put us in this car with
The pretty, flashing light.
We wanted him to stay with us,
Because we miss him so,
But Mommy, he just hugged us tight
And said he had to go.
He said someday we'd understand
And told us not to fuss,
And he said to tell you, Mommy,
He's watching over us. "
The mother knew without a doubt
That what they spoke was true,
For she recalled their dad's last words,
"I will watch over you... "
The firemen's notes could not explain
The twisted, mangled car,
And how the three of them escaped
Without a single scar.
But on the cop's report was scribed,
In print so very fine,
An angel walked the beat tonight
On Highway 109.
Wednesday, December 12, 2012
Guest Author, Theresa McClinton
Today's guest author is Theresa McClinton. Before we begin, here is a brief author bio on Theresa:
Since then, Theresa has gotten married, had three terrific kids, moved to central Ohio, and was repeatedly guilt tripped into adopting a menagerie of animals that are now members of the family. But don’t be fooled by her domesticated appearance. Her greatest love is travel. Having stepped foot on the soil of over a dozen countries, traveled to sixteen U.S. states—including an extended seven-year stay in Kodiak, Alaska—she is anything but settled down. But wherever life brings her, she will continue to weave tales of adventure and love with the hope her stories will bring joy and inspiration to her readers.
Welcome, Theresa and thank you for joining us this morning! Please jump right in and tell us anything you'd like us to know about you, your life and your career.
Hi Marie! Thanks so much for inviting
me to your blog today.
My name is Theresa McClinton. I’m
twenty-seven years old, live in central Ohio with my husband, three kids, and cat,
Pepper. Yes, I know. I've got a lot going on. On top of all the normal chaos in
my house, I’m also a young adult paranormal romance writer. Actually, that’s
the calm part of my life.
I was never a big reader. In fact, when
I was a kid, I would much rather someone read to me, rather than on my own.
Why? It was a combination of several factors. The main one was that we moved
around so much in my childhood, I barely had enough time to adjust to one
school before we packed our bags and relocated to another. This pattern left me
with less motivation to pick up a book, because all those big words were just
too intimidating. I’ll tell you a secret. To this day, I am a terrible speller.
(Thank God for word processors!)
But when we did settle down, it was on
the glorious island of Kodiak Alaska. See, when my mom married my amazing
stepfather, he had been living on Kodiak for thirty plus years. So instead of
staying in Washington, where we didn't really have any reason to dig in our
heels and stick around, we relocated. By then, we were used to it.
Fast-forward seven years, and I just
completed my freshman year of high school. Again, we move, this time to North
Carolina. Here is where my interest in reading and writing really sprouted and
bloomed.
I’ll never forget sitting in English
class, listening to my teacher talk about the subtle undertones in The Scarlet
Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne. My eyes suddenly opened, and for the first time
in my life, I saw the true potential in books.
Not just books, but stories. Epic ones.
Stories so submerging, you forget to eat. Books that force you bring it to the
bathroom because you can’t bear to set it down, but you really have to go!
Stories that not only kept you completely entwined, but emotionally invested. I
learned to love books, their characters, their stories, and I learned how to
care if one of them was in pain. In fact, with some really fantastic stories, I've hurt with them.
Fast forward another two years, and I’m
tearing through novels. Now I’m involved with my high school newspaper, The
South Wind. Not only involved, but I’m a features editor and features reporter.
Another year later, I applied for an internship at our local newspaper.
With my hopes high and my ears more wet
than a baby seal, I waltzed into the newspaper, ready to tackle the project of
becoming a real life newspaper reporter; the one with scarlet red lipstick and
six inch stilettos.
Too bad that once I was done with my
internship, I loathed journalism. On my last day, I passed through the double
doors, walked across their oddly set parking lot, unlocked my little Toyota,
and made a decision.
No more editor-in-chief breathing down
my throat, no more writing about things I was deathly bored with, no more being
assigned projects. I was going rogue. I was going to write novels.
Eight years of a crazy life later, here
I am! Self taught, motivated, and completely in love with what I do, I get to
play with my kids during the day, and weave paranormal romance stories at
night. It’s the best life I could ask for.
Be sure to check out Theresa's new book, The Stone Guardian, coming out this month! Also, here is a list of links for Theresa, including one for the video trailer she did for The Stone Guardian and a link to all of the video trailers she has produced for other authors as well. Theresa is responsible for our fabulous video trailer for The Kabrini Message...which we hope to soon update to include our release date and cover photo!
Theresa's Links:
Facebook: www.facebook.com/theresamcclinton.author
Twitter: Twitter: www.twitter.com/t_mcclinton
Pinterest: www.pinterest.com/theresayaauthor
Website: www.theresamcclinton.com
Video Trailer for The Stone Guardian: www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=fN1JvOOntWw
All of Theresa's Videos: www.youtube.com/user/100tmcclinton?feature=watch
Monday, December 10, 2012
Meteor Showers...And Other "Stars" To Watch This Week!
Going to make this brief today...
The holidays are a very busy time of year, but take some time to LOOK UP this week!
 |
| Be sure to catch a glimpse of this! |
Also this week: Be sure to stop by on Wednesday and meet guest author, Theresa McClinton. Theresa writes Young Adult Romance and I know you will love her!
Among her many other talents, Theresa also composes videos and she is the one we have to thank for our fabulous video book trailer. If you have not yet seen it, please check it out:
Theresa has done several other videos, too that you can see (LIKE, FOLLOW) by clicking on this link:
I am excited to say we have guest authors lined up for each Wednesday all the way into mid January so far and adding more each day. The genres of each of these authors vary greatly - so it will be a very enlightening experience!
Friday, December 7, 2012
The Voice on the Inside...
"When the voice and the vision on the inside become more profound, clear and louder than the opinions on the outside, you've mastered your life." - Dr. Demartini
So true!
It doesn't matter in the slightest:
- What anyone else says, thinks or would do.
- What anyone else would do in your place.
- What anyone else would say, think or do..."if they knew".
That matters not at all! Block it all out!!! The only thing that matters is your focus, your commitment, your drive, your point of view.
When thoughts of "anyone in their right mind would (fill in the blank, but usually...'have given up by now'), threaten to creep in, stamp them out! Tell yourself it's not abut "anyone in their right mind"...it's about YOU!...lol...
Then repeat the quote to yourself...OFTEN. As often as necessary - until it becomes second nature. Make it your mantra.
Again..."When the voice and the vision on the inside become more profound, clear and louder than the opinions on the outside, you've mastered your life."
The Way
To every man there openeth
A Way, and Ways, and a Way,
And the High Soul climbs the High Way,
And the Low Soul gropes the Low,
And in between, on the misty flats,
The rest drift to and fro.
But to every man there openeth
A High Way, and a Low.
And every man decideth
The way his soul shall go.
- 19th century English poet, William Dunkerley,
writing under the pseudonym John Oxenham
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