CONTINUE THE FIRE BURNING ....

Well as ALL of you must know yesterday was the launch date for Alex J. Cavanaugh's release of CASSFIRE.

For those of you who missed it, like me, holds head down in shame, it isn't too late to keep the fires burning.

Stop by Alex's blog for his AMAZING contest and to follow the blog tour. Today's hop is at Iris Rushdan. So if you haven't shown our best blogging buddy support, you still can at his blog or Iris'.

Here is the synopsis of CASAFIRE:

CassaStar was just the beginning…

The Vindicarn War is a distant memory and Byron’s days of piloting Cosbolt fighters are over. He has kept the promise he made to his fallen mentor and friend - to probe space on an exploration vessel. Shuttle work is dull, but it’s a free and solitary existence. The senior officer is content with his life aboard the Rennather.

The detection of alien ruins sends the exploration ship to the distant planet of Tgren. If their scientists can decipher the language, they can unlock the secrets of this device. Is it a key to the Tgren’s civilization or a weapon of unimaginable power? Tensions mount as their new allies are suspicious of the Cassan’s technology and strange mental abilities.

To complicate matters, the Tgrens are showing signs of mental powers themselves; the strongest of which belongs to a pilot named Athee, a woman whose skills rival Byron’s unique abilities. Forced to train her mind and further develop her flying aptitude, he finds his patience strained. Add a reluctant friendship with a young scientist, and he feels invaded on every level. All Byron wanted was his privacy…

“This sequel to Cavanaugh's first novel, CassaStar, delivers on the promise of its predecessor, combining military action sequences and political intrigue with strong, memorable characters. Reminiscent of the action-driven stories of Robert A. Heinlein's early fiction…” - Library Journal

Available today!
Science fiction - space opera/adventure
Print ISBN 978-0-9827139-4-5, $15.95, 6x9 Trade paperback, 240 pages
EBook ISBN 978-0-9827139-6-9, $4.99, available in all formats
Available at Barnes and Noble, Amazon, and Amazon Kindle 

I hope Alex doesn't mind that I took this from his blog. So that this is all true and authentic. No add libbing for me. LOL.

I applaud Alex for all his wonderful work in our community and would like to wish him THE best of luck with CASSAFIRE ...

This is for you, ALEX ...

THE EVE ....

Ah, now that I have your interest on wanting to know the "EVE" of what, I could say hi to all of my wonderful blogger buddies.

Lots of personal garbage has been dumped on me these past few weeks. Since I always encourage positivity on my blog, I WILL NOT bore you with the details. Let's just say I only have a few more days of this when I get back and then I will be settled in one spot for the rest of winter and the beginning of spring.

Now for the "EVE"...

One is personal the other professional.

Shall I start with the personal one first, since it is something that surely will be a much needed smile to this tired face. I leave for KEY WEST, FL, in just a few short hours! What can be more stunning than an eight hour drive to this tropical paradise. My journey starts here, in Cape Canaveral/Cocoa Beach, FL. For all of the "I DREAM OF JEANIE" fans, you will know exactly what I am talking about.

Friends have invited me for a few days, and I jumped at the chance. Anything to see turquoise water and swaying palms. Central Florida beaches are not of this caliber. More rustic and natural, the ocean here is more on the grayish-green venue and has waist-high sea grapes hugging the coastline instead of soaring palms.

Some of my blogger buddies are IN LOVE with Key West, especially a very close friend Danette. I am sure many of you know her if you don't stop by her blog and say hi. She is a super lovely lady and takes some of THE most stunning pictures I have ever seen ... many of KEY WEST...

I will surely do a post down there with live pics for all of you to see. You know how I LOVE sharing my vacations with all of you.

Now for business ... This is also the "EVE" of the first round of the ABNA contest. Round one: The Pitch. From 5000 in each category, one from general fiction, one from y/a, the narrow them to only a thousand of each. So 80 percent get cut. For two years I have been fortunate to make the cut on this round. I am hoping to make it again this year, but we really never know how the judges will be feeling, so lets hope they're laced with lots of chocolate and champagne and they are in a festive mode when they read mine...

I will have to pull over on my round trip to periodically check to see if I made it through. At least I will have driving and lush locals to keep my mind off of it. For all my friends who don't, keep calm, concentrate on happy thoughts and we will see each other in the next round.

Thanks everyone for all your patience these past few months. I have not been the best blogger buddy, but please know you are ALL always in my thoughts and heart.

Have a WONDERFUL weekend!!!

THE Results are in for ABNA! I made it through the first round and so did many of our blogger friends! Congrats to all of us and good luck to all in the next round!

NO I HAVEN'T FORGOTTEN YOU...

Hi everyone...

Well since the SCBWI conference, I have been insane. Right after the conference I had to drive to Florida from NYC. I have a former client down here and it was time for an update... I last redesigned her house just before I moved to Chicago.

Stepping back into her home, I instantly realized how far I had come as a designer and how styles CERTAINLY have changed!

I worked in classic Floridian colors back then... Lots of fresh greens and peaches. Lovely then... EKKKK scary now. Lol.

After a few days color consulting for the 2000 sq.ft. West Palm Beach home,we've decided on several shades of sand tones, mixed with pale creams and soft pearl grays.I am also doing an accent wall in the bedrooms. They were big in the eighties, but I think it's time for a resurrection. If done well they can really make a room POP.

The painters have been working all week and should be finished by Tuesday. In the meantime, my client wants to go furniture shopping on the west coast of Florida this weekend. Her daughter is the buyer for a custom furniture store in Naples. FUN... I hope I can find pieces I like... I see her place in Bristish Colonial... What do you think?

I can't wait to see the end result. Unfortunately that will take a while ... Custom pieces take eight to twelve weeks.

So I will force myself to come back at the end of April to pull it all together.

Since it IS February, and for most of the country it is still cold, but why not think of creating a new look in your home? Or just pick one room. Think spring! Fresh, clean, and contemporary. Get rid of all the clutter from winter. Lighten things up... We can all use a lift especially when the skies are cold and gray.

So this weekend or next pick a room and paint away... You will be amazed at how alive a room will become with a fresh coat of paint!

So which room will it be? Let me know.... Really.

I will try and visit over the weekend. My client doesn't have wifi... Could you imagine? I'll have to work on her.

Have a great weekend everyone.

INSECURE WRITER"S GROUP ... WRITER'S CONFERENCES.

Sorry this post is REALLY late everyone, but I was on the road today for fourteen hours driving to Florida and I forgot today is the first Wednesday of the month... Sorry Alex.

As you all know I was at the SCBWI conference in NYC this weekend. You can read all about it, if you missed it by just scrolling down to my previous posts.

Well, one could just imagine how hard it is to walk into one of THE BIGGEST conferences held all year. The SCBWI winter conference is HUGE... Writers and illustrators from all over the world attend. Publishing royalty abounds... What does one do? FREAK of course! But after that you MUST pull yourself together.

It is not as scary as you think. I was TERRIFIED I would have no one to talk to and that I would never be able to pitch my novel even to another writer ... let alone an AGENT! I am sure this thought terrifies most of us. It did for me too, but only for a millisecond.

For those who hadn't read my posts on the conference, I had met a wonderful steampunk writer named Lila Black... awesome name/awesome girl! We met the second I entered the elevator. By the time we made it to the ballroom we were the best of friends.... This is what conferences do.... brings awesome people together to share their passion:Writing and illustration as well. Almost half of the attendees were illustrators.

Needless to say despite my fears, I ended up meeting a wonderful friend, had requests for my novel and learned tons. If I had let my fear get to me, then NONE OF THIS would have happened.

So my dearest of dear friends, take that first step. Don't be afraid to step out of your comfort zone. Meet it head on. IT is SO worth it!

Even with your writing, don't be afraid to try something new. You just never know, your new style might hit the jackpot. I am mostly a m/g, y/a fantasy writer. In a blog challenge I had stepped out of the box and wrote a few pages of an edgy y/a. To my SHOCK, six weeks later I had the first draft of THE BLINDED GARDENER, which now has requests from a few agents and editors... Who knew?

Now it's time for me to get over the next hurdle and shove the fear of sending out BG to those agents and editors. But first ... ONE more edit. It's amazing how we ALWAYS find something to tweak.

I hope you all had a good Wednesday and please scroll down for more details on the SCBWI conference it you have missed it.