tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-53065303302051529202024-02-18T21:23:42.789-08:00Chasing after the StarsGailhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12118919082584904915noreply@blogger.comBlogger47125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5306530330205152920.post-3308944021909799162013-02-14T12:52:00.000-08:002013-02-14T12:52:05.187-08:00First Chapter what do you think
<br />
<h1 align="center" style="margin: 24pt 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: large;">1.</span></h1>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Azure hated dying, but there
were benefits to getting a new body. She counted ten toes, spread evenly
between two feet, and ten fingers she could wiggle. Good.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Her new body was off to a promising start.
Her eyes were still closed so she didn’t know if she could see yet, but she
liked to save that for last. Seeing her next job before she did her thing never
got old. She took a deep breath, and nearly choked on the scent of fabric
softener mixed with fried oil. The smell brought back buried memories, but she
didn’t have time to dwell on those. She had a job to get done. Her hearing
worked okay, except for a buzzing in both ears or was someone talking to
her?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">“I tried to save you, Mary Beth,
but you wouldn’t listen.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">A calloused hand roughly
stroked her cheek. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Her eyes flew open
and she pushed the hand away. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">“Please refrain from
touching me until I’m finished.” Her reflexes were slower than she liked. She’d
have to work on that. A surprised man stood in front of her then smiled at her.
He’d have a good smile if his teeth were just a little bit straighter. His
black eyes searched hers, but she didn’t know what he was looking for. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">“I always liked your
strength even when it became a problem.” He reached for her again then stopped.
“Why’d you do it? I’d have given you the world and more if you’d just asked.” A
few stray locks of his jet black hair fell over his tanned forehead. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“We could have made the Helio Cartel
indestructible.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">“I have no idea what you’re
talking about. So can you be quiet for a moment until I’m ready to process all of
this.” He smiled at her like she was a small child. She didn’t care about some
cartel or anything else. She was trying to get her body to stop shaking
involuntarily, almost like it was<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>. . .
afraid. But that was ridiculous. There was no way this body had feelings, it
was in her contract. Plus, they were in a deserted lot. What could possibly
happen to her there? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">His hand cupped her cheek as
he whispered, “I loved you, despite your loco ways.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He just called her crazy. Oh, when she had
complete control of her body he would be the first to die. He brushed his lips
against her cheek. “I’m sorry it had to end this way.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">She wanted to scrub her
cheek, but at the use of the past tense, fear gripped her and her knees wanted
to give out. This was not good. They’d given her a broken body. It had feelings
and weak ones at that. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">The guy stepped away to reveal
two other men. One looked bruised, but as he stepped closer she saw that his
whole head was covered in blue and black tattoos. He wore an Hecho en Mexico
t-shirt. The other, clad in a white wife beater and khaki pants, stayed back. “Juan”
was tattooed in large letters across his bicep. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">“Be gentle with her amigos.”
Azure watched as the man who said he loved her stepped into a white Mercedes that
idled next to a black Escalade. There was a closed restaurant off to the side that
looked familiar. It didn’t matter though she had more important things to think
about. She turned back to Juan and his smurf-like friend. Did they think they
could rape her? Just because she’d been given damaged goods didn’t mean she
couldn’t still do her job. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Tattoo boy pushed her. She
stumbled forward as he gripped her arm and escorted her behind the restaurant.
The cars and road disappeared from view. He threw her up against a mangled
chain link fence that had several large holes in the chain. Cattails and tall
grass brushed against her ankles and thighs as she stared at a swift moving
canal. She turned in time to see Juan put his hand behind his back and pull out
a gun. He pointed it at her like he was getting ready for target practice. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Her hands shook even though
she tried to stop them. A tear had the nerve to escape her eye and she bit down
hard on her tongue so it wouldn’t plead for help. Why wasn’t her body working?
She snapped her fingers, but nothing happened. Where was her all super powers? Juan
pulled the trigger. His hand flipped back from the recoil. Azure watched as sparks
flew from the barrel. Fire exploded in her brain as the bullet broke through
her skull and lodged in her soft tissue. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Her body went limp. Tattoo boy, or at least she assumed
it was him, pushed her in the direction he wanted her body to go. She felt the
wires from the fence scrape against her arms. A small splash sounded as water
seep in around her head and chest. She really hated dying. Sure it was a way to
pay her bills, but coming back always took so much out of her. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Strength returned her body
and she opened her eyes. Her lungs burned for air. Dirty water poured from her
nose and mouth as she lifted her head inches from the water. Oxygen filled her
lungs. She forced her body to stay rigid and hoped they hadn’t seen her. The grass
blocked her view of the lot and she hoped that they were blind too. Juan and
the other guy spoke in rapid Spanish, something about getting a shovel as they
walked away. Car doors creaked opened then slammed. The crunching of gravel
faded as a car pulled out, followed by an eerie silence.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">They were gone. She coughed
and rolled over. Sunlight flooded through the blades of grass, and she raised
her hand to shade her eyes. The setting sun beat down on her. Azure wiped her
face with her hands and dried them on the scraps of material that used to be a
sundress. They owed her a new outfit. It was the least they could do.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She stood and wove her way through the grass
and cattails. Anger, an emotion she knew and could use, filled her. Her head
felt like it had been used as a battering ram. So on top of giving her a body
that had feelings, it could also feel pain. Her boss really sucked. This wasn’t
right. She touched her forehead where it throbbed in time with her pulse. As
her finger rubbed her brow, one finger slid into a hole in her skull. Azure
pulled her finger free and saw crimson.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Somehow she was going to
heal her head. There was so no way she was going to work with a bloody hole in
her forehead. She turned and headed for the back of the restaurant. The sound
of car made her stop. A border patrol truck passed by on a small access road
near the canal. Beyond that situated on the side of a dead hill, Azure saw
stucco and cinder block shacks. Some were bigger houses painted bright pastel
colors. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">No way</span></i><span style="line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">! Azure looked around. Behind her was the restaurant and
road. And she would bet her next pay check that if she looked over the raised
highway she’d see UTEP. This was some kind of sick joke. Why on earth would she
end up back in El Paso? She hated Texas.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">She moved up to a dirty
window to see her reflection. She could tell this body had seen better days.
Mascara created a raccoon mask around blue eyes that stared back at her. She
couldn’t tell if her hair was supposed to be brown with blonde streaks or
blonde with brown because of all the mud caked in it. The oval face had full
lips and a bloody slash down one cheek. A dark bruise formed under the chin.
What a horrible body to give her.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">She tried to control the
pain. This had to end now. The hole burned as she focused on the bullet in her
head. Power buried deep in her rose up. Azure glanced back at her reflection in
the window and watched as small pieces of metal emerged from the gap in her
head and fell to the ground. She crouched to pick them up and then turned back
to her reflection. The hole filled in first with something white, then red and
blue. It was pretty cool to watch, but her stomach disagreed and then her body
felt heavy and tired. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The hole was gone, replaced by perfect skin.
She rubbed her cheek and an overwhelming fatigue washed over it. Azure hated
this body. It was doing everything wrong. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She had
to get this job done with or without her body’s cooperation. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Juan came around the side of
the restaurant carrying a shovel. Azure flattened herself against the wall and
watched. How could she be so stupid? He whistled as he made his way to the
fence. Tattoo boy joined him. Azure laughed quietly while she watched them
search the thicket for her. She stepped out of the shadows. Why not let them redeem
themselves by helping her. Juan saw her first. He dropped the shovel and said, “Aye
Dios!” His hand made a cross over his chest. Tattoo boy turned, his mouth
falling open. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">They looked at each other
pure terror reflected in their dark eyes and then looked back at her. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">“Tú la matase,” said Tattoo
boy. He pointed at Juan. “Le disearaste a la cabeza.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Azure smiled. “Oh don’t
worry. He really did shoot me.” She tried to look strong even though her body
was weak, and now it even had the nerve to feel terrified. “I think it healed
quite nicely. Don’t you.” She touched her forehead. They looked at her and
backed up. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">“We have to take her,” Juan
said, “Julian and Ramón won’t believe us.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">“What are you loco? Just
shoot her again.” Tattoo boy reached for something behind him. Juan stopped
him. “No. Get her and let’s go.” He glanced at the border patrol truck that was
making its way towards them. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Tattoo boy shrugged and came
towards her. “No me toques!” Azure said, remembering the Spanish she’d learned
as a survival tactic when she lived here. He backed up. Juan picked up the
shovel and swung it at her. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">She moved, but not fast
enough. The shovel blade caught her arm, and she felt the rusted metal cut into
her skin. Pain registered in her brain, and she mentally kicked herself. She
should be able to block that. This teenage body was too slow.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">“You’re going to pay for
that,” she said. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Juan swung the shovel again,
but this time she caught it. They played tug of war for a moment then she
shoved the handle into his stomach. He let go and fell to the ground,
groaning.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">“Getting hit with a shovel
hurts,” she said as she stood over him and smacked him with the handle. She
turned her icy glare to the other guy. He stepped back with his hands up. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Azure chuckled and hoped
that<a href="http://www.blogger.com/null" name="_GoBack"></a> it distracted from the trembling of her hands. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">“Look just in the car Weda.”
Tattoo boy gestured towards the vacant lot. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">She stared into the black
pits of his eyes. Her body wanted to look away, but she wouldn’t let it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">“I think I’ll pass. My
mother taught me to never get in a car with a stranger.” Somewhere in the back
of her mind she heard a voice asking if she was insane. Azure ignored it and
turned. If they weren’t going to help her then she’d find someone else who would.
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Something made a swooshing
sound by her ear. Out of the corner of her eye she saw the shovel, but it was
too late. Everything went black as the shovel connected with her head. Her body
fell to the ground. Fear seized her, and it sucked. She was completely aware of
everything going on around her, but had no control over any of it. And to top
it all off, her head hurt. Again. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Someone with rough hands
picked her up and threw her into the car like she was a bag of manure. Her
shoulder and hip hit hard on the floor, and the worst part was she couldn’t
groan or rub them to make them feel better. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">“Looks like you don’t have a
choice, Guerra.” She was pretty sure Juan said this as he closed the door.</span></div>
<br />
<h1 style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Did she mention, she really hated Texas.<o:p></o:p></span></h1>
Gailhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12118919082584904915noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5306530330205152920.post-51975985182871468782012-10-17T14:53:00.001-07:002012-10-17T14:56:50.756-07:00Getting to know my Work In ProgressI'm doing a get to know your current Work in Progress. Let me know what you think.
<br />
<br />
<br />
What is the working title of your book? <strong>Breaking Destruction</strong>
<br />
<br />
Where did the idea come from for the book? <strong>My husband is from El Paso Texas. When we first started dating and I took my first trip there. My husband took me across the border into Cuidad Juarez, Mexico. We had a blast. Now it's not safe to even walk along the border in Texas let alone go over into Juarez. I decided I wanted to write about what was going on over there but put an Urban Fantasy twist to it. </strong>
<br />
<br />
What genre does your book fall under?
<strong>Contemparary with an Urban Fantasy twist.</strong><br />
<br />
Which actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie rendition? <strong>I have no idea. I think I would like to have unknowns be actors in the movie. </strong>
<br />
<br />
What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book? <strong>Azure, who is Destruction, must find a way to destroy Juarez, Mexico in order to save it. </strong>
<br />
<br />
Will your book be self-published or represented by an agency?<strong> I'm not sure. I'm going to try and get an agent but I'm still trying to decide if that is the right direction for me to go. The business is changing and I think some publishers will be left behind if they don't start thinking outside the box.</strong><br />
How long did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript?<strong> Three years</strong>
<br />
<br />
What other books would you compare this story to within your genre?
<strong>I really don't think there are any books out there that come even close to mine and I've been paying attention. I have certain aspects that could be compared to Simone Elkeles and on the Urban Fantasy side I would say it's something kinda like Neil Gaiman. </strong><br />
<br />
Who or What inspired you to write this book? <strong>My father-in-law. He is an incredible man who braves a really scary city three times a week.</strong>
<br />
<br />
What else about your book might pique the reader’s interest?
<strong>Um . . . witty dialogue and a whole lot of action.</strong><br />
<br />
I will be tagging other blogs soon. Just waiting to hear back from the people I've tagged. Gailhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12118919082584904915noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5306530330205152920.post-89978227646799966682012-05-22T07:47:00.000-07:002012-05-22T07:47:04.329-07:00And The Winners Are!Here are the winners of the It's So Cherry Giveaway.
We are excited to announce the winners of our Spring Kickoff Giveaway. Thanks to everyone who participated. We hope you will continue to follow us. We have fun things coming up, and hope to do another contest before too long. Congratulations to all the winners!
Grand Prize
Crystal Young
Jennifer@ Fictitious Musings
Angela Brown
Jenn Wilks
Winners of Barefoot Sandals
Ellen Cloch
Chelsea Haller
Ricki@ Reading Challenged
Melody J
Alissa (No last name offered)
Danyelle Ferguson
June M.
Tamera Westhoff
Jessica Foster
Brooke Berry
Erin Anderson
Jean (No last name offered)
Michelle Hudak
Lexie@ BookBug
Heidi Cole
Andrea Rossel
Kassandra (No last name offered)
Sayomay (No last name offered)
Carla (No last name offered)
Tobi (No last name offered)
We will be emailing the winners to get shipping information. Winners will have seven days to respond, after which alternates will be chosen. Prizes will ship within ten business daysGailhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12118919082584904915noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5306530330205152920.post-48390663282149082852012-05-07T07:47:00.000-07:002012-05-13T08:32:54.782-07:00<br />
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<span style="color: #741b47; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">The trees and flowers
are blooming, the sun is out (well, sometimes) and we here at It's So Cherry
are all about celebrating, so we're giving away gift bags to four lucky
winners, and a pair of barefoot sandals to 20 more. That’s right, you have
TWENTY-FOUR chances to win.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #741b47;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">To enter, register
at </span><a href="http://www.itssocherry.com/" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">www.itssocherry.com</span></a><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">, and follow one (or more) of the
participating blogs, then fill out the form below.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #741b47; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Contest Rules:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #741b47; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">- Must be 16 and over<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #741b47; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">- One prize per
household<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #741b47;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">- Must be registered @</span><a href="http://www.itssocherry.com/" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">www.itssocherry.com</span></a><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #741b47; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">- Only valid for those
living within the continental US, or with a United States mailing
address<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #741b47; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Each grand prize
goodie bag will contain (1) Flower necklace set (with earrings), (1) crochet
head wrap (color may vary), (1) scarf (color and style may vary), (1) package
nail wraps, and (1) black wrap bracelet. We will also give away 20 pairs
of barefoot sandals to 20 winners. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #741b47;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">To enter, simply
register for an account with It's So Cherry (</span><a href="http://www.itssocherry.com/" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">www.itssocherry.com</span></a><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">) and sign up for their email list. Entries will be
accepted starting Monday, May 7<sup>th</sup>, until midnight, mountain standard
time, on Friday, May 18<sup>th</sup>. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #741b47;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Prizes will be shipped
within 10 business days after contest winners have been announced. </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"> Winners will be selected using random.org,
and contacted using the email provided for registration on the It's So Cherry
website. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #741b47;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Names of the goodie
bag winners will be posted to participating blog sites as well as the blog for
It's So Cherry, </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="http://www.itssocherry.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">www.itssocherry.blogspot.com</a> sometime by Monday, May 21st. </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Upon notification, winners will have 7 days
to respond, after which another winner will be chosen. </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<iframe frameborder="0" height="793" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" src="https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/embeddedform?formkey=dFFWcmE4VzhQSjBhTElmaU5KbzdDNEE6MQ" width="760">&lt;p&gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;Loading...&amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&lt;/p&gt;</iframe>Gailhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12118919082584904915noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5306530330205152920.post-52110195032463554082012-04-17T10:02:00.000-07:002012-04-17T10:02:55.927-07:00Ghost of a Second Chance Book ReviewI bet you all have been wondering where I've been for the past seven months. Well first I had a baby who decided that a stay in the NICU was a good idea. Then we came home and it has taken me this long to get use to not having any sleep and to still be able to function like a semi normal human being. But now I'm back, sleep deprived and all. <br />
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While I was on my self imposed hyatus. I got to read some amazing books and some not so amazing. I'm only going to tell you about the amazing ones. So starting now until I run out of books I've read I'm going to give you some reviews. Actually their just my musings as I was reading these books. So with out further ado the first book I read was A Ghost of a Second Chance by Kristy Tate. <br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyAzO4wfQVVXfJ6zxucdUu5iMFsPmRRzD1d5sgvi08ApkQD1pc2YT3L_NCoXbY-y3UbVprIMgzKj21WjxNZf87l0XRygbU8gAIynOGUqkL53LSB8xgJyujY91iAaogVQTshmKE6icyXbdJ/s1600/Kristy+Tate.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyAzO4wfQVVXfJ6zxucdUu5iMFsPmRRzD1d5sgvi08ApkQD1pc2YT3L_NCoXbY-y3UbVprIMgzKj21WjxNZf87l0XRygbU8gAIynOGUqkL53LSB8xgJyujY91iAaogVQTshmKE6icyXbdJ/s200/Kristy+Tate.jpg" width="200" /></a><br />
First I just have to say that I love this cover. And I wish I could find a clearer picture of it because it truely is gorgeous. Kristy has written a book where I was able to immediately connect to the main character Laine. She's struggling with her grandfathers death and the possibility of a failed marriage. I really felt her pain. Throw in a lovable but annoying ghost and you have the makings of a great story. I love the growth Laine was able to do. It was very easy to cheer for her and hope that her marriage wouldn't fall apart. <br />
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My only complaint was the typos and missing words. But I'm finding that even authors published by major publishers have words missing and typos in the kindle versions of their books. I'm wondering if this is a software glitch.<br />
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If you're in need of a feel good book I highly recommend this one. It had me smiling through the whole book. Go <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Ghost-Second-Chance-Arbor-ebook/dp/B007IK0KZK/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1334681652&sr=8-1">here</a> to purchase Kristy's bookGailhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12118919082584904915noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5306530330205152920.post-1523692724997373512012-03-21T09:41:00.002-07:002012-03-21T09:41:47.737-07:00Beth Lost her FollowersHead over to Beth's blog become and follower and enter her contest. <br />
<a href="http://bethfred.blogspot.com/2012/03/rebuilding-beths-blog.html?spref=fb">http://bethfred.blogspot.com/2012/03/rebuilding-beths-blog.html?spref=fb</a>Gailhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12118919082584904915noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5306530330205152920.post-80517186245946992442011-11-15T00:01:00.000-08:002011-11-15T00:01:01.768-08:00Exiled by Rashelle Workman Part of the Dark Carma Tour<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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Stubborn, sixteen-year-old Princess Venus of Kelari wants one thing, to become a kelvieri, that is, until someone exiles her to Earth, kills her irrihunter and takes her family. <br />
Now she wants revenge. <br />
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First she’s got to get home. But before she can return to Kelari, the Gods have commanded her to help an arrogant boy named Michael find his soul mate. Only she doesn't know the first thing about love.<br />
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Rather quickly, her inexperience with human emotion is obscured by other matters—alien-controlled psychotic teens that are out to kill her, and a government group that is set on capturing and dissecting her. <br />
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Worst of all, Venus will suffer a painful death-by-poisoning, thanks to Earth’s atmosphere, if she remains on the planet longer than one week. Still, Venus is a Princess and she's got a plan. Surely, with her help, Michael will fall in love with a human. <br />
But time is running out and Michael is falling for the wrong girl—her.<br />
(Blurb taken from Goodreads.)<br />
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This is RaShelle Workman's debut indie novel. I enjoyed reading this book. Rashelle does a wonderful job of creating the angst we all feel when life hands us lemons. I'm still not sure that I'm Team Michael or Team Zaren. They both seem pretty hot in their own ways. I guess I'll have to wait for the second book to come out to decide. <br />
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I do wish that there had been a little more developement of Michael in the beginning to help me to care more about him and the crap he goes through. <br />
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To purchase Exiled go <a href="http://www.amazon.com/EXILED-The-Connected-Series-ebook/dp/B005S5LSU8/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1321320057&sr=8-1">here</a>. It is also available in paper back. Go <a href="http://www.darkcarmatour.com/">here</a> to visit the Dark Carma blog tour. <br />
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</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">Also other links to purchase this book are. </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/" id="yui_3_2_0_1_1321327175889118" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><span style="color: #234786;">www.barnesandnoble.com</span></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Gailhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12118919082584904915noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5306530330205152920.post-85373557245131214702011-10-31T06:16:00.000-07:002011-10-31T06:16:00.158-07:00New Release: Dark Spell By Elizabeth MuellerIn honor of Elizabeth Mueller and the release of her new book Dark Spell. I'm answering this question: If I had all the magic in the world, I'd . . . So what would you do?<br />
Me personally I would solve the world's problems and oh yeah I'd already be done being pregnant and have a beautiful baby in my arms instead of a huge tummy blocking my key board. And all my brain cells would be fully functioning too. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP4CfBZLxZBUVOVnK6j_9t6ExjIX-kMC5WJalfRIcbTTQwL3jmd4xnuESW0l4HcIlFkz5J4yfJWpgE7YxNHpKDxs8lBZg37gePOsUMwOFmQcDXILujjWkGXTmDsbSsSi75cGxVpV9hKqGt/s1600/Darkspell+by+Elizabeth+Mueller.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ida="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP4CfBZLxZBUVOVnK6j_9t6ExjIX-kMC5WJalfRIcbTTQwL3jmd4xnuESW0l4HcIlFkz5J4yfJWpgE7YxNHpKDxs8lBZg37gePOsUMwOFmQcDXILujjWkGXTmDsbSsSi75cGxVpV9hKqGt/s1600/Darkspell+by+Elizabeth+Mueller.jpg" /></a></div><br />
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Winter Sky believes she is everything ordinary . . .until she is kissed by Alex Stormhold.<br />
As seer of Stormhold Coven, Alex is sworn to be Winter’s protector against the darkness that hunts her. Violently thrust into a magical realm she always thought impossible, she stumbles upon a disturbing secret of her own.<br />
Will love prove thicker than magic?<br />
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Go to her blog <a href="http://elizabethmueller.blogspot.com/">here</a> and her website<a href="http://www.authorelizabethmueller.com/"> here</a> to order your signed copy of Dark Spell.<br />
To purchase a copy of Dark Spell in Ebook go <a href="http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/100560">here</a><br />
For a paper back copy go <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Darkspell-Elizabeth-Mueller/dp/1617520802/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1320025075&sr=8-4">here</a>Gailhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12118919082584904915noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5306530330205152920.post-74563235875404273332011-10-17T10:21:00.001-07:002011-10-17T10:21:07.350-07:00YAY! THE WINNER IS . . .Runaway Bridal Planner!!! I will be contacting you to get your mailing address.Gailhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12118919082584904915noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5306530330205152920.post-10035157652288399852011-10-17T07:51:00.000-07:002011-10-17T08:09:17.688-07:00And the Winner is . . .Hehehe I bet you thought I was going annouce the winner right now. Well I'm not. I have written everybodies names and emails down cut them into little strips of paper(yeah I'm really old school)and I will be announcing the winner at 11 o'clock Mountain Standard Time. Good Luck to everyone. Also stay tuned for a huge announcement to celebrate my new 100 followers.Gailhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12118919082584904915noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5306530330205152920.post-17668222887263124062011-10-13T04:30:00.000-07:002011-10-13T16:26:53.697-07:00OCTOBER BLOG HOP<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoXHyGsH5xUv4gpqnVmkLA8KxK8h7_KFJWvJwd9XEzQECbGb9aL1EE_Y29ha4QkHVCijwn_n5434oOnua09wwf1t_zMvftC28dGWz3e1Z07TnMR7fACYotwUDoMUvTF27JhqLMPppWz9_U/s1600/October+Blog+Hop+175.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 175px; height: 167px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoXHyGsH5xUv4gpqnVmkLA8KxK8h7_KFJWvJwd9XEzQECbGb9aL1EE_Y29ha4QkHVCijwn_n5434oOnua09wwf1t_zMvftC28dGWz3e1Z07TnMR7fACYotwUDoMUvTF27JhqLMPppWz9_U/s400/October+Blog+Hop+175.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5662661918125397522" /></a>Welcome to the October Blog Hop, where you can visit new blogs, enter to win prizes, and have a great time!<br />
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At the bottom of this post, you'll see a list of participating blogs. Just click on each link, check out the prize, and follow the easy instructions to enter. You can enter on each blog, so it's possible to win multiple times. It's frighteningly easy.<br />
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On this blog, you can win Books One, Two, and Three of The Secret Circle by L.J. Smith. These books were just made into a TV series. But I know you want to read what started it all.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4Km6Ta69eRFEr_62gE3eD5n9vI-T4_fbg7qtcXJylCUkgw2WAY7nH9U7IajOwKAO6XRAt2Y2yT-5A5joxrEIoYodh0Uv4fftNJZ6UXa-K6nt87zw6Pc6ANGoW-h-pbbJ2qYrJJufa-c7c/s1600/The+secret.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear:left; float:left;margin-right:1em; margin-bottom:1em"><img border="0" height="200" width="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4Km6Ta69eRFEr_62gE3eD5n9vI-T4_fbg7qtcXJylCUkgw2WAY7nH9U7IajOwKAO6XRAt2Y2yT-5A5joxrEIoYodh0Uv4fftNJZ6UXa-K6nt87zw6Pc6ANGoW-h-pbbJ2qYrJJufa-c7c/s200/The+secret.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiUXHEnqC7GJLMpi3ZTftK3UtYPzgT-Nv0RZ0KUQISj5q7_aHaIBCBm9sayhvouZuk5G4vqDkNeIkL-KTt4_BofIwRyw2sBKm-_YfXz5E2TQXzSEVOSoDPvRLFsvufiYDXeFQIQPdg4Zvu/s1600/The+secret+circle.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear:left; float:left; margin-right:1em; margin-bottom:1em"><img border="0" height="200" width="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiUXHEnqC7GJLMpi3ZTftK3UtYPzgT-Nv0RZ0KUQISj5q7_aHaIBCBm9sayhvouZuk5G4vqDkNeIkL-KTt4_BofIwRyw2sBKm-_YfXz5E2TQXzSEVOSoDPvRLFsvufiYDXeFQIQPdg4Zvu/s200/The+secret+circle.jpg" /></a></div><br />
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To enter, all you need to do is:<br />
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1. Become a follower of my blog.<br />
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2. Leave a comment on this post and tell me why you'd like to win this prize. If your e-mail address isn't visible through your Blogger profile, please also leave it with the comment so I can notify you if you win. You can enter until midnight MST on Saturday night, October 15th. <br />
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That's it! You are now entered. Now please go visit all my friends on the list below. It's almost like trick or treating! <br />
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<!-- beginning of export. owner: Tristi, postid: 10Oct2011 --><center><u><i>October Blog Hop</i> Participants</u></center><table width="100%" border="0"><tr><td class="blenza-td" width="33%" align="left" valign="top">1. <a href="http://www.tristipinkston.blogspot.com" target="_blank">Tristi Pinkston</a><br />
2. <a href="http://www.iamareadernotawriter.blogspot.com" target="_blank">I Am a Reader, Not a Writer</a><br />
3. <a href="http://www.bonnieharris.blogspot.com" target="_blank">Bonnie Harris</a><br />
4. <a href="http://www.writermike.com" target="_blank">Michael D. Young</a><br />
5. <a href="http://www.sixmixedreviews.blogspot.com" target="_blank">Misty Moncur</a><br />
6. <a href="http://www.debbiesinkspectations.blogspot.com" target="_blank">Debbie Davis</a><br />
7. <a href="http://heyyouslackers.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Mandi Tucker Slack</a><br />
8. <a href="http://maryanndennis.blogspot.com" target="_blank">Mary Ann Dennis</a><br />
9. <a href="http://www.DeannaHenderson.blogspot.com" target="_blank">Deanna Henderson</a><br />
10. <a href="http://lauradbastian.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Laura Bastian</a><br />
11. <a href="http://kristystories.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Kristy Tate</a></td><td class="blenza-td" width="33%" align="left" valign="top">12. <a href="http://runawaybridalplanner.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Kristy Wilson</a><br />
13. <a href="http://www.booksaremyshoes.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Jennifer Debenham</a><br />
14. <a href="http://www.shesgotthewritestuff.blogspot.com" target="_blank">Jenny Moore</a><br />
15. <a href="http://intodafire.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Elizabeth Hughes</a><br />
16. <a href="http://jlloydmorgan.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">J. Lloyd Morgan</a><br />
17. <a href="http://www.closeencounterswiththenightkind.blogspot.com" target="_blank">Close Encounters with the Night Kind</a><br />
18. <a href="http://tomoveforwardlive.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Billy Boulden</a><br />
19. <a href="http://night-children.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Scott Bryan</a><br />
20. <a href="http://mariahoagland.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Maria Hoagland</a><br />
21. <a href="http://shirleybahlmann.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Shirley Bahlmann</a><br />
22. <a href="http://writingwithshelly.blogspot.com" target="_blank">Shelly Brown</a></td><td class="blenza-td" width="33%" align="left" valign="top">23. <a href="http://marcyhowes.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Marcy Howes</a><br />
24. <a href="http://lalasbooks.blogspot.com" target="_blank">Lynnea Mortensen</a><br />
25. <a href="http://www.jaclynmhawkes.com" target="_blank">Jaclyn M. Hawkes</a><br />
26. <a href="http://www.dlt-lifeontheranch.blogspot.com" target="_blank">Diane Stringam Tolley</a><br />
27. <a href="http://www.gailzuniga.blogspot.com" target="_blank">Gail Zuniga</a><br />
28. <a href="http://betsyloveldsauthor.blogspot.com" target="_blank">Betsy Love</a><br />
29. <a href="http://wewritenetwork.blogspot.com" target="_blank">iWriteNetwork</a><br />
30. <a href="http://candamortensen.blogspot.com" target="_blank">Canda's InkBlast</a><br />
31. <a href="http://www.saythiswrite.blogspot.com" target="_blank">Stacy Coles</a></td></tr>
</table><p align="center"><a href="http://www.tristipinkston.blogspot.com" target="_blank">Learn more about October Blog Hop here.</a><br />
<a href="http://technorati.com/tag/giveaway+hop" rel="tag" target="_blank">View More October Blog Hop Participants</a><br />
<a href="http://www.blenza.com/linkies/wizard.php?meme=8713" target="_blank">Get The Code</a></p><p style="border: 2px solid #000000; text-align: center; padding: 4px; color: #000000;">Powered by... <a target="_blank" href="http://www.blenza.com/linkies/">Mister Linky's Magical Widgets</a>.</p><!-- end of export -->Gailhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12118919082584904915noreply@blogger.com38tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5306530330205152920.post-5900056329772234682011-10-05T05:00:00.000-07:002011-10-05T05:00:07.753-07:00Deep Blue Secret By: Christie Anderson<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpkWoN-Q480I4gFY3IMfnbAxiN7wJo9Bax7qcgqdj_wrJUaeW4xZJ2XXsTjtf2X4bKesWkvHrp7lbBPJAFQO_T5wMLwjN8Y13qqJH6rZ07-_sAd8drFaw2evKnKfOk6XyTamrwyrcivsZ-/s1600/Deep+Blue+Secret.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpkWoN-Q480I4gFY3IMfnbAxiN7wJo9Bax7qcgqdj_wrJUaeW4xZJ2XXsTjtf2X4bKesWkvHrp7lbBPJAFQO_T5wMLwjN8Y13qqJH6rZ07-_sAd8drFaw2evKnKfOk6XyTamrwyrcivsZ-/s320/Deep+Blue+Secret.jpg" width="213" /></a></div> <br />
<a href="http://christieanderson.org/">Christie Anderson</a><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">California teen, Sadie James, thinks her life couldn't get any better. She has great friends, an energetic mother she adores, and the beach practically in her own backyard. But her carefree life is turned upside down when she's rescued by a mysterious and strangely familiar boy who won't even tell her his name.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">Alright I have to admit that I wasn't sure what to expect from this book. But I'm happy to admit that I was pleasantly surprised. I immediately liked Sadie. She is kind and just an all around good role model. We need more heroines like this in YA books. Too often in my reading I find weak air headed female characters that have no redeeming qualities. I love the fact that I can recommend this book to anyone and not have to tell them to watch out for page such and such. Christie Anderson has done a great job of creating characters that have qualities that are worth emulating. </span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">I can't wait for the next book and am excited for Christie Anderson. To purchase Deep Blue Secret click <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Deep-Blue-Secret-Water-Keepers/dp/1463768591/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1317345871&sr=8-1">here</a>. Believe me it is well worth the purchase. </span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">Also here is her book trailer.</span></span><br />
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</span>Gailhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12118919082584904915noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5306530330205152920.post-20556162465635520252011-10-03T11:04:00.000-07:002011-10-03T11:04:07.427-07:00Darkspell Count DownHey all head over to <a href="http://www.authorelizabethmueller.com/">Author Elizabeth Mueller's</a> website and check out all the really cool things that she's doing before her book comes out on Halloween. Yeah that's right Halloween. Believe me you won't be disappointed. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiID6khRbDEjFYkv5gZ-pbd47McK6kHRRH2t4aPWhjxgRt4XB-scxv-DFABpC7068L9Vu9j5J6e-UsRkx9hTIE5fEJq_RZeoA2lEByl3TtrA7tIokp6qULc79zT_Qi1KWAUQ2XJwTwICn4w/s1600/Dark+spell.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" kca="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiID6khRbDEjFYkv5gZ-pbd47McK6kHRRH2t4aPWhjxgRt4XB-scxv-DFABpC7068L9Vu9j5J6e-UsRkx9hTIE5fEJq_RZeoA2lEByl3TtrA7tIokp6qULc79zT_Qi1KWAUQ2XJwTwICn4w/s320/Dark+spell.jpg" width="212" /></a></div>Gailhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12118919082584904915noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5306530330205152920.post-39800219476202318822011-09-26T07:26:00.000-07:002011-09-26T07:39:09.800-07:00Dark C.A.R.M.A TourSo for some time now I've been really thinking that maybe self-publishing is the way to go. But I have some things I need to do first and I'm a little scared. Here are five women who are taking the plunge and going for it. Head over to <a href="http://darkcarmatour.blogspot.com/">http://darkcarmatour.blogspot.com/</a> and find out more about these amazing women and the courage they have to go Indie and do all themselves.Gailhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12118919082584904915noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5306530330205152920.post-67812284057436475062011-09-21T08:15:00.000-07:002011-09-21T08:16:57.575-07:00Modern Sorcery By: Gary Jonas<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizFNdqfTBzlloQHflYpoECvvkxtfLFznX9TUcwx0FJ2Fu2zqJETOzsMJgWhhhcVkAUr9n-5ZMUj7hI9DHOa_hTsbI0_duHd3jV_82XEge2UAFn0wczP6HP6OD2Otf5Mj_ol67KGMwFSsRu/s1600/Modern+Sorcery.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br />
<img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizFNdqfTBzlloQHflYpoECvvkxtfLFznX9TUcwx0FJ2Fu2zqJETOzsMJgWhhhcVkAUr9n-5ZMUj7hI9DHOa_hTsbI0_duHd3jV_82XEge2UAFn0wczP6HP6OD2Otf5Mj_ol67KGMwFSsRu/s320/Modern+Sorcery.jpg" width="216" /></a></div> Modern Sorcery<br />
By: <a href="http://www.garyjonas.net/">Gary Jonas</a><br />
This is the back blurb and I know what you're thinking. I was thinking it too. Wow.<br />
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<span id="freeText17342984810679806071">Magic can be deadly...<br />
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When Private Investigator Jonathan Shade's ex-lover walks into his Denver office asking him to prove her father didn't commit the murder that dozens of witnesses saw and security cameras captured, Shade finds himself in the thick of magical intrigue. In a world where evil warlocks refuse to die, magically engineered assassins deal merciless death, and ancient myths aren't quite so mythical, only Shade and his sexy partner, Kelly, can stop a power-hungry sorcerer from taking over the world.<br />
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Too bad Shade doesn't have any magic.</span><br />
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Alright so normally this isn't the typical genre I read. But Modern Sorcery blew my mind away. The many one liners had me laughing so hard out loud that my husband was about to commit me. It was so refreshing to read a book that takes place in the west as opposed to the east coast or even the west coast.<br />
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I started reading it yesterday at about 4 pm and finished it at 9 pm. This also included a break for dinner and bathroom breaks because I was about to explode.(I know way too much information) But I couldn't stop reading. I had to find out what happened with Jonathan and Kelly, who, by the way, is now my ultimate feminist hero. But I will warn you there is language, mild sexual innuendos, and violence. But in all honesty it's all the bad guys fault so don't let that stop you from reading this book. Trust me it's well worth the five hours. Or it might take a little longer but that's okay right?<br />
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If you would like to purchase an e-book go <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Modern-Sorcery-ebook/dp/B005JE2FVE/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1316617693&sr=8-1">here</a><br />
Or if you're one of those gotta have it in hand then you have to wait. I know it is a very sad thing but the paper back edition won't be out until October but don't worry I will keep you posted when they become available.Gailhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12118919082584904915noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5306530330205152920.post-43705269527703295222011-08-30T13:47:00.000-07:002011-08-30T13:47:42.782-07:00Have You Ever . . .Have you ever read a book and wondered why the main character bothers you but you can't figure out why? I just finished reading Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins. Don't get me wrong I loved this book. It was incredibly well written and made me want to go to Paris. But there was just something wrong with Anna. I don't know what it was. I mean she broke out of her shell and became a stronger person. She met friends and decided that maybe her dad wasn't so bad. I liked that, but there was just something about this book that made me go hmmmm. I thought for sure it would be a book that I would study. And you all know you do it. You find a book that is so well written you make it your bible. You highlight paragraphs and using sticky notes to mark pages that you want to emulate. Has anyone else read this book? What did you think? I'm I the only one that feels this way, therefore there is something wrong with me. I don't know. Gailhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12118919082584904915noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5306530330205152920.post-10528226402376331602011-08-08T05:00:00.000-07:002011-08-08T05:00:17.968-07:00The Key of Kilenya book review<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd68VpHjI6MQAL2BwykfFGUgQKB5tYNrfGhD78Ccp61V_ED_1AKs_1jgLM3z2buqT4-IDOfz144WYmCILVSeK9j2hkX6vhQEFR763y9cRzk7K_Ds7YqwKC2q3GnozF37am9KP8JpZxpDWy/s1600/Key+to+Kilenya.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="235" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd68VpHjI6MQAL2BwykfFGUgQKB5tYNrfGhD78Ccp61V_ED_1AKs_1jgLM3z2buqT4-IDOfz144WYmCILVSeK9j2hkX6vhQEFR763y9cRzk7K_Ds7YqwKC2q3GnozF37am9KP8JpZxpDWy/s320/Key+to+Kilenya.bmp" t$="true" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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If you are looking for a fun, quick read then look no further. The Key to Kilenya is a fast paced fantasy young adult coming of age book. Wow, that was a mouth full. I found this book hard to put down and can't wait for the second book to come out. So now I'm going to tell you a little about it. <br />
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Alright here I go. Jacob is a fourteen year old boy who has powers that he doesn't know about. When he is chased into another world, he finds that even he has the strength and the ability to do what it takes to get the Key of Kilenya back from the evil hands that have stolen it.<br />
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I really like Jacob. Granted he can be a little pig headed at times, but what fourteen year old isn't. Being the youngest of nine, I always compare myself to my older sisters. They're more beautiful, talented, etc. Jacob has an older brother, Matt, who can do everything better than him. I think at times we all feel this way. My respect for Jacob increased as he found his own strengths and began using them. <br />
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This is a great book for all ages. Author Andrea Pearson has done a fantastic job of creating a world unlike any other.<br />
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If you would like to learn more about Kilenya and it's author go <a href="http://www.kilenyaseries.blogspot.com/">here</a>.<br />
To purchase an ebook or hard copy go <a href="http://www.smashwords.com/upload/details/68856">here</a>.Gailhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12118919082584904915noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5306530330205152920.post-26719523132483447032011-07-31T04:00:00.000-07:002011-07-31T04:00:06.662-07:00Tristi Pinkston<div>Author <a href="http://www.tristipinkston.com/">Tristi Pinkston</a> is excited to announce the release of the third novel in her Secret Sisters Mysteries series.</div><div></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCQaSqWx3Xi2OzKa3_DLaL7Zs3wkUiEjn4mvSTuZLfJmKaAtFqEymzmatTsNaAio-L3UAFjvQnqtEo7hJdrUIPNgfvdNTuyVqPRmtkze0SU2a9ZxZme4IozatFQu7ec5U086tZ5Qqvavnp/s1600/hangemhighCovermedium.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 207px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCQaSqWx3Xi2OzKa3_DLaL7Zs3wkUiEjn4mvSTuZLfJmKaAtFqEymzmatTsNaAio-L3UAFjvQnqtEo7hJdrUIPNgfvdNTuyVqPRmtkze0SU2a9ZxZme4IozatFQu7ec5U086tZ5Qqvavnp/s320/hangemhighCovermedium.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5628141167606604930" border="0" /></a><br />
<div style="text-align: left;">Titled <i><b>Hang ‘em High</b></i>, this novel takes place on a dude ranch in Montana.<span style=""> </span>When Ida Mae’s son invites her to come for a visit, of course she brings Arlette and Tansy along with her.<span style=""> </span>They are expecting to spend the week looking at horses, avoiding the cows, and making amends in Ida Mae’s relationship with her son.<span style=""> </span>What they don’t expect is to be stuck on the ranch in the middle of a blizzard and to be thrust headlong into the middle of a mystery.</div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: center;">***</div><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">Help Tristi celebrate her new novel in two ways.<span style=""> </span>First, come participate in the two-week-long blog contest, where you can win a book nearly every single day!<span style=""> </span>All the details are up on Tristi’s blog.<span style=""> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br />
</p><div align="center"><a href="http://www.tristipinkston.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://i763.photobucket.com/albums/xx279/LibrisPro/Buttons/HangEmHigh_400.gif" /></a><br />
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<span style=""></span>Second, come to the book launch!<p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center">You are invited to an</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center">August Authorama!</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center">Saturday, August 13th </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center">Pioneer Book, 858 S. State, Orem</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center">12 – 4 pm</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center">Games, prizes, balloons, face painting,</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center">and Dutch oven cobbler</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center">prepared by world champion cook</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center"><a href="http://thecampcookinyourbackyard.blogspot.com/">Keith Fisher</a>.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center">Authors <a href="http://www.tristipinkston.com/">Tristi Pinkston</a>, <a href="http://jlloydmorgan.blogspot.com/">J. Lloyd Morgan</a>, <a href="http://cindymhogan.blogspot.com/">Cindy Hogan</a>,</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center"><a href="http://nicholegiles.blogspot.com/">Nichole Giles</a>, and <a href="http://heatherjustesen.blogspot.com/">Heather Justesen</a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center">will all be there to sign books.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center">This is one book launch event </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center">you will not want to miss!</p>Gailhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12118919082584904915noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5306530330205152920.post-90370917796093986232011-07-15T08:57:00.000-07:002011-07-15T09:34:54.595-07:00"It's Independence Day and something unexpected happens . . ." Flash Fiction<strong><em>I'm partcipating in a flash fiction contest. So here is my 250 words, which I might add is really hard to get a story in that short amount of words. </em></strong><br />
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Bright Fireworks lit up El Paso's mountains. It was a good thing Amber loved Pedro. If she’d seen El Paso before meeting him they would have lasted only one date.<br />
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The air condition blasted. The thermostat said 114 degrees but that had to be wrong. Pedro had been quiet since they’d past the state line into Texas. Was he as worried as she about meeting his family? <br />
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Pedro grabbed her hand. Amber turned and saw his honey colored brown eyes staring at her. There was an emotion there that Amber had never seen. <br />
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“Hey don’t worry. I’ve had to win over tougher crowds,” Amber said smiling. “I don’t think you have to worry about your parents.” <br />
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Pedro smiled but it didn’t reach his eyes. Instead his eyes turned sad. He looked ahead to the road. The city lights stood as a beacon for them. They’d come in the back way leaving the traffic of the main highway for deserted country roads and small towns with ticket happy sheriffs. <br />
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Suddenly a thousand spot lights blinded them ahead on the road. Pedro slammed on the breaks. The car swerved and ended on the shoulder surrounded by a cloud of dust. <br />
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“We have to get out. Now,” Pedro said. Amber opened her door, a million questions filled her head. <br />
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Pedro grabbed her hand and pulled her into the thick brush. <br />
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“Stay low. Whatever happens remember I love you and Happy Fourth of July.” Pedro turned and left her alone.<br />
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<strong>Go <a href="http://www.alicross.com/2011/07/independence-day-flash-fiction-blogfest.html">here</a> to read the other entries and see all whose partcipating. </strong>Gailhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12118919082584904915noreply@blogger.com23tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5306530330205152920.post-73915013590143966792011-07-12T16:21:00.000-07:002011-07-12T16:26:33.059-07:00What's your SoundTrack?Yesterday I did these award questions and one of them was What's on your Ipod? or something like that so it got me thinking. Do you have a writing sound track? I do. So I'm going to post some of my favorite songs and bands that for some reason get my creative juices flowing. Feel free to use any of mine. First is Nightwish anything before 2006 though. They got a new singer who is awful but here is one of my favorite songs from them. This is Sleeping Sun from their End of an Era album.<br />
<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><object class="BLOGGER-youtube-video" classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0" data-thumbnail-src="http://1.gvt0.com/vi/ejnck_pnSWk/0.jpg" height="266" width="320"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/ejnck_pnSWk&fs=1&source=uds" /><param name="bgcolor" value="#FFFFFF" /><embed width="320" height="266" src="http://www.youtube.com/v/ejnck_pnSWk&fs=1&source=uds" type="application/x-shockwave-flash"></embed></object></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">Fair warning some of Nightwishes songs are kind of devilie. But there are some good ones.</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">Next is Adele: Rolling in the Deep. A friend of mine introduced me to this girl and I'm so glad she did.</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"> <iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/rYEDA3JcQqw?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">And last is a band straight out of Denver. They're called the Epilogues: Hunting Season. I love this band and their sound. Every song has a different sound.</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/btOoDyMzNiM?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">I have some many others but these are a few that always seem to get me going. So what are yours? What songs do you use to help your creative juices get flowing or do you need complete silence? </div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to these songs. </div>Gailhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12118919082584904915noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5306530330205152920.post-67980713281446182142011-07-11T12:02:00.000-07:002011-07-11T12:02:05.978-07:00Really me?<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhinShQQoFXSjSraddpPlKMsyHtoays3jToFDqGUIkPXv58JuqsYd1a_-xHzFcSOysdX7gtIKfW9-OCV43PMmDRHLFfp-JJi1R_NjagY3GST_MejEAZqQ2tHnV9eDPswjMIx9e_rhrlhQpM/s1600/stylish_award.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhinShQQoFXSjSraddpPlKMsyHtoays3jToFDqGUIkPXv58JuqsYd1a_-xHzFcSOysdX7gtIKfW9-OCV43PMmDRHLFfp-JJi1R_NjagY3GST_MejEAZqQ2tHnV9eDPswjMIx9e_rhrlhQpM/s1600/stylish_award.jpg" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAWyoPwnCBvXyXhGlRg0OI8YhX4oxryexLzpQvwkjv24HLuUCI0zE3CBegYm6MLEcoL0KKHYGgHSY8_yp1A4tWMdYSsF2e0zzL6golUlVBfJrt9iEHTp9DV5VIbG_lwZoSmwWw8H_RdyF1/s1600/blog+award%252C+sweet.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; height: 180px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; width: 186px;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAWyoPwnCBvXyXhGlRg0OI8YhX4oxryexLzpQvwkjv24HLuUCI0zE3CBegYm6MLEcoL0KKHYGgHSY8_yp1A4tWMdYSsF2e0zzL6golUlVBfJrt9iEHTp9DV5VIbG_lwZoSmwWw8H_RdyF1/s200/blog+award%252C+sweet.png" width="198" /></a>So <a href="http://www.alicross.com/">Ali Cross</a> awarded me these two awards. I know I have no idea what she was thinking. I mean I haven't blogged for two weeks.( But I have a really good reason, I swear) Lol but in all honesty I'm excited to do these so thanks Ali. </div><br />
According to the rules here are seven randomish things about me.<br />
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1. I'm the youngest of nine kids. Seven of those being girls. ( I know I want to how my mom survived too.)<br />
2. I love cold weather and cloudy days.<br />
3. There are fifty-four fourteeners in Colorado and I've climbed five of them. My goal is to do ten.<br />
4. I sometimes wonder if people really care if I blog every week. I'm not published yet, so do they really care about what I have to write about. Just something I think about a lot. <br />
5. Saturdays and Sundays are set aside for my family. I don't do any writing or jewelry making on those days. Unless I'm home alone. <br />
6. I'm a true blue native of Colorado. There aren't very many of us anymore. <br />
7.I really don't like Texas. But I have a really good reason for this. My husband is from Texas and when we were dating anything that he didn't like here in Colorado would be followed by "This would never happen in Texas." Well you can imagine that this didn't make me happy at all. Colorado is a great state. So the more he said it the more I began to resent Texas. Now don't get me wrong there are some very pretty places there and after eight years of marriage it's beginning to grow on me. But still there is a small part of me that really doesn't like Texas. <br />
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8.<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Georgia", "serif"; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><strong><em>Do you think you're hot?</em></strong></span><br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Georgia", "serif"; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><em><strong> </strong>Lol um . . . it depends on the day.</em></span><br />
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Georgia", "serif"; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><em>9.<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Georgia", "serif"; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><strong>Upload a picture or wallpaper that you're using at the moment. </strong></span></em></span><br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Georgia", "serif"; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><em><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Georgia", "serif"; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><strong> </strong>I would love to do this one. But I'm not using my computer and I don't think you want to see what my husband has on his. </span></em></span><br />
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Georgia", "serif"; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><em><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Georgia", "serif"; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">10.<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Georgia", "serif"; font-size: 11.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia; mso-fareast-font-family: Georgia;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><b><i><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Georgia", "serif"; font-size: 11.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">When was the last time you ate chicken meat?</span></i></b></span></em></span><br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Georgia", "serif"; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><em><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Georgia", "serif"; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><i><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Georgia", "serif"; font-size: 11.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> Friday night. We had chicken Tacos. Why didn't they just ask when I last had Chicken? Or are the worried that I ate the bones too?</span></i></span></em></span><br />
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Georgia", "serif"; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><em><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Georgia", "serif"; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><i><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Georgia", "serif"; font-size: 11.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">11.<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Georgia", "serif"; font-size: 11.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia; mso-fareast-font-family: Georgia;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><b><i><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Georgia", "serif"; font-size: 11.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The song(s) you listened to recently:</span></i></b></span></i></span></em></span><br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Georgia", "serif"; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><em><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Georgia", "serif"; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><i><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Georgia", "serif"; font-size: 11.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><i><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Georgia", "serif"; font-size: 11.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><strong> </strong>This is a good one. Um . . . well my player is on shuffle so I listen to a lot of different things. I have everything from Nightwish( a finnish orchestral metal band) John Denver because well I'm in Denver, Muse, The Killers, Adele, Placido Domingo, Rihanna, and Mozart. Yes I know my interests are all over the place. Oh yeah and my husband got me hooked on this band called Fugazi</span></i></span></i></span></em></span><br />
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Georgia", "serif"; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><em><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Georgia", "serif"; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><i><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Georgia", "serif"; font-size: 11.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><i><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Georgia", "serif"; font-size: 11.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">12.<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Georgia", "serif"; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><strong>What were you thinking as you were doing this?</strong></span></span></i></span></i></span></em></span><br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Georgia", "serif"; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><em><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Georgia", "serif"; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><i><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Georgia", "serif"; font-size: 11.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><i><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Georgia", "serif"; font-size: 11.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Georgia", "serif"; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><strong> </strong>I'm I answering truefully and I really want to go take a nap. hehehehe</span></span></i></span></i></span></em></span><br />
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Georgia", "serif"; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><em><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Georgia", "serif"; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><i><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Georgia", "serif"; font-size: 11.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><i><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Georgia", "serif"; font-size: 11.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Georgia", "serif"; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">13.<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Georgia", "serif"; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><strong>Do you have nicknames? What are they?</strong></span></span></span></i></span></i></span></em></span><br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Georgia", "serif"; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><em><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Georgia", "serif"; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><i><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Georgia", "serif"; font-size: 11.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><i><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Georgia", "serif"; font-size: 11.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Georgia", "serif"; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Georgia", "serif"; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><strong> </strong>I don't really have any nicknames. In highschool everyone would say "Watch out for Gail force winds. There she blows." Of course then I would promptly punch the person who yelled it. So that nickname didn't last long. Lol </span></span></span></i></span></i></span></em></span><br />
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Georgia", "serif"; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><em><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Georgia", "serif"; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><i><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Georgia", "serif"; font-size: 11.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><i><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Georgia", "serif"; font-size: 11.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Georgia", "serif"; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Georgia", "serif"; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Georgia", "serif"; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><strong>Tag 8 bloggers . . .</strong></span></span></span></span></i></span></i></span></em></span><br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Georgia", "serif"; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><em><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Georgia", "serif"; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><i><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Georgia", "serif"; font-size: 11.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><i><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Georgia", "serif"; font-size: 11.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Georgia", "serif"; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Georgia", "serif"; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Georgia", "serif"; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Okay here it goes. I never tagged people for stuff like this so let's see if I can do the cool name and link thingy. Also there might not be eight just because I'm not sure who hasn't done this already. </span></span></span></span></i></span></i></span></em></span><br />
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Georgia", "serif"; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><em><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Georgia", "serif"; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><i><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Georgia", "serif"; font-size: 11.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><i><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Georgia", "serif"; font-size: 11.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Georgia", "serif"; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Georgia", "serif"; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Georgia", "serif"; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><a href="http://www.debbiesinkspectations.blogspot.com/">Debbie Davis</a></span></span></span></span></i></span></i></span></em></span><br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Georgia", "serif"; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><em><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Georgia", "serif"; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><i><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Georgia", "serif"; font-size: 11.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><i><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Georgia", "serif"; font-size: 11.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Georgia", "serif"; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Georgia", "serif"; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Georgia", "serif"; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><a href="http://buildingcastlesonthebeach.blogspot.com/">Brent Westcott</a></span></span></span></span></i></span></i></span></em></span><br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Georgia", "serif"; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><em><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Georgia", "serif"; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><i><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Georgia", "serif"; font-size: 11.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><i><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Georgia", "serif"; font-size: 11.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Georgia", "serif"; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Georgia", "serif"; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Georgia", "serif"; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><a href="http://wendyswore.blogspot.com/">Wendy Swore</a></span></span></span></span></i></span></i></span></em></span><br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Georgia", "serif"; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><em><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Georgia", "serif"; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><i><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Georgia", "serif"; font-size: 11.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><i><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Georgia", "serif"; font-size: 11.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Georgia", "serif"; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Georgia", "serif"; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Georgia", "serif"; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><a href="http://tamarahartheiner.blogspot.com/">Tamara Heiner</a></span></span></span></span></i></span></i></span></em></span><br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Georgia", "serif"; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><em><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Georgia", "serif"; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><i><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Georgia", "serif"; font-size: 11.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><i><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Georgia", "serif"; font-size: 11.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Georgia", "serif"; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Georgia", "serif"; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Georgia", "serif"; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><a href="http://www.maybemandi.blogspot.com/">Mandi Thomson</a></span></span></span></span></i></span></i></span></em></span><br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Georgia", "serif"; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><em><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Georgia", "serif"; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><i><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Georgia", "serif"; font-size: 11.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><i><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Georgia", "serif"; font-size: 11.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Georgia", "serif"; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Georgia", "serif"; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Georgia", "serif"; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><a href="http://kristystories.blogspot.com/">Kristi Tate</a></span></span></span></span></i></span></i></span></em></span><br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Georgia", "serif"; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><em><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Georgia", "serif"; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><i><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Georgia", "serif"; font-size: 11.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><i><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Georgia", "serif"; font-size: 11.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Georgia", "serif"; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Georgia", "serif"; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Georgia", "serif"; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><a href="http://chaotic-gibberish.blogspot.com/">Alex Hoagland</a></span></span></span></span></i></span></i></span></em></span><br />
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Georgia", "serif"; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><em><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Georgia", "serif"; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><i><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Georgia", "serif"; font-size: 11.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><i><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Georgia", "serif"; font-size: 11.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Georgia", "serif"; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Georgia", "serif"; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Georgia", "serif"; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Alright I know there are only seven. But don't worry I'm going to think of someone else just not right this minute. </span></span></span></span></i></span></i></span></em></span><br />
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Georgia", "serif"; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><em><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Georgia", "serif"; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><i><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Georgia", "serif"; font-size: 11.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><i><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Georgia", "serif"; font-size: 11.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Georgia", "serif"; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Georgia", "serif"; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><strong> </strong></span></span></span></i></span></i></span></em></span>Gailhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12118919082584904915noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5306530330205152920.post-73582999727147519722011-05-22T19:18:00.000-07:002011-05-22T19:20:53.390-07:00Show Don't TellWe've all heard it. Show the reader what is happening don't tell them. I missed the class on this by Annette Lyon but I had a friend explain it to in such a way that I wanted to hit my head and say Duh! I asked him to read my first five chapters and tell me what I could do to fix them. Aside from all my passive verbs that I have a love for. He kept saying show me what's happening. Okay for most of you this is probably a no brainer, but for me I guess it took him telling me to get it. The conversation went something like this. <br />
My friend Gary. "Show me what is happening." <br />
Me: "You mean describe everything that is going on the way I see it."<br />
Gary: "Yes exactly." <br />
Me: "Oh well that seems so simple." <br />
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I bet he wanted to head slap me too. Here I had been complicating everything because I thought I needed to have these flowery similies and amazing metaphors. And because of that I gave up and just told the reader what was happening. <br />
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Lucky for me, Gary, set me straight. So here is the challenge. Just write what you see.Gailhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12118919082584904915noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5306530330205152920.post-36968821403060417272011-05-16T00:01:00.000-07:002011-05-16T00:01:03.573-07:00You Are a Book FactoryAnother Tip from Dave Wolverton: You have a job. That job is to write books. You need to set aside time to write and finish your book. Whether this time is in the morning, afternoon, or at twelve o'clock in the morning. You have to set a schedule and write. Until next week.Gailhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12118919082584904915noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5306530330205152920.post-14118372337534994142011-05-09T08:44:00.000-07:002011-05-09T08:44:06.754-07:00Wow!This last weekend I went to the LDS Storymakers Conference. My brain was about to implode and I think it will take me at least a month to recover all my sleep, but I learned so much. So starting today I'm going to share a weekly tip of what I learned. Todays tip is: Exercise! Dave Wolverton said that your body can't perform up to it's full level if it's not healthy and happy.<br />
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I walk. I try to do it every morning and I find that when I get back I can write whole chapters. So get out and exercise!Gailhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12118919082584904915noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5306530330205152920.post-39160966656206912142011-04-01T07:00:00.000-07:002011-04-01T07:00:02.880-07:00Research For the last week I have been in El Paso Texas visiting my husbands family. Now if you were to ask me my true feeling of El Paso . . . well of Texas, in general, you would not get a pleasant reply. For all those lovers of Texas I will leave my explanation at that. My first encounter with Texas was El Paso. For those of you who don't know El Paso is a border city. As you drive in on I-10 you see brown hills and then shacks. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS1t2jNCMeOtK2Me2Bov6JIxL9n37vce9cUIDNecnTdUlzz_tQ15CYCa6tvbbLY28YnlTn4LYN0XpQvlUD5UvTEJ_14jAu9V_6TtkALM2QHpgSq3bf9_e456J37rqbfrGQdQYsXB6gcmHh/s1600/IMG_0305.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS1t2jNCMeOtK2Me2Bov6JIxL9n37vce9cUIDNecnTdUlzz_tQ15CYCa6tvbbLY28YnlTn4LYN0XpQvlUD5UvTEJ_14jAu9V_6TtkALM2QHpgSq3bf9_e456J37rqbfrGQdQYsXB6gcmHh/s320/IMG_0305.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>Some of the houses are so run down then look like ruins and yet people live in them. This is Ciudad Juarez. <br />
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When I first started visiting El Paso my husband (Boyfriend at the time) and I would go across the border and hang out in the Mercado or just walk the streets. It was a Blast. Now the City is the most dangerous city in the world. <br />
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We drove along the Border Highway so I could get a picture of the land for my book that I'm working on. I was in awe. As we drove along there was a huge twenty foot fence part of the way and then in other places there was nothing, but a dilapidated chained link fence with rusted barb wire on top. They had planned on continuing the huge fence, but the construction workers were getting shot at from the Mexico side of the river. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR4mKF2RCkijWbsq2nv_1XEKd4c0QBHNfJ-2rk3ad0OlV_rR7_Ib88shPxtDY27C-G6Cl_wYeNPlrgNxK6oSuhyphenhyphenweMoFx0hLJ6luNpVkf0006vQfaT0Al8D-iWbaNF4V2F8iQnVFa6oLze/s1600/DSC01256.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR4mKF2RCkijWbsq2nv_1XEKd4c0QBHNfJ-2rk3ad0OlV_rR7_Ib88shPxtDY27C-G6Cl_wYeNPlrgNxK6oSuhyphenhyphenweMoFx0hLJ6luNpVkf0006vQfaT0Al8D-iWbaNF4V2F8iQnVFa6oLze/s320/DSC01256.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
The thing that amazed me the most was here I was maybe three hundred feet from the most dangerous city in the world and the people who live there acted as if life was normal. They didn't seemed phased by the truck driving by, filled with men holding machine guns. Or by the smell of burning that permeated the air. (Someone was burning something that really stunk.) Life went on. It made me wonder would I be able to do that? I take so much for granted. It was definantly an eye opening experience. <br />
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I was going to post the picture of the gang member flashing his sign at me, but I don't have his permission so you get to imagine it.Gailhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12118919082584904915noreply@blogger.com4