I'm Back!

After some time off for reflection, I'm finally back. And what better way to jump back in than with Alex's Wednesday movie quotes? Today's topic is Romantic Comedies. 

Except for some really old movies like Top Gun, or Star Wars, I can never think of any good quotes, but with the help of my friend Google, I found a good one.  This is from the movie Last Holiday, starring Queen Latifa.  I just love this movie.  It's sweet, funny and even has a great message.  

"You wait and you wait for somethin' big to happen... and then you find out you gon' die." -Georgia Byrd  

So get on out there and do the things you want to do before it's too late. 

In other news, I'm so excited because....

I'm finally working out again!  My ankle has healed enough that I can skate again! Which is a huge relief.  It was so hard to be out there on the ice teaching and not be able to do anything myself.
And my husband and I just started P90X last night!  I'm already sooo sore.  I know it will really kick my butt, but I'm looking forward to getting back into shape.   

And Nick Wilford's anthology for Overcoming Adversity launches on Monday, March 4th, stop on over and help him spread the word.  

Coming soon, Jess will announce her blogfest for the launch of her debut novel, From the Ashes.  Yay! I can't wait.

Hope your having a great week!

Kathy :)

I'm soo excited to help Alex reveal the cover to the third book in his series...CassaStorm!  He does so much for this blogging community that it's great to be able to give back to him.  

CassaStorm by Alex J. Cavanaugh

http://alexjcavanaugh.blogspot.com/

A storm gathers across the galaxy…

Byron thought he’d put the days of battle behind him. Commanding the Cassan base on Tgren, his only struggles are occasional rogue pirate raids and endless government bureaucracies. As a galaxy-wide war encroaches upon the desert planet, Byron’s ideal life is threatened and he’s caught between the Tgrens and the Cassans.

After enemy ships attack the desert planet, Byron discovers another battle within his own family. The declaration of war between all ten races triggers nightmares in his son, shaking Bassan to the core and threatening to destroy the boy’s mind.

Meanwhile the ancient alien ship is transmitting a code that might signal the end of all life in the galaxy. And the mysterious probe that almost destroyed Tgren twenty years ago could be on its way back. As his world begins to crumble, Byron suspects a connection. The storm is about to break, and Byron is caught in the middle…

Release date: September 17, 2013

Science Fiction - Space Opera/Adventure

Print ISBN 9781939844002

E-book ISBN 9781939844019

****

Good luck Alex!  I can't wait til it's out, it sounds great!

Kathy :)

The Dragon Empire

Today we're celebrating the release of Heather McCorkle's fantasy novel, The Dragon Empire! For today's stop Heather is answering the following question:

Is this novel the beginning of a new series? And what can we expect next from you?

Heather: In the traditional sense that most people think of, no. But in a way it is. There are several more novels coming that are set in this world and involve these characters. The next novel will be about Torin, one of the people that Grendar meets in The Dragon Empire and it will be a New Adult fantasy novel.

B&N / Amazon / Goodreads

Here is a bit about it:

On Yacrana dragons are the advanced species. But advanced doesn't always mean civilized...

There's trouble in the Dragon Empire, the kind that could start a war between dragons and the races of people. Hidden factions of dragons believe they should rule the lesser races, not simply stand aside and allow them to develop as they will. Having lived so long in peace, the Emperors turn a blind eye, many oblivious that such attitudes even exist.

Despite being only an architect class, emerald dragon, Grendar is willing to risk banishment and death to stop that which his rulers refuse to see. The hope of peace lies not within the scaled breast of a dragon however, but within the hands of a group of people. But if the hidden factions have their way, these people won’t live to fulfill such a destiny. With a reluctant seer at his side, Grendar must leave his precious Empire for the outside world to save those that will one day save his kind.

While The Dragon Empire is for ages young adult and up, it does contain mild violence and some difficult subject matter. 

*****

Wow, Heather that sounds great! Good luck with it.

Kathy :)

Thank You

I just wanted to say a big THANK YOU for all your wonderful thoughts and prayers.
I really appreciate it.
I won't be posting for the remainder of the week as I will be up in Michigan for the services.  I will try though to get around to as many of your blogs as I can.

Thanks again for all your kind words.
Have a lovely week.

Kathy     

Celebrate Life

Paul Edgar Titus
September 8, 1921- February 8, 2013

My grandpa grew up during the depression learning that the only way to make a life is through hard work and perseverance. As a kid he remembered how he and his brother shared a room and often woke up with snow on their pillows as it had blown through the cracks in the walls.

He built his first house for he and my grandma with his own hands, actually digging the foundation with a hand shovel after his long day at work.

He served in the Navy during World War II. He started his own house building business and built many beautiful homes for families in Michigan.

He taught me how to fish and love the outdoors,
He taught me to go out and be driven to accomplish goals,
He taught me to have high expectations of myself and others,
He taught me how to laugh at myself,
He taught me to how to live.

He will be greatly missed.
 

Fishing with my Ryan

The last time we were all together. Thanksgiving 2012

IWSG

It's time again for the Insecure Writer's Support Group post, hosted by Alex J. Cavanaugh.  Come join us if you want to share your fears or help encourage others.  We post the first Wednesday of every month.


It's been a struggle the last couple of weeks to stay on track.  I'm deep in the middle of revisions for my first novel.  I like the world I've created and I think it has potential, but I feel like I've fallen into a bottomless pit of muck that I'm not sure I can crawl out of.  Can I really make it all fit seamlessly together?

I know I need to just keep at it. Word by word, sentence by sentence, I will make it shine.  But some days that's hard to believe.  Hopefully, I can find my way out of the swamp of tangled words that I've written.

*****

In other news, if you haven't already checked out Nick Wilford's "Overcoming Adversity" bloghop, you should go read the inspiring entries of people struggling through adversity and making the best of it.  There were so many great entries showing that sometimes we don't find out who we really are until we face an obstacle.  

What are your insecurities this week? Did you participate in Nick's bloghop? Do you have other news you'd like to share?

Kathy 

Overcoming Adversity Bloghop

Hope everyone had a great weekend.

Today, I'm participating in the "Overcoming Adversity" Bloghop hosted by Nick Wilford.  This one is for a good cause.  It's to help send his stepson, Andrew, who has cerebral palsy, to a college in England that can help him pursue a course in film editing.  The school in Scotland that he was told he must attend is a glorified daycare that will not challenge Andrew.

Nick will be collecting all the entries to make an anthology that will be available on Amazon, the proceeds will go to Andrew's college fund.

Here are the rules:

Write something about overcoming obstacles in the face of adversity to do what you know is right.  It can be either flash fiction or a piece from your life.  

The Rules:

* Sign up on the linky list below

* Please keep your entry to 500 words

* Please post on either Monday 4th or Tuesday 5th February

* I'd better say, keep it family-friendly! I'm sure it will be anyway.

Err... that's it! Once it's all over, I'll compile all the entries into the anthology which will be released as soon as possible, with all proceeds going towards Andrew's fund. I really hope you'll be able to join me, and please spread the word by whatever means you choose. The more the merrier! I'd also really appreciate it if you could display the blogfest button somewhere on your page. The ant is Andrew's mascot and will also feature on the book's cover. 

Here's mine at 488 words:

The tavern was packed with people and Julianna pulled her cloak down to cover her face.  Dex had told her to come today, he said there was a plot against the Queen, but Julianna hadn’t believed him.  She had to hear it for herself.

She searched the shadows and spied two men standing by the bar.  Their faces were hidden but somehow she knew these were the men she was looking for.  

She slinked up behind one of them and pretended to order a drink.  She leaned closer to the scruffy man behind her and listened carefully.    

“Take this,” the man whispered, handing the other a bundle of papers.  “It’s all you’ll need.  It’s perfect, the Queen won’t deny it in order to protect her brother and the Council will be forced to take action against her.”

“This changes everything, ready yourself.  The Toryck family will finally control the throne.”

Icy tendrils spread through Julianna as she listened to the other man speak.  It was her father, Aryn Toryck.   He was jealous of the Queen’s influence and popularity.  Aryn thought his old friend, the King, should have married his sister, Rosa.  It would have brought him wealth and power, now he was going to destroy her.  

Julianna pulled at the sides of her dark cloak, wishing she could disappear.  Would he notice her?  She waited until they left then made her way to the back door of the tavern.    

She staggered into the frigid night.  She felt sick and reached out for the nearest tree to steady herself.  A wave of helplessness washed over her.  She couldn’t let her father bring down this good woman.  The Council would force the Queen to abdicate and send her to the Citadel to languish until her death.  

But what could Julianna do?   No one would listen to her.  

If she stayed quiet, her father would become the King’s favored adviser.  She couldn’t go against her him, could she?  He was already a powerful man.        

Then she remembered the night the aging Duke of Bishare had come to see Aryn.  They had argued.  Soon afterward,  the man had died mysteriously.  Her father must have been responsible.    

 

She took a deep breath,  knowing what she had to do.  She had to find the Duke’s son.  He could get her access to the Queen’s men.  But they would have to act quickly, before her father met with the Council.  Maybe they could intercept him and destroy the documents.

It crossed her mind that the Queen might not believe her.  Then she would look like a fool.   

If she failed, the Queen would come to ruin, her father would learn of her betrayal, and disown her or worse.  

If she succeeded... her father would be locked in the Citadel and the Toryck name shamed.  

Julianna knew she could lose everything but it was what she had to do.

It was her duty to the kingdom.     

****

Kathy :)