Showing posts with label Random. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Random. Show all posts

October 7, 2013

You asked for it... You got it! Wherein the #demonpup takes over my blog... Humans, hide your souls!!!

His name is Bynum. Russell Bynum. A.K.A Rusty… A.K.A. the Demon Pup. However, he will answer to bunny, horsey, pony, kitty, poog, toog, naner and/or good boy. He’s not spoiled at all. You believe that, right?

So where do demon pups come from? Well, ours came from the faraway land of Kenosha, Wisconsin. The Hubs and I had only been married about eight months when we decided we needed a puppy. After much research we decided on a Vizsla, which is a Hungarian pointing dog. Of course, we had to pick a breed that wasn’t in the tri-state area…

Thus began our fourteen-hour trek from North Carolina to Wisconsin in 2007. We left on a Saturday morning, got to the breeder’s house around midnight. They wanted us to meet the litter before we picked. Interestingly enough, we hadn’t originally thought Rusty would be our pick—we had thought his larger brother would be the one for us. But once we met the demon pup in person, his adorable and crazed manner stole our souls—uh, I mean hearts. We were his. Forever.

Me & Bunny
So what are demon pups like? Well, I’m glad you asked. :P Rusty is the most cat-like dog I have ever met. He is terrified of water, even baths—keep in mind he’s supposed to be a water dog. He’s obsessed with licking and grooming himself. He prances. Some would say it’s a deer-esque stride… I like to think he’s on the prowl like a fierce red dog-lion. And lastly, he spins around and around before finding the perfect cozy spot to curl up in and nap for hours.

Are demon pups nocturnal? No. Rusty sleeps all night. Every night. Unless he’s had a Big Gulp of water before bed. He sleeps more than any animal or person I know! And he loves to sleep fully underneath the covers. He starts out in a tight little ball next to me when he falls asleep, but by the time he wakes up he’s on top of the covers sprawled out on Hubs. He normally gets up with me around 4:30AM to go outside, and then he waits for me to give him a bite of my breakfast before he goes back to bed until the Hubs gets up around 8:00AM.

What do demon pups eat? Rusty loves, loves, loves French fries and green beans. He absolutely detests mushrooms and lettuce. Oh, just found out this week that he likes black olives! *gives him all of mine because…gross* His all-time fave current treat: animal crackers. I use them to play Search. It’s a little game where Rusty pup waits in the kitchen while I go to the living room and hide an animal cracker—or animal cookie, as I call them. Then, I go back to the kitchen and give the Search command. He takes off sniffing and snorting. I usually have to help him though because he sometimes forgets to sniff and instead just searches with his eyes. So I’m the one pointing…for a Pointer.

Eat the dragon slippers, yes?

If we’re not playing Search, then Hubs is probably playing tug-a-war or wrestling with him. Rusty loves to play! If he’s not playing or sleeping, he’s manipulating us into giving him treats. He stands around the kitchen while we’re making dinner, waiting for us to drop something. Because anything on the floor is fair game. Duh. If we don’t drop something, he’ll sit—we call it pretty sitting—and stare at us until he gets a treat. We always cave. Why? He’s a demon pup. He owns our souls, remember?

I started calling him the demon pup because of a picture of him going crazy as a puppy running around the apartment. Really he’s just a cutie pie, love bug, baby boy who loves to have his picture taken, has the softest ears of any dog ever—no, really, EVER—and is so patient with me…because I love to torment him by touching his paws, flopping his ears and scooting him away from Hubs so that I can sit next to Hubs. Demon pups like to be in the middle. >_<

A few of the demon pup’s favorite past times include: chasing bugs, capturing them and then toying with them for a good ten minutes before leaving them to die a slow death; sleeping on his fave blanky; eating the leftover yogurt from the container; staring out the window; barking at things that are out of places in the house; and finally, being with his humans.

Can you see why he’s a demon? Spoiled. Rotten.

Bonus material... The many faces of the demon pup! Bwa. Ha. Ha.

Hi.



I want to eat your soul.



*uses Jedi mind tricks* Don't read. Pet me.



My blankey.



Again with the reading? Really, human.



What are you sayin' about me, huh??

March 27, 2013

Midweek Mayhem: Pitching dragons and dodging fire! #amblogging #Giveaway #PitMad

 Working it out…
  • (NEW - Halp!) Friday I'm participating in #PitMad via Twitter...sponsored by the fabulous Brenda Drake. Click here for deets. Would love some thoughts on my Twitter pitch for Becoming. **The pitch--no more than 140 characters and must have the #PitMad tag, so I had to get creative. :P A transplant leaves Zoe w/a dragon shifter's heart.Shy,she begins an online rltnshp, but the boy she's in2 is her donor & a girl #NA #PitMad Does it hook you? Thoughts? Thanks! Muah!
  • (Ends Sunday) I'm participating in J.A. Belfield's Bookaroo-Ju Blogaversary Giveaway! Win a signed copy of Witch Way to Turn by me here
  • (NEW) Sunday is my deadline to have the first 3 chapters of Becoming submitted in the American 'Idol' Writing Contest for the RT BookLovers Convention! Deets here!
  • (NEW) Tuesday I'm interviewing the sweet and funny Cecily White about her upcoming release titled Prophecy Girl!!!
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Random and adorable vid! ♥ it!!!

Hearing voices…
Cover art by Danielle Fine
  • My dark and gritty new adult urban fantasy with cursed dragon shifters, titled Becoming, is currently with my amazing editor!!! So excited to make this story sparkle and then pitch it at RT and RWA soon! Agents, you're gonna want this story...like super bad! Just sayin' ;D
  • Check out my stunning cover inspiration (right side above this paragraph) designed by the talented Danielle Fine!!! 
  • (Read chapter 1 fave sentences, here) Today I'm gonna share just a few sentences from chapter 2 that my editor loved :D The sentences don't have anything to do with each other.
The sensation prickled a row of goose-bumps along her arm and her mouth went dry. She tried to swallow. Failed. "You thought I was a guy?"
Zoe's back pressed straight against the counter. Her arms went stiff. "I don't have a secret."
Okay, so Zoe wasn't exactly the compass for all things normal either.


Dragon update... Round one of the first 150 pages of Becoming edits are back with my fabulous editor! Currently 2k words into the Becoming prequel (all from Taylor's POV)! It's going to be a novelette at about a 7k words
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Cover art by Danielle Fine
Waiting game...
  • (Update) On week #4 of waiting to hear back from a lovely agent who is reading Running From Shadows.
Reading...
  • Currently I am beta-reading for a fantastic friend and writer... Katheryn! Hooray for grim reapers!!
  • What's on my Kindle? 68% through Alice in Zombieland by !
  • Looking for book recommendations and reviews for your 2013 TBR List? Check out The Perks of Being a Book Nerd

Bonus material... 
*Writers, looking for a talented editor? I highly recommend Danielle Fine. She's edited three manuscripts of mine and has taught me so much! I'm a stronger writer because of her guidance. Also, she designed my beautiful inspiration cover art for Becoming and Running From Shadows! Annnnd she created the book trailer for Witch Way to Turn! 
*For more information on Dani's editing services, cover design, book trailer creation and website design stop by her site >>>> here!

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Random Alert! Alert. Alert. Alert...

Guess what I bought??? The classic trench coat!!! Ahhh!!! BIG thanks to my mom who found a 50% off coupon that didn't require buying TWO coats! Woot! Woot!! So this is a pic of it just hanging out at work. Get it??? OMG, I kill me!!!! :P



This random shot has a dual purpose. 1) To show the aforementioned trench coat in action. 2) To show that I carry waaaay too much crap to work every day! In fact, I carry THREE bags and at least once a week someone will ask me in the elevator if I've got enough stuff. Erm, yeah, I do...thanks, Captain Obvious :P

Rusty pup: Please, Mom, I swear I'll be good...just don't give me a bath!!!! I like to stink!! Me: Bwa. Ha. Ha. *tortures the demon pup*

Yeah, uh, so you may be wondering what I'm doing. Well, pretending to be a vampire and/or superhero, of course! Last week I had to work a reception for the day job and was given a party favor...one of these blankets that folds up into its own tote with a zipper and handle...great for alllll those picnics I take with the hubs...right, right. Hey, looky there...I used sarcasm properly again!!! ;D

Lego Beauty and the Beast. This pic was taken at Disney Land last year at the RWA conference. But it reminds me of Becoming cos Taylor calls herself Beast and Zoe, Beauty :) And, yesss, I love this movie! Who doesn't?? :P

March 6, 2013

Midweek Mayhem: My dragons need an agent!! Send them to NYC! #Vote78 #BECOMING Muah!!

Working it out…
  • (NEW) Be my hero?? Send me to NYC, and I promise I won't let Banshee take your soul! *crosses my heart* #78 Becoming vote here! xoxoxo
  • (NEW) Check out Dream On by Renita Pizzitola here! An adult fantasy novel: Her quest begins when she closes her eyes.
  • (NEW) Starting Saturday, 9 March through the end of the month, I'll be participating in J.A. Belfield's Bookaroo-Ju Blogaversary Giveaway! More deets to come here!
  • (NEW) Pitch-Fest starts on Sunday, 10 March! So polish those pitches! Check it out here!
  • (NEW) Thursday, 7 March, cover reveal for my lovely friend Heather Van Fleet's debut novel When It's Least Expected!!!! 
Hearing voices…
Cover art by Danielle Fine
  • My dark and gritty work-in-progress, titled Becoming, (a new adult urban fantasy with cursed dragon shifters) is currently with my amazing editor!!! So excited to make this story sparkle and then pitch it at RT and RWA in a few months! Agents, you're gonna want this story...like super bad! Just sayin' ;D
  • Check out my stunning cover inspiration (right side above this paragraph) designed by the talented Danielle Fine!!! 
  • (Read last week's snippet, here) Now, for an unedited teaser for you (one of the two heroine's POV--Zoe Moore, the raven-haired beauty with lots of neuroses). Zoe has just seen her skin flash to scales...serious freak-out moment! She's in the restroom of the gym on UNC Charlotte's campus...
  • (Teaser) She cut off the water and took a couple deep breaths. This was all too much. The weird puffs of smoke, the sensation of always being too hot and now flashing scales. How could this be happening? This was not what she’d expected for a second chance at life.

    She noticed the hand dryer on the wall but kept walking. By the time she reached the exit, her arm and hands were dry. This had to have something to do with the transplant. She’d never experienced any of this freaky shit before. Now more than ever she needed to know who had donated this heart to her.
     
  • (Dragon Update) I get Becoming edits back on Sunday! So excited to start editing! I've missed Zoe, Taylor and Aiden!
  • (A Shiny New WIP Update) I'm not sure exactly where this is going yet, but I'm really excited about it! *bounces* I've started working on another new adult novel...only this one has absolutely no supernatural creatures in it! *gasps* I know, right? So, we'll see what happens ;) If the idea continues to bloom, I'll share it with you. Yes, imma tease. Whaa? You already knew that :P

Cover art by Danielle Fine
Waiting game...
  • (Update) On week #41 of waiting to hear back from a lovely agent who is reading Running From Shadows. (Erm, after an email chat with the lovely agent on Monday...come to find out, she never received the email with my manuscript or my follow-up emails...Eep! She still wanted to read it though, and I know for a fact she has it now! ;) So...on week #1 of waiting to hear back. lol
Reading...
  • Currently I am beta-reading for a fantastic friend and writer... Katheryn! Hooray for grim reapers!!
  • Finished reading Shifting Pride by Laura Diamond! Absolutely loved the heroine's voice! Nickie is so snarky! Add this awesome werecat, YA paranormal romance to your Goodreads list here! My 5 STAR review to come!!
  • Looking for book recommendations and reviews for your 2013 TBR List? Check out The Perks of Being a Book Nerd!
Bonus material... 
*Beautiful cover art for Becoming and Running From Shadows and Witch Way to Turn book trailer by the awesomely talented Danielle Fine... Check her website for more cover art, editing, book trailer and NOW web design services. Fantastic example: Vince Considine's site here

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Random Alert! Alert. Alert. Alert...
Taken at 5AM Tuesday morning... Rusty pup: Please, just gimme one bite of bagel. Just one. That's not asking too much, is it?? *puppy dog eyes* Me: Dammit, he owns me. *gives him half my bagel* This is why Banshee is always hungry!

Loved Shifting Pride by Laura Diamond! Took a picture of one of my fave lines when I was reading on Sunday... It's underlined :D

So a friend and I went shopping on Saturday, and this was the first thing I saw when we walked into Express... I was all OMG, do they have a WRITER section???? But they didn't, only a Columnist section. *pouts* Oh well, anyway, of course I took a picture of this because...hello, random! One of the clerks saw me taking pictures and started freaking out. Not sure if she thought I worked for a competing clothing store, but I explained to her that I have a blog and I post random pix on Wednesdays. Anywho, she followed me around until I left :P I do this all for you, my darlings!!! lolz

I had to stuff envelopes last week at the day job... Ugh. Thankfully, I didn't have to lick all of them cos our mail room has a machine for that...however, one of my coworkers didn't know that. Poor thing! When she found out, she was all: So I wasted my spit for nothing!? LOL Er, random... Bam!

February 13, 2013

Midweek Mayhem... Beautiful Creatures and Random Pix and Sneak Peeks, ohhh my! #iHeartBooks #Giveaway

Working it out…
  • (NEW) OMG, I'm seeing Beautiful Creatures tonight at 10PM!!! Yes, you read correctly...10PM!!! That means, I won't be getting home until after midnight ON A WORK NIGHT. Phew. I'm exhausted just typing about it. Will keep you posted! Watch the movie trailer here! 
  • (NEW) Thursday, 14 February I have teamed up with 16 phenomenal authors to give our books away!! It's a Bookentine's Day Extravaganza!! There's a sneak peek for you at the bottom of this post!
  • (NEW) On Monday--in order to keep her soul from my alter ego, Banshee--the lovely Heather Jacobs is hosting me on her blog! Follow her on Twitter, here, and scope out her blog, here!
Hearing voices…
Cover art by Danielle Fine
  • My dark and gritty work-in-progress, titled Becoming, (a new adult urban fantasy with cursed dragon shifters) is currently with my amazing editor!!! So excited to make this story sparkle and then pitch it at RT and RWA in a few months! Agents, you're gonna want this story...like super bad! Just sayin' ;D
  • Check out my stunning cover inspiration (right side above this paragraph) designed by the talented Danielle Fine!!! 
  • (Read last week's snippet, here) And now...an unedited teaser for you (one of the two heroine's POV--Zoe Moore, the raven-haired beauty with lots of neuroses).
  • (Set-up: At the hospital searching for answers.) Swallowing hard, she pushed open the car door and soldiered to the entrance. She caught herself fidgeting with the cuff of her long sleeved t-shirt and stopped. Act like you know what you’re doing. She marched past the gray-haired grandma at the foyer desk and made a left for the administration offices. She had seen the sign with the white arrow so many times that getting to the place where they kept the files wouldn’t be a problem. The issue would be actually finding her file.
  • (Update) While I wait for edits on Becoming, I'm back in Rhodhiss, baby! Okay, not literally, but I am working on revisions to Witch Way to Turn book #2!! Right now I've rewritten the opening and am on page 19 of 263 in revisions...

Cover art by Danielle Fine
Waiting game...
  • On week #37 of waiting to hear back from a lovely agent who is reading Running From Shadows.*continues to keep fingers and toes crossed* Erm, this may not happen. LOL :P *keeps querying*
  • (Update) I've made a difficult decision on the offer for Running From Shadows from a publishing house... I passed. It just wasn't the right fit for this story. I am absolutely determined to find my demon-slaying unicorn MS the perfect home. My promise to you, lovely reader! 
Reading...
  • Currently I am beta-reading for a fantastic friend and writer... Katheryn! Hooray for grim reapers!!
  • Currently reading Shifting Pride by Laura Diamond! Absolutely love the heroine's voice! Nickie is so snarky! Add this awesome werecat, YA paranormal romance to your Goodreads list here!
  • Looking for book recommendations and reviews for your 2013 TBR List? Check out The Perks of Being a Book Nerd!
Bonus material... 
*(NEW) I've signed up with the Weekend Writing Warriors! This has replaced Six Sentence Sunday, which will allow you even more steamy goodness with Pax and Greta... You'll get 8 sentences from Running From Shadows instead of 6!!! Check out my first post ~~~> here! 

*Beautiful cover art for Becoming and Running From Shadows and Witch Way to Turn book trailer by the awesomely talented Danielle Fine... Check her website for more cover art, editing, book trailer and NOW web design services. Fantastic example: Vince Considine's site here

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Random Alert! Alert. Alert. Alert...

Looky! The books for sale at my local RWA chapter's conference on Saturday! Recognize any of them??? One in particular ;) We had a great turn out! The presenters and editor panels were awesome! Really encouraging experience. Also, something potentially really spectacular might happen because of Running From Shadows first 25 lines being read to the editor panel. Tease much? Who? Moi? :P

That moment you're watching Glee and you pause it cos the hubs won't stop talking about how much he doesn't like Glee. Yeah...I took a picture of that ;)

Sooo, are we gonna make this treat thing happen, or what?

Sunday was a Hat Day!! I bleeping LOVE hat days, and let me tell you why. 1) I don't have to wash my hair. 2) I don't have to wash my hair. 3) That's a Life Is Good hat...it's my fave! Ohhh, here's a bit of extra random slash probably TMI... Yes, that is a Pac-Man t-shirt. Not sure if you can see that. Anyway, I always wear a sweatshirt with it cos I don't like folks seeing what that naughty Pac-Man has his mouth opened on! I'm weird AND paranoid. Just sayin.

At the day job... Mardi Gras piggy bank. Just because.
Yayayayay!!! So excited to have teamed up with 16 wonderful and generous authors to offer readers our books for FREE!! This is in celebration of Bookentine's Day (a holiday I have created in the land of Karen) tomorrow!! This post is gonna rock your socks for sure!! BIG thank you and shout out to my talented friend and editor Dani for offering to create the bookshelves and 3D book covers!! They're beautiful! Check out more of her amazing creations here ~~~~> Danielle Fine's Website