Barcelona

Happy Friday! Hope your week has been great so far.

As promised, here are some photos of the places the 4 ladies and I visited during my short trip. My friend (Mercy) and I left Vienna for a 2 hour flight to Barcelona on 18th August. We arrived about ten minutes to midnight, all excited, pulling our luggage behind us and no one - absolutely no one - checked to see if we had visas or not at the airport (which was quite strange). We hopped inside a Taxi and giggled all the way to the hotel.

Anyway, we arrived at the hotel. Over the internet, this hotel room looked like heaven. Yeah that's what advert photos can do to someone.
It was a shoe box. A very comfortable shoebox. For 100 euros. But just look how beautiful the hotel and its environ's facade is. After I saw this, everything else faded to silence. Nothing mattered.

Barcelona is beautiful. It is everything I'd pictured how an ancient city with such a rich history would loook like: a maze of narrow winding streets, renaissance style buildings, gothic, baroque - In other words, it was my dream and I was drooling all over the place. - my friend handed me a hanky to cover my mouth.

Here is a picture of the room.

I won't mention the breakfast the next morning. I'm just glad Starbucks was next door. Once I stepped through Starbucks doors, the smell of fresh coffee was enough to make me swoon. It was like falling inlove for the very first time. :)

So, aside from the room. The people are super friendly. - I'll ammend that. Some of them were. See, the hotel's location is in a very busy street. And with that it attracts other kinds of business. I noticed that as we climbed out of the taxi. About 5 girls wearing extremely skimpy clothes stood closeby. From their expressions, they didn't seem happy to see us. Anyway, 30 minutes after our arrival, we freshneded up, then decided to check out the Irish Pub across the street because with all that adrenaline pumping in our veins, sleep was a foreign thing.
The hotel receptionist warned us about being careful of pickpockets. They love crowds, possess experienced fingers and are very fast in what they do.

As soon as we stepped in, every body shifted on their stools to look at us. Silence descended. Eyes swept over us. Both of us are really tiny so the 'checking out' didn't take long. As I mentioned above, there were those 5 girls we encountered upon our arrival. Dark skinned girls. My friend and I were glued on the spot, inhaling beer, stake and whatnot scents. Finally we snapped out of our momentary shock. We began searching for the door to flee. In our panic, we forgot where the door was. Turns out it was just a breadth away from where were standing.
We went back to our hotel room, not even trusting ourselves to take a walk down the Carrer De Ferran - the street's name.

But the next day - after laughing off the previous night's events - we had a chance to visit some places - We didn't see alot. It was Sunday and most places were closed, plus we were on a  deadline to get to the port.

Here are some photos of some of those streets and buildings.

this is the street the hotel was in. 

Little old me. This place was a hotspot. For some reason it was a photographer's and a photographee's dream

puppet shop

Architecture

bridge/architecture

Some places we encountered groups like this playing beautiful music. Sounded so romantic though I couldn't understand the lyrics. There was a lot of swaying and dancing.

By 2.30pm we were exhausted. Having been smacked left, right and centre by the scorching sun (it was about 35 degrees if I remember correctly), we took a taxi to the port and joyously stepped into what my friends and I called - the floating city :)

Me with the red handbag with my friend Janet.

Janet, Mercy, Alice, and me..haha that red bag again

me and Bernice

From Barcelona, the next stop was in Naples, Italy. Man, that was fun! I'll post the photos next week.

Hope you have a great weekend. :)

Back to the real world

Hi friends,

I'm back, and all I can say it feels great to be back. Visiting six cities in 7 days was quite something else, something completely different. My friends and I hopped around in Sightseeing buses, which was less expensive and lots to see. The offshore  tours were super expensive.. I'd say it was a chance of a lifetime. :) I'll be sharing with you photos of places we visited in the coming days. Now I'm ready to tackle Reaper's Novice edits. Here in Vienna, schools open on 4th September so I still have time to cuddle up with the kids. :)

On September 4th will be Reaper's cover reveal. I will combine this event  with my 200 follower giveaway. One lucky winner will receive one of the crochet  book bags I featured about 2 weeks ago, and two lucky winners will receive books of their choice - max 15 dollars -  through book depository - so long as they deliver to your country.

The Bags

Can fit two books.








How was your summer? Now that the children are in school, or will be really soon, it's a good time to have some time just for yourself, write/revise, read,... what are your plans? look forward to hop around and see what everyone's been upto. :)

Vacation Time

Hello Friends,

It's vacation time for me, yay!  I'm on hiatus and will not post on the blog for the next seven days. I'm going for a cruise with six ladys and we will meet in Barcelona, then from there on sail with Norwegian Cruise lines. I'm really excited, given that I've never been on a cruise before, (and I can't swim, so that's kind of scary.) But the aim is to breathe the Mediterrenean waters, right? *smile* and gather some info and pictures for my next story idea and of course to share with you.

Alrighty then, see you in about eight days.All the best.

Hugs!

C.Lee McKenzie's Alligators Overhead Launch

Today I'm very excited to help the lovely and talented Lee to celebrate the launch of her Middle Grade novel Alligators Overhead. Lee is giving away ecopy of Alligators Overhead. To be entered for the giveaway, please comment and include your email address. A bit of info about  the author and this wonderful MG book, and a superfun trailer at the end of this post.

Book Description

Alligators, witches and a spooky mansion aren't your average neighbors . . . unless you live at the edge of the Ornofree swamp in the backwater town of Hadleyville. The town’s bad boy, Pete Riley, may only be twelve, but he’s up to his eyeballs in big trouble, and this time he isn’t the cause. This time the trouble arrives when a legendary hundred-year-old mansion, materializes next door and the Ornofree alligators declare war to save their swamp from bulldozers. Things only get worse when Pete’s guardian aunt and several of her close friends vanish while trying to restore order using outdated witchcraft. Now Pete must find his aunt and stop the war. He might stand a chance if his one friend, Weasel, sticks with him, but even then, they may not have what it takes.

About the author

A native Californian, C. Lee McKenzie lives on the edge of a redwood forest with her husband and assorted cats. When she's not writing or blogging she's hiking or practicing yoga. She usually writes young adult fiction that deals with contemporary, realistic issues. In Sliding on the Edge (2009) she dealt with cutting, and in The Princess of Las Pulgas (2010) she wrote about a family that loses almost everything and has to rebuild their lives together. Alligators Overhead is her first Middle Grade novel. Lee blogs at [http://writegame.blogspot.com] and her website is [http://cleemckenziebooks.com] 

And now I hand the reins over to Lee. :)

 

Just a week ago you talked about your scariest monster when you were little--you mentioned a humongous, rabid Cerberus kind of dog that had scared you the most. That would scare anybody!

As for myself, besides the Boogie Man that I was sure peered into my window after I climbed into bed, alligators were right up there with creatures that gave me nightmares. So why would I ever even think of making alligators a part of my book? I’m asked that question a lot. I have answers like this: “Cats and dogs and horses have tons of stories; alligators don’t have many.” Or, how about: “This idea came to me after I spent a lot of time staring up at my knotty pine ceiling, and all the brown streaks and knots looked exactly like alligators overhead.”

Stories are everywhere, even in ceilings! And writers can find stories in anything that scares people. So alligators and snakes and big dogs with three heads are perfect for inspiration.

Thanks, Cece for having me here. Hope Alligators Overhead entertains. That’s really what I wanted it to do . . . with just a touch of the scare factor to make it fun, too.


Book Trailer:

Buy Links:


AMAZON KINDLE

AMAZON PAPERBACK


B & N


SMASHWORDS



Author Pages/contact:

WEBSITE

BLOG

FACEBOOK

TWITTER : @cleemckenzie

AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE

GOODREADS

'What If' Blogfest

Welcome to the "What If?" Fairytal Madness Blogfest hosted by Mark, Leigh, Cassie and Morgan. Thank you guys for such a great idea.So a little breakdown of the teams involved. There's Team Tragedy, Team Love Story, Team comedy and Team Plot Twist.

Here are the rules:

To enter:
Think of your favorite "well known" fairytale and ask "What If…!"
Then, pick one of these four categories:
· Best Plot Twist
· Best Love Story
· Best Tragedy
· Best Comic Relief
Other Rules:
· Post your story during the week of August 13 to 17.
· Flash Fiction – 300 WORD MAX. (You don't have to tell the whole story in three hundred words. Pick what works to illustrate your point.)



I'm on :

I'm a big fun of Beauty and the Beast, but I keep asking myself: Did Beauty really end up marrying Beast? What if she never did? Read on to find out. :)


The church doors slammed open. Beauty’s eyes travelled the cold stone path that lead to Renault, her future husband, his chest puffed out. Her sisters sat on the front row watching her, white handkerchiefs in their hands, dabbing at their eyes.

She took a deep, shaky breath, eyes on the floor. Her thoughts yanked her back six nights ago when the villagers led by their mayor, Renault, arrived in masses at Beast’s castle thirsty for blood. Renault had demanded to see her and informed her of father’s arrest, incriminated with embezzling village funds and other sins she was sure he hadn’t committed.

After speaking to her weeping father, he’d confirmed his innocence. He’d been framed. Renault had finally found a way to force her to marry him.

Her thoughts fluttered back to Beast, remembering the state she had left him, face twisted in pain. He’d urged her to save her father. But who was going to save him? If she didn’t break the curse, he’d wither and die. It had been either father’s hanging or Beast.

Beauty lifted her gaze from the floor sprinkled with rose petals, and to her sisters. A piece of their mother was carved in each of their faces. Her eyes flitted to her father, his hat clutched in his hands, his wrinkled fingers fiddling with its rim. He seemed so old and helpless. Her heart bled for him. This was it. She placed one slippered foot on the first step. From a distance, a howl drenched in pain slashed through the air. She brushed her cheeks with her fingers. Her heart shattered a thousand pieces as she forced her feet forward to the man she’d call her husband for all eternity. The howling stopped. Something inside her chest spluttered and fizzled out as she stumbled on.

Thanks for hopping by and reading my snippet. Would you like to join the fun? The linky is still open. To read snippets from other participants:

KaSonndra Leigh's Hacienda Moon Tour Stop

Today is a review tour stop for KaSonndra Leigh's Hacienda Moon and I'm really excited about it.  KaSonndra is also giving away some awesome prizes. The rafflecopter to enter the giveaway can be found at  the end of this post.

Author Links:

http://www.kasonndraleigh.com

http://twitter.com/

kasonndraleigh

http://facebook.com/

kasonndraleighbooks

http://facebook.com/

kasonndraleighbookspage

Buy Links:

Amazon:  http://www.amazon.com/

Hacienda-Moon-Path-Seekers-



ebook/dp/B008QAY0BQ

Barnes&Noble:  http://www.barnesandnoble.

com/w/hacienda-moon-kasonndra-



leigh/1112296050?ean=


2940015009330

Book Description:

Love, obsession, and betrayal, the most powerful human emotions, are spun together in this gothic novel. Tandie Harrison is a police medium who has just suffered a divorce after losing both her psychic visions and her daughter in a car accident. When she leaves New York City to start a new life near her hometown, she moves into the alluring plantation house, Chelby Rose, and falls for its charismatic caretaker, Eric Fontalvo. Their burgeoning affair ignites a centuries old curse, ensnaring them in a web of danger, deceit, and intrigue. Soon Tandie learns that in placid Bolivia, the worlds of the living and the dead are dangerously connected.

Hacienda Moon is a seductive tale of one woman’s journey to confront the demons of her past and find the courage to face her future. It is a mesmerizing novel that explores the deepest depths of human nature, and the characters will hold and haunt you long after you have read the final chapter.

My Thoughts:

First of all, I'd like to thank the author for giving me a chance to read and review her latest book.

Hacienda Moon is equal parts romance and spooky (in a good way). I loved it!

The main characters in the book:
Tandie's world is shattered when she loses her baby girl in an accident after a truck rams into them throwing them off a bridge. She survived, her child dies. She picks the pieces of her life, and after going through divorce from her husband moves to Bolivia, North Carolina and starts her life afresh.

Eric Fontalvo is a contractor, goodlooking and knows his way around a broken house. He has been hired to do repairs in Chelby Rose, a house rumoured to be haunted. At first he is cautious, at the same time finds himself pulled toward the beautiful woman, and the new owner of Chelby Rose. He has secrets that date as far back as 250 years.The only way for him to solve whatever that haunts his family is by getting closer to the woman now ocuupying the house where it all began.

Saul Chelby is the owner of the Chelby Rose, the house passed on to him by his father. It  has been in his family for centuries. It holds secrets that holds three families in its web. He is mysterious, goodlooking and lives the kind of lifestyle that tends to raise eyebrows. And there is a reason he feels so attracted to the woman he just rented the plantation house Chelby Rose.


Then there are side characters who are just as interesting and important and at times spooky. They are weaved in the story to form larger picture of the story.

The story begins with Tandie's loss. We follow her as she moves from New York, as she begins to glue the pieces of a past that tangles with her present together, then as she falls inlove. And finally her happy ever after - for now. KaSonndra wraps the story well, leaving no threads hanging. At one point, I asked myself what happened to his friend, Virgil, for him to behave the way he did? Maybe a small hint from either Abby or Eric would solve that riddle.

I highly recommend this book. If has all the elements to keep the reader turning the pages. Ghosts,curses, witches, exact dose of romance.


What you can win:

There'll be one international and one U.S. Winner

You can win a signed copy of Hacienda Moon, a gorgeous bookmark to match

An e-copy for your reader, an ebook copy of Morbid Seraphic and Dark Light from CHBB Publishing

-And-

5 mystery ebooks from various best-selling authors and a $20.00 gift certificate from Amazon to support other indie authors and publishers!!!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Six Sentence Sunday

Thanks for stopping by, and welcome back for another six sentences. If you missed the previous six sentences from my YA urban fantasy, Reaper's Novice, and would like to catch up, please click HERE and the second part HERE.

Today I'll post the next six from the dinner scene: 

Not when they look like two fighters in a ring about to charge at each other. 

My gaze shifts to Anton, his shoulders hunched, as if to ward off the words cracking the air like a whip. I look to Lucy next, her tiny shoulders trembling as she lifts a small, slender hand and wipes her nose.

Mom’s voice bursts from her lips like bullets in a quiet forest, jerking my attention back to her and Dad. “You should have told me. You didn’t bother because you don’t respect me. My decisions.” Her sky blue eyes flash at Dad, her cheeks flushed.

Feedback/Comments are ALWAYS welcome. Anyone up for meteor showers watching tonight? Here in Vienna should be around midnight.
 Have a meteorlicious Sunday

Writing Is Like Knitting...

Yesterday  I was going through my knit and crochet projects and found these two bags I had done two years ago, and completely forgot about. To say  I was pleasantly suprised is an understatement. While 'ooh-ed' and 'aah-ed' at the awesome job I had done on them, my mind flitted from them to writing.

When I started crochet and knit as a hobby, it was mainly for therapeautical reasons (To me, any work I have the chance to use my hands is therapeutic, other than laundry that is.) hm, where was I? Yes. knit and crochet projects. The first projects were... not pretty.
I never gave up though. I bought magazines and downloaded those free patterns from websites that offer step by step instructions. Eventually, I managed to work those knit and purls, as well as crochet into something beautiful. Now I'm proud to call myself knitter, crocheter. (I'm not sure this is the right word)

So why am I comparing Writing to Knitting?

When I started my writing journey, everything about it was like my first knitting projects: missing a purl here, a knit there, a stitch somewhere. There were times I wanted to give up,really.I stumbled on, right now my writing is not perfect, but I can say I've come a long way from that first chapter/ story/paragraph I wrote years ago.I read alot and that helps as well. I enjoy visiting other bloggers and writers blogs. Wonderful people to meet and so much to learn. 

Writing might seem like knit, purl, miss a stitch, but eventually with practice, patience and open-mindedness, that pattern repetition will eventually smooth out to a  beautiful Cable knit sweater or scarf, whatever you want it to be.

 And with that, I'd like to share with you some of my knitting and crochet work. I call these ones "book bags" - I know. Not original..LOL. I'm working on a pink one for my daughter.
I will be doing a 200 follower giveaway soon as a thank you for coming back to visit me, check on me, comment, and even encourage me. A few words go a long way, and for that I REALLY appreciate you. I will do book depository giveaways and probably these bags.

My Book Bags. Crochet and Cable knit

Big enough to fit two books

Alyssa, my baby - and no, she is won't be included in the giveaway.. haha

 She wants to learn to knit so Aly and I have a hot date.

Donell - my other baby. He isn't included either ..haha He knows how to knit

Happy Friday! I say go forth, knit and purl and write with vigor! Let your mind, imagination and fingers take over to weave the best pattern ever. :)

What was your Childhood Monster Blogfest?

I'm so glad to be taking part in this blogfest hosted by Christine the author of FEARLESS.
Childhood monsters. I believe each one of us had something that scared in our childhood years. Whether it is monsters under the bed, or being run down by a car, or a rabid dog chasing you...
Mine was a humongous rabid dog all fang-y with slobber trickling down from the sides of its mouth, (picture the 3 headed dog in Harry Potter) tongue lolling and crimson eyes ridden with insatiable hunger for my ten year old bony body. I'd wake up in the middle of the night certain it was peeping through the closet, or just waiting for me to slide my legs out of bed so it could snatch me and pull me under.

I still shudder at that image.

I did get over that though. My dearest house pet is our dog Mellie.

 So what was yours?

Six Sentence Sunday

Hi! Thank you for stopping by. Today's Six sentences are the continuation of the dinner scene I posted last week. To read the previous one, please click HERE 

Here we go:.

My hand clutches my chest to ease the needles stabbing my heart, while the other hand grips my fork, poking at my dinner, long gone cold.

For the last hour, Mom and Dad have glared at each other to the point that the air snaps with tiny sparks of their anger. The tension in the room gains momentum, looming like a black hideous cloud, its content potently toxic.I should leave them alone, take my brother and sister, go upstairs, lock the door, and shut out their voices. My eyes zoom in on the cutlery scattered on the checkered white and green table runner, glinting slyly under the four-bulb dining room chandelier, inviting and lethal. The thought of leaving the room flees my mind. 

I would love to know your thoughts, comments, anything.... 

To visit the other participants, check out www.sixsunday.com

My Friday Fantastic Feature: Kelly Hashway - Heroes and Villains Guest Post

 Another Friday, yay! Thanks for stopping by, hope you had a great week. :) Today I have the pleasure of hosting Kelly Hashway, my forever patient and awesome editor and the talented author of  Touch Of Death to be released in January 15th, 2013. I, for one, look forward to reading TOD. :) Before I hand the reins over to Kelly, here's a bit about her.

About the author: 

I write young adult and middle grade novels and am proudly repped by Lauren Hammond of ADA Management. Look for my upcoming YA novels, TOUCH OF DEATH (Spencer Hill Press, 1/15/13) and STALKED BY DEATH (Spencer Hill Press, 7/23/13), and my debut MG series CURSE OF THE GRANVILLE FORTUNE (Month9Books, 1/21/14)

  

Creating Complex and Memorable Heroes and Villains

Every writer wants to create the next big character, and every reader wants to dive into a book with a great MC who they're willing to follow anywhere. But how does that happen? How does a character, good or evil, become memorable?

I think there are a few key elements to every great character. First, they have to be real. Readers can spot stereotypes and flat characters in seconds. And that book will go back on the shelf, unpurchased. So make sure your character is someone you'd want as a friend or someone you'd never want as an enemy. Every character has to have good and bad traits. Yes, even your villain has to have some likability, some justification for why he/she is evil. A redeeming quality might not make the reader cheer for your villain, but it will make your reader understand him/her better. 

But the biggest thing you need to do when creating your characters is to make them evoke feeling in the reader. If the reader cares about your character or feels strongly in some way about them, they'll follow the character willingly through the entire story. I love to hate characters. Why? Because hate is a very strong emotion. If I hate a villain, I keep reading and hope for their downfall. In the same token, when I fall in love with an MC, I cheer him/her on to victory. It doesn't matter what kind of emotion your characters create—as long as it's a strong emotion. Readers don't care about characters that give them luke warm feelings. 

So give your heroes and villains dimension, make them real, and have them evoke emotion (good or bad) in your readers, and you'll have memorable characters.

 

 Touch of Death Description:

 Jodi Marshall isn’t sure how she went from normal teenager to walking disaster. One minute she’s in her junior year of high school, spending time with her amazing boyfriend and her best friend. The next she’s being stalked by some guy no one seems to know.

After the stranger, Alex, reveals himself, Jodi learns he’s not a normal teenager and neither is she. With a kiss that kills and a touch that brings the dead back to life, Jodi discovers she’s part of a branch of necromancers born under the 13th sign of the zodiac, Ophiuchus. A branch of necromancers that are descendents of Medusa. A branch of necromancers with poisoned blood writhing in their veins.

Jodi’s deadly to the living and even more deadly to the deceased. She has to leave her old, normal life behind before she hurts the people she loves. As if that isn’t difficult enough, Jodi discovers she’s the chosen one who has to save the rest of her kind from perishing at the hands of Hades. If she can’t figure out how to control her power, history will repeat itself, and her race will become extinct.

To link up with Kelly on her blog @ http://kellyhashway.blogspot.co.at/ 

Goodreads: Goodreads

Brenda Stanley's The Color Of Snow blog tour

Author: Brenda Stanley
Genre: Young Adult
Release Date: June 1, 2012

Rating: 4/5 stars

Author Website: Brenda Stanley
Click  HERE to go to The Color Of Snow website.

eBook
ISBN: 9780983741893
ISBN: 9781476172309
Pages: 413





BUY LINKS: Kindle - $2.99  Nook $4.95 iBookstore - $4.99  Google $3.79 

The Color of Snow Summary

Can a troubled young girl reenter society after living in isolation?

When a beautiful 16-year-old girl named Sophie is found sequestered in a cage-like room in a rundown house in the desolate hills of Arbon Valley, Idaho, the entire community is shocked to learn she is the legendary Callidora--a baby girl who was kidnapped from her crib almost seventeen years ago and canonized in missing posters with portraits of what the fabled girl might resemble. Authorities soon learn that the cage was there to protect people from Sophie, because her biological father believes she is cursed.

Sophie is discovered after the man she knows as Papa, shoots and injures Damien, a young man who is trying to rescue her. Now, unsocialized and thrust into the world, and into a family she has never met, Sophie must decide whether she should accept her Papa’s claims that she is cursed and he was only trying to protect others, or trust the new people in her life who have their own agendas. Guided by a wise cousin, Sophie realizes that her most heartbreaking challenge is to decide if her love for Damien will destroy him like her Papa claims, or free her from past demons that haunt her mind.

 Review:

I'd like to thank Tribute Tours for giving me a chance to read this wonderful story.

The title of this book plays a significant part in this story. The beginning starts with "It had snowed over five inches the day I was born, and it wasn't until the day I was saved that the snow was as deep or as blue." 

The end: As I stood taking in the view lie a rebirth, I couldn't help but  notice the snow. I marveled at how deep it was, how endless it seemed... and how blue." 

Absolutely beautiful. 

After Sophie is found by the police after 16 years living with her father, she is taken to live with her grandparents. Not only is she gawked at, but there are people who are waiting just to take advantage of her innocence. In the course of the two years she learns to trust her instincts, and learns who to trust. 

It was really great to read how the writer alternated different POVs. The main views were Sophie and her father's, but in between sparsed with other characters. Just when I read,thinking I knew what the story was all about, it took a sudden twist left me wondering why I hadn't seen that coming.

Every one of the character thought what they were doing was to protect their loved ones, and like a chain reaction each of those reasons ended up unknowingly hurting them, or other people they cared or didn't care about.  It was good to read about Sophie's journey, finally discovering everything about her life. I enjoyed reading about the characters in the story, but the ones who touched my heart most - other than Sophie - was Stephanie, and of course, Sophie's father. Stephanie is a survivor despite what happened to her. Her friendship, advice and encouragment wowed me. So wise for a girl so young. Luke, Sophie's father. He'd lost so much, survived it all despite everything else that stood in his way. I really liked his stubborn nature. I was shocked at his twisted logic about his idea of protecting everyone against his daughter. As I said, lots unexpected turn of events in this great story. Ms Stanley did a good job of creating characters with individual flaws, pasts, and problems just like every other person.

If you enjoy stories which the author doesn't shy away from subjects as real as the air we breathe, I recommend this book.

 

 Brenda Stanley's Bio:

Brenda Stanley is the former news anchor at her NBC affiliate KPVI in Eastern Iadho. Her writing has been recognized by the Scripps Howard Foundation, the Hearst Journalism Awards, the Idaho Press Club and the Society for Professional Journalists. She is a graduate of Dixie College in St. George, Utah, and the University of Utah in Salt Lake City. Brenda lived for two years in Ballard, Utah, within the Fort Duchesne reservation where the novel is set. She and her husband live on a small ranch near the Snake River with their horses and dogs.

Links:

The Color of Snow Twitter hashtag:
#TheColorOfSnow

The Color of Snow GoodReads page:
http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13456512-the-color-of-snow

Brenda Stanley's Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/brenda.baumgartnerstanley

Brenda Stanley's Twitter:
http://twitter.com/#!/myauthorlife

Brenda Stanley's Website:
http://www.brendastanleybooks.net/

Brenda Stanley's GoodReads:
http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4086376.Brenda_Stanley

Tribute Books website:
http://www.tribute-books.com

Tribute Books Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Archbald-PA/Tribute-Books/171628704176

Tribute Books Twitter:
http://www.twitter.com/TributeBooks

Tribute Books Blog Tours Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Tribute-Books-Blog-Tours/242431245775186

Fantastic news and Mid-week catching up

Heya friends,

Good news first. :)

I got the final draft of my Reaper's novice cover art done by the talented Renu @ http://www.thedarkrayne.com/. All I can say, it's absolutely BEAUTIFUL, and between now and when I received her email yesterday evening I've had a thousand squee moments. Reaper's cover reveal is on September 4th, and I cannot wait to share it with you.

Other mid-week news... my kids left for Turkey for a week so I'm home alone with Mellie (our dog) who looks so lost without the kids around. A week! I'm already missing them. Yesterday I spoke to my daughter and she sounded thoroughly annoyed because everything on TV is in Turkish language. She whined how much she missed Phineas and Ferb. Yep. TV generation. The good thing - I think it's good - I have more time to complete  editing my story and send it to the awesome Kelly Hashway *Hiya Kelly* I'd really, really like to finish everything before leaving for my cruise on 18th August. **glances up every few seconds at the clock nervously**.

That's all from me for now. What's happening on your end of the pool?