I'm Going to be Published!

I know I've been absent for a long time. I'm sorry. I'm going to try and get better about that.

So, something cool happened recently...

Just over a week ago (on Friday, 25 July), I received an email from the sponsors of a romance short story contest I entered earlier in the month. My story is one of twenty that will be published in the upcoming anthology, Romancing the Story.

I’ve been telling everyone I know for the past week! It would be an understatement to say I am merely excited – I’m ecstatic! I’m actually going to have a story published! (Also, I like exclamation marks. And smileys, though I’ll try and keep both to a minimum.)

My story, “Soul Call”, is a fantasy romance with a paranormal twist. My specialty. ;)

I've also created a professional blog, so if I'm not here, look for me there.

Sunday Sunday IV

This is one of my all-time favorite hymns. Below are the original lyrics from 1779.

Amazing Grace

John Newton

Amazing grace! (how sweet the sound)
That sav'd a wretch like me!
I once was lost, but now am found,
Was blind, but now I see.

'Twas grace that taught my heart to fear,
And grace my fears reliev'd;
How precious did that grace appear
The hour I first believ'd!

Thro' many dangers, toils, and snares,
I have already come;
'Tis grace hath brought me safe thus far,
And grace will lead me home.

The Lord has promis'd good to me,
His word my hope secures;
He will my shield and portion be
As long as life endures.

Yes, when this flesh and heart shall fail,
And mortal life shall cease;
I shall possess, within the veil,
A life of joy and peace.

The earth shall soon dissolve like snow,
The sun forbear to shine;
But God, who call'd me here below,
Will be forever mine.

Source: Wikipedia article "Amazing Grace"

Posting Schedule (such as it is or was)

My original daily posting schedule:

• Sunday - "Sunday Sunday" - lyrics to public-domain hymns
• Monday - "Monday Raves" - stuff I like a lot
• Tuesday - "Tuesday Quotes" - random humerous quotes from me and people I know, posted with permission
• Wednesday - "Waiting on Wednesday" - Book(s) I am eagerly awaiting the release of - moved to TuraLura's Picks
• Thursday - "Thursday Rants" - pet peeves and other things that annoy me or make me angry
• Friday - "The Friday 56" - book quotes
• Saturday - "Saturday Snippets" - small snippets from one of my WIPs (works in progress)

I don't expect to post something for each of these every week, but I would like to continue with this schedule. Two exceptions: as mentioned above, my "Waiting on Wednesday" posts will now be on my book review blog, so I would like to find a replacement for those (suggestions welcome). And I'm putting "Saturday Snippets" on hold for a while. I don't have anything ready for sharing as of right now. That may change at any time.

I am trying to ease myself back into blogging, so posts may be sporadic for a while. Especially as I have so many reviews backlogged for TLP. Like, a dozen or so. o.O That may take a while...

Thanks for your understanding.

The Friday 56, Part the Seventeenth

Rules:
* Grab the book nearest you. Right now.
* Turn to page 56.
* Find the fifth sentence.
* Post that sentence (plus one or two others if you like) along with these instructions on your blog or (if you do not have your own blog) in the comments section of this blog.
*Post a link along with your post back to this blog.
* Don't dig for your favorite book, the coolest, the most intellectual. Use the CLOSEST.

I found this via Shiloh Walker's blog. She found it at The Bookaholic Zone, who found it at Storytime With Tonya & Friends, which - as far as I can tell - is the originator.

Unemployed. Turned Cyborg after a debilitating work-related accident three years ago, no doubt spent most of his savings on the surgery.

From Cinder by Marissa Meyer. I just started this yesterday. I've only read one chapter, so I'm not this far along yet. I've no idea what the above sentences are about. Guess I'll find out soon. ^_^

My apologies for my extended absence. I am trying to get back into blogging on a more regular basis. I doubt I'll post every day, but I shall try to post more often then once every two years. o.O

No promises, but I will try.

The Friday 56, Part the Sixteenth

Rules:
* Grab the book nearest you. Right now.
* Turn to page 56.
* Find the fifth sentence.
* Post that sentence (plus one or two others if you like) along with these instructions on your blog or (if you do not have your own blog) in the comments section of this blog.
*Post a link along with your post back to this blog.
* Don't dig for your favorite book, the coolest, the most intellectual. Use the CLOSEST.

I found this via Shiloh Walker's blog. She found it at The Bookaholic Zone, who found it at Storytime With Tonya & Friends, which - as far as I can tell - is the originator.

“Her family is not only in charge of the Pop Cops, but work closely with the Controllers, as well.”

Inside Out by Maria V. Snyder

I was going to go sit out on the back porch and read for a bit, like I did yesterday, but then I found out the temperature: 80! Too hot for me. So I haven't actually started the above book yet, but I have it here beside me because it's the book I was going to take outside.

The Friday 56, Part the Fifteenth

Rules:
* Grab the book nearest you. Right now.
* Turn to page 56.
* Find the fifth sentence.
* Post that sentence (plus one or two others if you like) along with these instructions on your blog or (if you do not have your own blog) in the comments section of this blog.
*Post a link along with your post back to this blog.
* Don't dig for your favorite book, the coolest, the most intellectual. Use the CLOSEST.

I found this via Shiloh Walker's blog. She found it at The Bookaholic Zone, who found it at Storytime With Tonya & Friends, which - as far as I can tell - is the originator.

“I see,” Nathan said.

From Amazonia by James Rollins

The Friday 56, Part the Fourteenth

Rules:
* Grab the book nearest you. Right now.
* Turn to page 56.
* Find the fifth sentence.
* Post that sentence (plus one or two others if you like) along with these instructions on your blog or (if you do not have your own blog) in the comments section of this blog.
*Post a link along with your post back to this blog.
* Don't dig for your favorite book, the coolest, the most intellectual. Use the CLOSEST.

I found this via Shiloh Walker's blog. She found it at The Bookaholic Zone, who found it at Storytime With Tonya & Friends, which - as far as I can tell - is the originator.

When he passed through Thrace on his way to Greece, the god was insulted by one of the kings there, Lycurgus, who bitterly opposed this new worship.

From Edith Hamilton's Mythology.

Isn't It Ironic (Don't Ya Think)?

Unlike the song referenced by the title of this post, I have some sad news that is actually ironic.

You may remember my previous post about Bark for Life, the American Cancer Society's cancer walk for dogs and their owners.

Yeah, Ginger, who I walked in Bark for Life is the subject of yet another post here. But it's not a funny post or a serious post.

Well, it *is* serious. Also sad. Mostly sad.

Ginger LOVED doing Bark for Life. She enjoyed meeting new people and dogs. She loved the mile-long walk in the heat.

The rest of August, all of September and most of October, Ginger was her normal, happy self. In late October or early November, though, something changed.

She stopped eating. The dog we used to call part-goat stopped eating. We couldn't figure out why. She would sometimes eat her kibble, but not always. She ate less and less often as the month wore on.

When we went out of town for Thanksgiving, we took her with us. She was more active, and more perky, for those few days than she had been the entire rest of the month. Her energy and exuberance made me happy. She was happy for the first time in weeks.

And she was eating. Mostly people food, as I think everyone gave her some turkey (because she was so skinny and pathetic and cute), but she ate a little bit of dog food, too. (Not her dog food, mind.)

In December, she ate even less. We knew we needed to take her to the vet, but we couldn't afford to do so. Money's been tight since I lost my job last January. (Yeah, I still don't have another one, though I do have some promising leads.)

Again, we took Ginger with us when we left town for Christmas. She ate people food while we were there, but would not eat any of her dog food, not even snacks.

When we received a goodly amount of cash for Christmas, we knew we had to use it to take Ginger to the vet.

On 28 December 2010, we took Ginger to The Pet Vet on Patton. She really liked the vet and her assistant, despite the assistant having to take her temperature - always a traumatic experience for a dog.

They ran multiple tests, and finally diagnosed her with lymphoma.

That's right, cancer.

We'd known something was wrong with her, of course, but we thought it was pneumonia - she had all the symptoms.

The diagnosis of cancer came as a shock.

Of course, we couldn't afford the chemotherapy and radiation it would take to put the cancer into remission. So we got what medicine we could afford.

She took her medicine fairly well the first few days. Until this past Tuesday (4 January 2011), when she refused not only her medicine but people food.

We talked her into eating a little bit of food, and got most of her medicine into her. Later that night, I wished we hadn't; it all came back up. Every last thing she'd eaten that day. So I had to clean it all up before she or one of our other dogs ate it.

That was about 3 or 4 am on Wednesday. I found another spot when she woke me up whining a little after 9. I cleaned that up, too, and let her out.

Since she was acting like she felt better - excited over everything - we decided to go out and do our normal Wednesday activities (bowling, roleplaying, etc. with a group of friends).

We came home to 6 or 7 more spots on the carpet, some of which were old enough to be dry by then. (Eww. Also, not easy to clean.)

Obviously, she was not feeling better.

She couldn't walk straight, and her eyes weren't focusing either. She was just pathetic.

I spent the night on the living room floor with her, trying to keep her calm. About 8 am Thursday morning, I could no longer stay awake.

My hubby, Frank, had gone to bed about 5:30. I woke him up, and managed to stay awake while he called the vet.

At least, I think he called the vet. I don't really remember much from 7:30 am until 1:30 PM, when I woke up to Patch barking. Inside. He knows not to do that.

But he kept barking, so I finally got up to check on Ginger (Frank had come back to bed at some point).

Yeah, Patch isn't as stupid as he wants us to think.

Ginger wasn't moving. At all.

We buried her out among the trees, near the small animals she so loved to chase.

That was two days ago.

She only lived one week and two days after being diagnosed with cancer.

It's hard to believe I'll never see her again in this world. I'll never hear her whine again, never get ninja licked by her again. After a while, I won't have yellow fur all over my clothes - and everything else I own - anymore.

Despite my tears, some things can still make me smile. This song was such a comfort to me on Thursday, I thought I would share it here.

"Goldie's Last Day" - PFR:

The Friday 56, Part the Thirteenth

Rules:
* Grab the book nearest you. Right now.
* Turn to page 56.
* Find the fifth sentence.
* Post that sentence (plus one or two others if you like) along with these instructions on your blog or (if you do not have your own blog) in the comments section of this blog.
*Post a link along with your post back to this blog.
* Don't dig for your favorite book, the coolest, the most intellectual. Use the CLOSEST.

I found this via Shiloh Walker's blog. She found it at The Bookaholic Zone, who found it at Storytime With Tonya & Friends, which - as far as I can tell - is the originator.

Today's line is from Night Myst (Indigo Court, #1) by Yasmine Galenorn. (I recently reviewed this book on TuraLura's Picks.)

"Krystal was strung out. A crack addict."

That would be the main character, Cicely, taking about her mother.

Bark For Life (Cross-posted)

The American Cancer Society does this cool event every year called Bark for Life.

The American Cancer Society Bark For LifeTM is a noncompetitive walk event for dogs and their owners to raise funds and awareness for the American Cancer Society's fight against cancer. (From the page linked above.)

Cool, huh?

So, I signed up. Like half an hour ago. The Asheville, NC event is on Saturday, 7 August. Luckily it's not until late afternoon, so maybe it won't be too hot. But it will be August, so it will be hot. Or raining. Or both. Probably both.

I'll be walking Ginger, my yellow lab whose mom was a beagle. She's the most laid back of the three dogs and, therefore, the best fit for this.

I think it will be fun. Plus, Ginger will get to socialize: sniff other dogs and lick their owners.

I'll get some exercise, too. Bonus! ^_^

Edit: Totally forgot something! I also have a personal page on their servers that y'all can visit. Please donate and help me raise money for the American Cancer Society. Thanks.

Hey Bird Dog

I haven't slept well lately. Nothing unusual about that; I rarely sleep through an entire night.

However, this is the second night in a row that I haven't slept at all. (Though I did sleep for 4-5 hours during the day on Friday.)

This past night, I simply stayed up too late reading. (Darn you, M.J. Rose and Yasmine Galenorn! ^_^)

The night before last, though, my lack of sleep was all Ginger's fault. Ginger is my youngest fur child and the only female of the three.

She's also a bird dog. She proved that Thursday night.

We used to jokingly call her a bird dog because she seemed able to fly. A 6-foot fence could not keep her in the yard, despite her only being about a foot and a half tall at the shoulder. Dog can jump!

She didn't jump the fence Thursday night. I wish that was all she'd done.

Honestly, I told a fib earlier. My lack of sleep wasn't all Ginger's fault. Just mostly.

Unable to sleep - and with a growling stomach - I got back up not long after going to bed. (I think it was about 3 am.) Ginger pleaded with those lab eyes of hers to go out. Since I was up anyway, I opened the sliding glass door for her.

There was such a nice breeze, I left the door open but closed the curtain so we wouldn't get bugs. Ginger loves when we do this; she likes being able to come and go as she pleases. The curtain doesn't bother her, she simply goes under/through it.

A few minutes later, while I was fooling around on my computer, I heard something flapping against the curtain. It sounded like something fairly small, so I figured it was just a bug and would go away eventually.

Ginger, who was back inside by now, went to investigate the noise.

"Get it, little one. Get that moth."

She did. She chased something small and dark from under the curtain through the house. I could hear her wrestling with something near the front door. Dang that moth's putting up a fight.

It was no moth.

It was a bird. A small bird. And boy was it dead.

I choked.

I knew I had to get it out of the house so neither Ginger nor her brothers would eat it - who knows what kind of parasites the thing may have had!

I was crying by the time I picked it up in a couple of paper towels. I barely managed to open the front door and toss the poor thing into the yard before I broke down.

Yeah, after that, I knew I wouldn't be able to sleep. I also couldn't focus well enough to write or I would have written this up right then.

The Friday 56, Part the Twelfth

Rules:
* Grab the book nearest you. Right now.
* Turn to page 56.
* Find the fifth sentence.
* Post that sentence (plus one or two others if you like) along with these instructions on your blog or (if you do not have your own blog) in the comments section of this blog.
*Post a link along with your post back to this blog.
* Don't dig for your favorite book, the coolest, the most intellectual. Use the CLOSEST.

I found this via Shiloh Walker's blog. She found it at The Bookaholic Zone, who found it at Storytime With Tonya & Friends, which - as far as I can tell - is the originator.

Today's quote is from Into the Dreaming by Karen Marie Moning. It's a great little book that makes me want to find the rest of this series. ^_^

"I will eat what I deem fit."

A Couple of Contests

I'm not ranting this Thursday. (Only because I'm too annoyed to control my language on the rant brewing in my head.) So, I'm posting about contests around the blogospehere instead. ^_^

Okay, I lied. I'm only blogging about two contests. I'm too lazy to go off in search of more...

Lisa Desrochers is hosting a monthly debut author contest on her blog to celebrate the release of her book later this year. Each month's winner is given the choice of one of four YA debut novels or asigned ARC of Personal Demons. (Guess which one I want!) You can enter July's contest here.

I'm hosting a simple little contest over on TuraLura's Picks. I'm giving away two prizes of a Forgive My Fins bookmark and two mer-mark temporary tattoos. You can enter here.

There are plenty of other contests going on, though. I'm just not posting about all of them. ^_-

"Google is your friend; I am not." - Some guy on usenet years ago

Waiting on Wednesday: Mockingjay

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

My choice for the week:



Mockingjay

Book three in the Hunger Games trilogy. The first two books were phenomenal, so I'm sure this one will be as well!

Book blurb from Goodreads:

Against all odds, Katniss Everdeen has survived the Hunger Games twice. But now that she's made it out of the bloody arena alive, she's still not safe. The Capitol is angry. The Capitol wants revenge. Who do they think should pay for the unrest? Katniss. And what's worse, President Snow has made it clear that no one else is safe either. Not Katniss's family, not her friends, not the people of District 12. Powerful and haunting, this thrilling final installment of Suzanne Collins's groundbreaking The Hunger Games trilogy promises to be one of the most talked about books of the year.

Release Date: August 24, 2010

Tuesday Quotes 3

"Can we stop at the next exit. I want a peach milkshake." - Zane, riding in the back seat of a 15-passenger van

"You wanna pee on who??" - Jim, the driver of said van

Saturday Snippet #3

Third snippet from Elika's Story. This one is still in Kregen's POV.

Soft humming drew his gaze. A hymn to the Mother, from the dawn service. The girl wore the pale blue of a priestess-in-training.

Just a child, then. He would never hurt a child. No matter his need. He would look elsewhere for nourishment, but perhaps she could answer a question for him.

He shouldn't even have to get too close. Just close enough to see her ears or eyes or, preferably, both. Elven pointed ears and metallic-hued eyes would let him know he had finally made it home.

The Friday 56, Part the Eleventh

Rules:
* Grab the book nearest you. Right now.
* Turn to page 56.
* Find the fifth sentence.
* Post that sentence (plus one or two others if you like) along with these instructions on your blog or (if you do not have your own blog) in the comments section of this blog.
*Post a link along with your post back to this blog.
* Don't dig for your favorite book, the coolest, the most intellectual. Use the CLOSEST.

I found this via Shiloh Walker's blog. She found it at The Bookaholic Zone, who found it at Storytime With Tonya & Friends, which - as far as I can tell - is the originator.

Today's quote is from the book I'm currently reading: Inkheart by Cornelia Funke.

"But why not? I mean, you make up stories."

Tuesday Quotes 2

"Dork" - Me

"I love you, too" - Frank, my then boyfriend, now husband

"Whenever you insert logic into a fantasy setting, God kills a catgirl" - Hill

Monday Raves

On the flip side of Thursday Rants, we have Monday Raves... ^_^

Last week, I got to see Toy Story 3 in the theater. It was amazing. Toy Story 2 is my favorite in the series, but this one was still incredible. I do like it better than the first one.

That's not what I'm raving about today, though. Nope, I'm raving about the theater where I saw the movie.

Cinebarre at Biltmore Square Mall in Asheville, North Carolina does something rather awesome on Tuesdays. Every Tuesday, all day long, all movies are just $5.

Their regular prices are $7 for matinées, $9.50 for later shows. But not on Tuesdays.

I love that they do this. It's such a great idea. I wish more places did something like this.

Just one day a week, have reduced admissions prices. That would be so cool! It wouldn't really work for restaurants or stores. But it could work for museums, amusement parks, things like that. ^_^

Sunday Sunday III

Mom (that is, my mother-in-law) sent these lyrics out in an email the other day, and I think they're very appropriate for my mindset today.

Thanks, Mom!

I Know Who Holds Tomorrow

by Ira F. Stanphill 1950

I don't know about tomorrow
I just live from day to day
I don't borrow from the sunshine
For the skies may turn to grey.
I don't worry for the future
For I know what Jesus said
And today He walks beside me
And He knows what is ahead.

Many things about tomorrow
I don't seem to understand
But I know who holds tomorrow
Oh, and I know who holds my hand.
Oh, many things about tomorrow
I don't seem to understand
But I know who holds tomorrow
Oh, and I know who holds my hand...

Every step is getting brighter
As the golden stairs I climb;
Every burden's getting lighter,
Every cloud is silver-lined.
There the sun is always shining,
There no tear will dim the eye;
At the ending of the rainbow
Where the mountains touch the sky.

I don't know about tomorrow;
It may bring me poverty.
But the one who feeds the sparrow,
Is the one who stands by me.
And the path that is my portion
May be through the flame or flood;
But His presence goes before me
And I'm covered with His blood.

Many things about tomorrow
I don't seem to understand
But I know who holds tomorrow
Oh, and I know who holds my hand.
Oh, many things about tomorrow
I don't seem to understand
But I know who holds tomorrow
Oh, and I know who holds my hand...