January Thaw

It seems one should never make plans any further than the that day. At last I have gotten my Christmas tree down and the house is almost cleaned up. Funny thing I get a virus over the holidays and get better, then I get the flu. Yes, I had a flu shot and I am crazy about keeping germs from me. Sadly one family member chopped a huge chunk off his thumb, ER not fun. I have some very lovely friends who gave me suggestions. I have tried all in the past and am just grateful they care enough to suggest them again. I am well for now and hope you are too.

I have had time to read a few blogs and see a few tweets, it seems everyone is busy. I have seen a sad thing too. So many people are not having fun. They are just doing auto tweets of sell, sell, sell. Well, thats OK but you need a bit of fun too. Life is short and you need to smile. As you know I do tweet a few pictures of Princess, just for fun. So today just for fun, do something or read something just for fun. You could have a fun blog, just fun things you fancy. How about going out to lunch and enjoy it then tell us all about it? What did you eat?

My bit of fun, well, last time my family and I went to dinner, it was Mexican. Oh how I do love my spicy foods. Our waitress was drunk! She gave everyone the wrong drinks and food. She forgot desert and look confused when we asked for it. We all had a good laugh in the car on the way home. Yes, we will go back, lets hope she is gone.

So after your fun, you will be energized and ready to write. I am looking forward seeing all your grand work. Now time for me to get working. You need some nice tale to think about as well.

I hope you have fun today even if its just a ride or walk for fresh air. I would love to hear about your fun. So what are you plotting to make yourself smile?

Guest Blog by E. Kirwin

I was asked to write a few words on reading over Mother's books in the last few years. I'm very proud of the work she's done and she's grown so much as a writer. Her progress has been entertaining to see and read while I have been beta reading her books. Beta reading is a new term to me as well and it's like being a beta tester for software. You read through it and find the bugs and work them out. 

Her first novel, Dust of Tombstone was mostly finished but because of a file error, she had to rewrite several pages after I noticed the corrections we made didn't save. And it's true what they say, the first time is the hardest. Her second book, Haunted Bedtime Stories was a series of short stories which I read at different times, usually when I had time off from school or work. Finally, her latest project, which is full of pictures my Grandfather took during World War II, was a bit of a logistical challenge. We had gotten the photos scanned from negatives (which was a bit of a miracle because of their age and their poor quality) and then had to teach ourselves how to format it for a book and later, a eBook ready format. 

If you're reading this and are apprehensive about writing and selling your own book, don't be. It's easier than it looks but you just have to take your time and don't panic! You have the whole internet to help you on your way. Best of luck!

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?