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?

Grab a cuppa.

Grab a cuppa and we can chat a bit.

Well, summer is rolling away so quickly. This weekend is the close of summer for most in America. I miss setting up my class. I miss getting my son his back to school supplies and the Mum are you mad I will not wear that! 

I have also been reading blogs. So many good ones so little time. One theme that keeps popping up people treating others rude and mean. What is the point? You are not a push over. There is a limit to what you can take as well. I have noticed this for a few months. So being polite is a reason to abuse the person, to some people. It is the only way for them to feel better about them selves. Just because you are polite person doesn't mean you are a push over.

You should always say thank you. If someone does a kindness such as RT your blog and book say thank you. It wont hurt. Off soap box now.

Writing is hard work it is a job. It can be very hard at times so you just keep going. Do not give up keep writing.

Myself I am writing at a steady pace now. With three writing projects going on all different its fun. It is also why you see so little of me. I do drop in most mornings on twitter to say hello. You can say hello.

OH, if you would like to do a guest blog here let me know.

So this weekend coming up how about reading. So many great Indie writers are out there and if you haven't read my work go for it. 

I am tired and hope this make some sort of sense. Thanks for the love and support.