New Years Resolutions

Grab a cuppa and relax a bit. I was wondering how many people I know are making New Years resolutions. I don’t make them, too easy to forget and not keep. I don’t think making them New Year's Eve after a few glasses of spirits work either. I make lists of things I want to accomplish that year.

I am sad to say my list I only got the easy things done. I had planned on scheduling each day and what I would get done each day. That worked two days and I ended up having major surgery on my throat. One health issue after another slowed me down to a snail's pace of work.

I did get out the picture book and a good start on a novella and an outline of a novel. I think I could write more if life would get out of my way.

Now this year...I do fear making a list. It was a disaster last year. I think I will just do as I always do; the best I can and keep getting up and going. 

So I am keeping my fingers crossed for good health. It will be less costly if I stay healthy. I will keep writing and Princess will still be comic relief.

Are you making any resolutions? Are you making a list of what you want to accomplish? I think setting goals, even just weekly ones help us get so much done. I hope to read more too. I wish I could say I will read a book a week but fear the jinx! I do hope you're reading a fun, scary, good book you got for the holidays.

Happy Christmas

Just a short note to wish you a Happy Christmas and a Wonderful New Year. 

May you and yours have a wonderful holiday season.

Cheers!

Happy December

Grab a cuppa lets visit a bit...

Happy December everyone. OK so I am gotten off my bum and to work. A lovely friend of mine described it well, just a malaise. She seems to understand as a fellow writer we are all a bit odd in our ways. We go through things in life and these things effect each of us in a different way. 

So now we wrap up another year. For all the good and bad we survived and thrived. I feel lucky I have meet a few lovely people and my friends are so kind and supportive.

So my labour has come to fruit as they say. I now have ‘My Dad’s Pictures from WWII’ on iTunes. I worked very hard to get it just right and published. I hope its very successful the money goes to my son. Why I was asked. Well, my father told my son he would pay for things for him and never did. I didn’t know about this until sometime later. My Dad didn’t leave money to sort this out so I am trying too. He gave me these pictures long before he passed away so. I felt this could be his inheritance money to pay for his Grad school. So if you have know anyone who loves WWII things and Black and White photos from France at the end of the war they many enjoy this book. As for me I just wish I knew who the people were in the photos. Some of the Photos I just love. The young man in one so sweet flanked with bombs on both sides. Scary that he may no longer be with us. Well, silly me.

So back to ghosts. You know as humans they had feelings. So I think in the afterlife they would too. I also feel most are good people but oh yes so many not so good. Just like life only paler.

Soon Princess and I will do her count down until Dr. Who for Christmas. Our Christmas Cracker hats on and a glass of wine. 

Here are some links you will enjoy of books that make such lovely gifts. Are you giving any books as gifts and if so which ones?

http://bit.ly/TNZQpO

http://amzn.to/QkhLYN

http://amzn.to/MXUdX2

http://amzn.to/QPpRsU

Grab a cuppa and relax a bit. 
I am sure you are so busy this time of year. I have had a bad case of procrastination. I get up each day with good intentions of getting all the little things done. The little things didn’t get done over the long weekend because I was recovering from 19 hours of learning how to do iTunes books. I was told you need to put your WWII book on it. So I did and now I am waiting for them to say yes it is up here is the link or you need to try again. I think it will be your link is... I saw the proof on my iPad. WOW I was so pleased with how it looked. 

I have a friend who home schools his kids I gave him a copy of the book when I first published it. He said it is a great learning tool for a few reasons. First his kids can see Paris France as it looked at the end of the second world war. They can see the cars, speed boats, ships and landmarks. Second what it was like to live on a military base at the end of a war. Third they could see aircraft when it was still fairly new. He is not a big war history person but says he felt this was a neat way for people to view life as young person at the end of a very bad war. This was a new view of the pictures for me. I still wish I knew the people. He loved the fact the ghosts planes show up on some of the pictures. I call them ghosts because they look to be ghosts to me.

Well, I have chatted your ears off. Back to work. I need to get some editing done I have to find an editor.

I suggest indie books from Coffin Hop writers. So have you been adding books to your holiday gift list? Which books are you reading now?

http://bit.ly/109NcpQ

Check out a new friends book too. Also Coffin Hop friends have a book for the holidays to check out.

http://amzn.to/QPpRsU

http://amzn.to/ToS99J

Happy Thanksgiving and Black Friday

Time to grab your cuppa and visit.

I hope everyone has a wonderful Thanksgiving in America. I hope you enjoy your families and have a great meal. As for me I think this year I will make reservations. Cooking for two and a Vampire corgi it’s hard, and with all the turkey birds being so huge here. If I get a bird it would last a month. I am not a big turkey eater. 

Now how about these Black Friday sales? Hmm. So my son has put my WWII book on sale through the first of the year. All the profits go to him to pay off student loans. The book is all pictures his Grandfather took at the end of WWII while he was stationed in Orly France. Loads of pictures of Paris and aircraft. Many of the Orly base too. Black and white photos taken with gun film are so different looking too. You can see ghosts of aircraft on some of the pictures. The people in the Photos are just interesting to me. I really want to know who they are. What happened to them? I hope they all had a wonderful life full of love. Some of the photos are creepy looking to me. The photos are my sons inheritance from my Dad. I printed them up for my Dad before he passed. Sadly he had no idea who the people were just the dog in the pictures. Well, that's where we get our love of dogs from Dad.  

What am I grateful for this Thanksgiving? My small family who try to take care of me. If you are lucky enough to have a big family hug them and know they try to do be good to you. I am also grateful for my beautiful Princess. She is a funny girl who keeps me smiling even when I am down. The past year has been hard two major surgeries and asthma out of control. I just keep getting up and going I refuse to let health issues get me down for long. I am also very grateful for you who read my work. Time for me to get to work. You need new Ghosts stories from me. I am working away on a Novella of stories for you. 

So I know a group of really well written Indie writers and their books. I would suggest you fill up all your families kindles, iPads, and 
computers with books. If some like paperbacks go get them from a Indie writer. I hope you can pick up my only WWII Photo book, it’s on sale. It would make a lovely gift for a WWII vet or any person who just loves Black and White photography from history. If you want a list of Indie Writers let me know.

      http://bit.ly/109NcpQ

Books make great gifts. Are you shopping for books this holiday? 

Guy Fawkes Day

Guy Fawkes Day or as you may know it BonFire night.

Welcome to my Guy Fawkes night. I think I am the only one having this is Southern Arizona. Go Gab a cuppa and enjoy.

This was started to celebrate King James living through the plot to blow up the house of Lords. Now today it’s good fun and reason to have a party for most. In school in England the children are still taught the poems. I have seen a few poems pick the one you like best. Myself I just wish to have fun.

Remember, remember the Fifth of November,

The Gunpowder Treason and Plot,

I know of no reason

Why the Gunpowder Treason

Should ever be forgot.

Guy Fawkes, Guy Fawkes, t'was his intent

To blow up the King and Parli'ment.

Three-score barrels of powder below

To prove old England's overthrow;

By God's providence he was catch'd (or by God's mercy*)

With a dark lantern and burning match.

Holla boys, Holla boys, let the bells ring.

Holloa boys, holloa boys, God save the King!

And what should we do with him? Burn him!

or

Remember, remember!
    The fifth of November,
    The Gunpowder treason and plot;
    I know of no reason
    Why the Gunpowder treason
    Should ever be forgot!
    Guy Fawkes and his companions
    Did the scheme contrive,
    To blow the King and Parliament
    All up alive.
    Threescore barrels, laid below,
    To prove old England's overthrow.
    But, by God's providence, him they catch,
    With a dark lantern, lighting a match!
    A stick and a stake
    For King James's sake!
    If you won't give me one,
    I'll take two,
    The better for me,
    And the worse for you.
    A rope, a rope, to hang the Pope,
    A penn'orth of cheese to choke him,
    A pint of beer to wash it down,
    And a jolly good fire to burn him.
    Holloa, boys! holloa, boys! make the bells ring!
    Holloa, boys! holloa boys! God save the King!
    Hip, hip, hooor-r-r-ray!

I hope enjoyed my BonFire.

And the winner is...

Happy Hallowe’en! The Coffin Hop winner for 2012 is Eileen Wiedbrank. Princess grabbed your cookie first. So please DM on twitter and I can send you a email to get the address you want the Halloween Prize sent to!

I hope you had fun tonight and scared the world. I did!

We had fun and went through all the candy before 8 p.m.

Thank you for the support and I will see soon. Guy Fawkes Day is coming and we have a doll to burn.

My Hallowe’en fun tonight.

Sorry so late, very tired!

Princess and I had fun.

Halloween fun for all.

Well, we are winding down Coffin Hop for another year. You don’t have to miss all the lovely writers and creepy stories. You can visit them anytime. I do hope you will stop in and visit me too. So on Halloween at 5 p.m. PST Princess will pull a name from a bag. 

I always look forward to Halloween all year round. I dress up for the whole day, after all you get a good costume might as well wear it. This is the first year I am going as a ghosts. I have a few Halloween traditions. Breakfast and then dress up. I make a nice spicy chili for tea. I bake cookies or cupcakes in ghost shapes too. I give gifts also to my loved ones and friends. I find fun things to make them smile and pop in some yummy candy. My Halloween Village will be on and the garden will be lit up. We will read nice spooky stories before bed too. I will post pictures of Princess and I dressed up.

Do you have any Halloween traditions? I would love to hear about them. I want to Thank you also for visiting my blog and all the kind words. I am writing and hope to have a new book out by the first of the year.

Princess and I will see you Halloween after she picks a winner.

Coffin Hop and Storms

Just a quick note for Coffin Hop Blog. I hope all that are in Storm Sandy's way are safe and out of harms way. 

I think some of the supplies were forgotten by officials. Water, food, cash,
Flashlights aka torches, batteries, wood for fire places, Blankets, warm clothes,  medicine and the like people get. So I say how about board games like Clue, cards and books. Lots of books to read. To me I would want to be stranded in a library so I could read. Reading can take you away from the problems and to new places.

Its Halloween time and reading ghosts stories can be fun. So time to hop so many blogs go check out this list.

http://coffinhop.wordpress.com/

I will see soon Princess can't wait to pick a winner. She is a Fairy Princess, saying Hello.

Hallowe'en because you should get presents!

Have you enjoyed visiting all the lovely blogs? I have seen loads of prizes to be won. Mine will be won from All the comments. They are going in a bag tied to a doggy cookie. The first cookie Princess pulls out wins! All the cookies will be the same. We will pull the name on Hallowe'en 5 pm PST. So what could you win, a signed paperback book Haunted Bedtime Stories paw signed too, bookmark, fun socks, skull earrings, glow in the dark disk and some Yummy candy. Because Hallowe’en you should get presents and have fun. I say tell or read ghosts stories, eat too much candy and dress up in fancy dress. 

Why do I love Hallowe’en? It is one holiday no family fights. Sad but true. As an adult I decided I was going enjoy life and leave drama behind. I have and I love Hallowe’en, I love dressing up, decorating the house and garden. Princess likes to dress up too. We have fun and that is what one should do in life, have fun. I love spooky good fun year round.

So here is what I have done, I have a Hallowe’en Village. Yes, it’s massive and lights up with sounds. This takes me three days to put together. I have a dear friend she has one as well and you can hop over to her when you finish seeing my Hallowe’en Village.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GKDjYJUeYmU

Well, off to visit Rachelle and see what she has in store for you...

http://dimestorenovel.blogspot.com/ 

I will see you soon, so keep hopping.

Coffin Hop stop at RAF Chicksands...

Grab your cup of tea and settle in now. I do hope you are enjoying Coffin Blog Hop. So many spooky fun writers so little time. Please be sure to enter their contest. 

So now I want to take you to an out of the way spot in England. When I lived there last I visited a small RAF Base called RAF Chicksands. On this Base was a Priory it was used during WWII and was being turned into a small museum at the Base. It has quite a history. I do love history filled places, they always have ghosts. 

The Priory is also mentioned in the doomsday Book 1086. It started out as a Catholic Priory built about 1147. Henry the VIII sold it after he de-solved the church. It was a home and used during WWII. The tale doesn’t end there. 

There is a tale that a Num was walled up in the Cloisters. She can be seen on the 17th day of each month. The day I was there was the 17th June 1994. It is said that you can see other ghosts there too. Monks, nuns and horsemen have been seen as well.

I visited on a cloudy rainy day. It was chilly and damp. I walked through the museum and saw many wonderful items from WWII. It is a beautiful building and grounds. I had the feeling I was being walked with as I explored the building. I took pictures of the Priory as I was leaving.  Well, you be the judge for yourself. Myself I believe it’s her. I think that is the Nun. My friend with me said after seeing them said must be her. I hope you enjoy the pictures I took them with an instant camera back in 1994. I do hope someday to return and revisit Chicksands. I understand it is all open now and I would love to see it all restored. If you are ever there go visit and call me to go with you. It’s in Bedfordshire between Hitchin and Bedford.

            The Priory Nun I think.

Now hop off to visit 

http://theflipsideofjulianne.wordpress.com/2012/10/25/coffinhop-day2-sixmillimeters/

http://redtash.com/post/34302486232/coffin-hop-day-2-todays-contest-is-so-easy

http://kimkoning.wordpress.com/2012/10/24/2663/

After I had written this I googled Chicksands and found it has a site and winderful pictures.

Chicksands website:

http://www.chicksandspriory.co.uk/index.html

Welcome Back to 2012 Coffin Blog Hop

Welcome back to Coffin Blog Hop. This year you will have some new writers meet. You will also get to revisit some you meet last year who have prizes to give. They may have a few tales to tell as well. So grab a cup of tea and lets go hopping.

Well, I would like to tell you about some ghosts that roam the halls of the San Carlos Hotel in Phoenix Arizona. If you read the online brochure you think it's a posh boutique hotel in a lovely downtown area. It is that and yet more. Beyond the lovely rooms each different and unique there are ghosts.

The San Carlos became a hotel March 20th 1928 it was the first hotel in the American South West with Air Conditioning and you got it for an extra one dollar a day. It had an elevators too. It has been the hub for the elite, social, political and Hollywood stars. Many of the top stars stayed there. Like Mae West and the beautiful Marilyn Monroe. Not only the ladies but Clark Gable and Humphrey Bogart stayed here. 

The San Carlos Hotel was also built over an old school site. This school had a well dug in 1874, in the basement which is now capped. When it was a school it wasn’t capped off. So there was three little boys who drowned in. Now it's said that you can hear them playing ball down there still.

It seems that in 1928 a young woman named Leone Jensen jumped off the roof. They she was jilted by a bellman. I hear she appears at the foot of beds and fade to the hall. She seems to favor mens beds.

Now I have yet to spend the night here. This is on my list to do the first of the year. I hope I can see Leone. Sadly the Ghost Lounge is being remodeled and I couldn’t have a drink. I look forward to checking this all out in person. Haunted or not it seems like the perfect place to stay in downtown Phoenix. Anyone want to join in?

Well, its time to hop come back and I will tell you about Chicksands, UK and a nice ghosts I took a picture of.

Hop off to see my dear friends and fellow hoppers. Start with http://dimestorenovel.blogspot.com/2012/10/the-haunted-train-ride-coffinhop.html

Yes, I will have a Prize to give as well. Keep coming back to find out what's in the goodie bag. BAHAHAHA

Coffin Hop is coming!

Are you ready? Coffin Hop starts this Wednesday Oct. 24th. Like last year you can meet and read many wonderful writers. Some have great prizes and swag to win. 
Please join us you could win a book and have lots of fun too! 

This will help you get ready for Coffin Hop.

Taking the Plunge - Why I Entered America's Next Author

A few weeks ago, I learned about the America's Next Author contest. It sounded intriguing -- a writing contest based partly on social networking and partly on judges. So I took a look at the stories sitting around, gathering dust and chose The Big Hill, a story I wrote in 2009.

The reason I entered The Big Hill in the contest was because I felt it was a story that deserved readers. Sure, I had shown it to my husband and a few trusted friends back when the ink was wet. But a story that makes me cry each time I read it deserves more than a handful of readers. So I dusted it off (believe me, when you live on a dirt road even digital stories collect dust), read it through, cried again, made a few tweaks, and off it went.

At last, it is in the wild...ready for readers to see. I know not everyone will like it. I admit, there might be some who don't like it at all. But that's not the point. The point is that the story will be read and, hopefully, enjoyed by many. And that's why we do it, right? That's why we spill our soul on the page...for all the world to see.

Rachelle Reese is the coauthor of 7 books, including two short story collections: Bones of the Woods and Mind of a Mad Man, and theDime Store Novel series. She blogs at http://rachelleandjohn.blogspot.com. The Dime Store Novel characters blog athttp://dimestorenovel.blogspot.com.

Thanks for sharing Rachelle. I loved the story you wrote and think others will too.

Coffin Hop is coming...

Coffin Blog Hop

Well, you need to get ready Coffin Hop starts soon. You will have a chance to win books and maybe prizes from many of the bloggers. Even I have a surprise for Coffin Hop.  I have started getting ready for Halloween my fav time of year.

Are you ready for the Halloween?  I will see you soon. Cheers!

Fall is in the air.

Fall.

This Saturday fall begins for the northern hemisphere. Well, it still feels like summer here at F 100 today. I love fall it is my favorite time of the year. The colours change and the crisp air makes me feel good. I miss walking in the leaves on a crisp day in a jumper. My fall will come in mid to late November here. I am ready for a change this year has been a long hard one on my friends and myself. Princess is looking forward to cooler weather so she can run on the walking path. As it is now she hates walks.

I am thinking of my Halloween Village and have started getting bits to add to it. I have also been thinking of ghosts stories. Every year when I get my village I think of Jack. My dear Jack passed away six years ago this October. He loved Halloween and the village. He passed away at looking at the village and I feel his spirit each time I put it up. I know he is here. I have seen him out of the corner of my eye many times. I have heard him getting settled in his favorite spot.

With the cool air it is time to tuck in with a good ghosts story. Cuddle up and read a scary tale or two. I suggest Haunted Bedtime Stories you will like the tales.

I am working on 3 projects and have a creepy one about ghosts going on. I have also been working on staying healthy too.

Do you have any spirits living with you? I would love to hear about them. If you would like to tell us about your ghosts or spirit let me know?

This was a lovely Sunday all day walking along the Thames River in London. I miss that.

Spiders know things we don't.

Well, Rachelle ask can I do a little bit for your blog. I said YES! After all she is a great writer and dear friend. So here is her thoughts on Spiders. Which I like. Yes the spiders and her writing.

Spiders -- a lot of people are scared of them. A lot of people hate them. Not me. I am intrigued by their graceful dance as they spin their webs. I enjoy watching them wind their victims in silken strands. When I clean house, I cringe as I carefully remove any spider webs. When baby wolf spiders hatched in a Q-Tip box in my bathroom, I carried the box to my herb garden, where I could watch the babies learn to spin their webs.

My fascination with spiders carries over into the Dime Store Novel series. You see, the realms are connected by a weave. Until the web began to weaken, spiders were the only beings who could travel to any realm. It is the spiders' job to keep the weave  repaired -- and as it weakens, that job becomes nearly impossible.

The spiders are also messengers -- if you're willing to listen. The whispering widows are the primary messenger spider. In Rips in the Weave, an orb spider tell Sassafras Cats that her sister is in danger.  She goes to see the whispering widows to learn more. Here's an excerpt:

Sassafras kneeled in her damp flower beds, turning one rock and then another, whispering softly. “Widows, what news is there of Delilah?” No spiders answered. She walked into the woods, turning over rotten logs one by one. At last she saw the shiny black body, guarding several eggs sacs. “Where is my sister?”

Not my concern

to teach those who won’t learn

“But she is mine. The orb spider said you might know something.”

More to worry, little time

to care where humans spend their time

“I can see that. It’s unusual to have so many egg sacs, isn’t it?”

Only this one holds my litter. The spider wrapped two arms around the nearest sac, as if to hold it close. For these I am my sisters’ sitter.

The whispering widows speak in verse. Sometimes their words are puzzling. Sometimes they are prophetic.

One day will hatch protectors of the weave

Four tiny saviors, keeping gods at bay

Without them, Nightmare reigns, yet none believe

Like all prophecies, those of the spiders might come true or might have a veiled meaning. To find out, you'll have to read much further in the series than Rips in the Weave.

But one thing is certain...the spiders know things we don't. How else would they be able to create such works of beauty from a strand of thread?