Oh how I miss you!

Oh, how I miss you blogfest is hosted by Andrew Leon, Alex J. Cavanaugh, and Matthew MacNish make sure to stop by their blogs and say hello!

This blogfest is all about the bloggers we really miss…and the ones we would really miss!

Do you have a couple blogger buddies who aren’t posting as often? Those who’ve pulled back and seem absent from the blogging world? Do you have blogger buddies you are grateful they are still around and would miss if they vanished? Now is your chance to show your appreciation and spotlight them! Just list one to three bloggers you really miss and one to three bloggers you would miss if they stopped blogging. Then go leave a comment on those blogs.

Our blogger friends are special – time to let them know!

Melynda Fluery had a blog called Crazy World. Her world was crazy, chaotic, fun and full of humor. She was one of my first blogging friends and my first critique partner. Unfortunatley after she lost her eyesight, the struggle of maintaining a blog became too much for her and she had to stop. Melynda, if you happen to trip over this post, I MISS YOU!

It goes without saying that everyone would miss Alex if he stopped blogging. There are two special men  that I would miss terribly if they stopped. One is my cyber brother Michael Di Gesu and the other is my spirit brother Roland Yeomans. I hope neither of you ever stop blogging, but if you do, I know you will be my friend forever no matter what. If you haven't already checked out these incredibly talented writers you will find them IN TIME and WRITING IN THE CROSSHAIRS!

So who would you miss? Hope everyone has a fantastic week-end!

Happy Halloween Blogfest and BOO!

Happy Halloween everyone! We don't celebrate it here in Norway but it was always one of my favorite days growing up in the states. Not sure if it was mostly the chance to get dressed up or the candy. Probably the candy! 

Today is Roland Yeomans  Happy Halloween Blog fest!

Roland wants to know the book that scared you the most growing up and the one that scared you the most as an adult. Click HERE for details and to find more about his new series, Lucifer's Orphan.

The book that scared me the most growing up and still scares me as an adult is "IT" by the master story teller of horror himself, Stephen King. I have always hated clowns but this book took that hatred to a new level of fear! Good luck with your blogfest Roland and your new series!

A Halloween Treat for you.

Boo...

Ghosts do not bleed so Boo was not afraid of the giant candy apple with sharp teeth that snapped at thin air as it chased her into the haunted castle. "Boo, Boo!" the candy apple shouted. "Do you want to play a game of bob for the Boo, or would rather play bite and slurp? We need fresh victims, come on let’s gather the rest and go haunting!”

    They packed the cat and headed out for a night of fright. However, they forgot it was Halloween, and soon they encountered hordes of pink-bedecked ballerinas with zombie faces, followed by tall skinny witch doctors wearing Scream masks that sprinkled glitter everywhere they went! And so they went breaking into houses scaring people to death and stealing all their Halloween candy. It was almost midnight before they got back home, ate too much candy, and got stomach aches but a good puking made room for more, so Boo grabbed the biggest piece of candy she could find  ...it turned into a gas that was so explosive that the glitter turned into bombs that blew up the entire crowd of zombie faced ballerinas and skinny witch doctors.

The cat sat on the steps of the haunted castle together with the candy apple and Boo, he smiled a wicked grin as he licked his lips of some sticky candy and asked, “Who’s next?”

Story invented by Minnie and her friends! To find out who contributed click Here.

Sorry if I am not around as much lately as I would like to be. There are family problems that I am trying to deal with. Hope you all have a wonderful Halloween! Anyone watching American Horror Story? I love this season!

Norse Gods Giveaway Winners and more

This is the first time I tried a giveaway and I must confess that I am rather dissapointed in the turnout. There were very few who participated so the same few names kept coming up as I pushed the pick a winner button. Here are the winners of my giveaway:

 a Rafflecopter giveaway

Now I am wondering why there were so few entries. Do you think that giveaways have overflooded the market? Are people getting tired of Rafflecopters? Anyways, congratulations to the winners! 

A reminder that anyone who bought my book during the blogfest can email me a copy of their amazon order receipt and I will send them a signed copy of the Freya illustration done by my talented daughter.

Any thoughts you would like to share with me regarding my blog tour? Did you like the interviews with the gods? Did you like my book trailer for Secrets of the Ash Tree?

 ***

E.J. Wesley has revealed his cover for the fourth book in his Moonsong series, Dragon's Game.

It will 'officially' go on sale October 22nd at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Smashwords.

Jenny Moonsong recently inherited the title of "monster hunter" and an ancient tribal journal/how-to manual passed down by her Apache ancestors. She has already faced a werewolf, witches, and a troll. But nothing could prepare her for her latest confrontation...

Dragon's Game, Moonsongs Book 4, finds Jenny out of her rural West Texas element, searching for an evil witch in an urban Houston nightclub. After attempting to help a handsome and mysterious stranger out of a jam, she finds herself on the run from a ruthless gang who are even more dangerous than they initially appear.

Forced into a twisted game of life and death, Jenny must navigate the complexity of a budding relationship, and somehow survive a night filled with unexpected horror and paranormal mystery.

Dragon's Game is approximately 14,000 words or 45 pages, and is the fourth volume of the Moonsongs Books, an ongoing series of New Adult, speculative / urban fantasy novelettes by author E.J. Wesley.

(These stories contain language and content better suited for readers 17+)

New Adult Fall Fling Deal: Also for a limited time you can catch up on the entire Moonsongs series as well as other great books for just .99 cents (regularly $2.99)!

 ***

On another note, this is October and preparations for Halloween are underway. Well, not so much here in Norway, but I have always loved Halloween! Roland Yeomans is having a Happy Halloween Blogfest and I have signed up to have some spooky fun. Check out his blog for more details!
 

--- "You have from October 1st to Halloween to post about the book which scared you the most as a young reader and the book which scared you the most as an adult."

Norse Gods Birthday Blogfest

My favorite Goddess is Freya

In celebration of my new book ‘Secrets of the Ash Tree’ the Norse Gods have gathered with Captain Ninja- Alex Cavanaugh at the well of Urd. Together they have decided to throw a big book release party today on my birthday, October 9th! 

I can't wait to see what you have posted about YOUR favorite Norse God or Goddess. Make sure to hop around and see what other Gods are in focus today and make a special trip to Roland Yeomans Writting in the Crosshairs and wish him a Happy Birthday as well!  Because it is my birthday as well as the celebration of my book release there has to be presents! 

Anyone who buys my book during this blogfest can email me and I will send them an autographed print of this Freya illustration made by my daughter Maria Bech. This illustration is not available anywhere else and is not included in the book. My book is available at most online retailers including Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

More presents? I will be giving away a signed copy of my book to who-ever actively parties the most on this day. So spread the word, use my banner, visit as many blogs as you can, and write a great post! Special points if you visit my UTUBE Video below and like it, my NEW WEB PAGE ,or like my Facebook Author page 

My favorite Goddess is Freya and here is a sneak peak inside her world with an excerpt from my book 'Secrets of the Ash Tree'.

   Once inside Freya’s palace, Liv was almost afraid to walk on the glossy floors that reflected her image as if she were walking on mirrored glass. Freya’s hall looked like a Valentine’s Day card, each room within reminded Liv that her grandmother was the goddess of love. Everywhere, huge bouquets of flowers filled the air with the aroma of springtime, and lush red drapery edged with gold hung from the white marble walls. Blushing pillars supported painted ceilings with illustrations of lovers facing all seasons of landscape and life.  Cushions of silk and velvet were scattered on the floors in no particular fashion, and Liv almost tripped over one on her way into a small Garden of Eden that was covered in light steam.  A tiny waterfall ran down the far side of the room into a small pool of crystal blue water that was topped with rose petals. Green Ivy and lush grape vines clung to the walls and ceiling, then crept across the floor towards miniature trees that bore all sorts of fruit.

    Freya handed Liv a large fluffy towel that smelled of lavender and said, “Enjoy your bath; I will be back with something clean for you to wear.”

    Liv dropped her clothes and sank into the warm water. She had almost forgotten how relaxing it was to soak in a bath. The warm water caressed her skin and soothed her body. Slowly she slid under the water and disappeared from all worries and concerns of the past few days.

     Liv rested her head on a soft towel and almost fell asleep when she was startled by a splash of water that hit her face. She opened her eyes to the sight of an apple bobbing between her breasts.

    An amused Forseti stood beside her bath eating his own apple. In between crunches he said, “You look like a mermaid and if you stay in there much longer I bet you will turn into one.”

    Liv tried to cover her nakedness but decided it wasn’t worth it. God knows how long he had been standing there…the nerve of this guy, she thought to herself. She splashed some water at him and said, “Don’t you know how to knock?”

    Forseti laughed as he jumped and avoided the splash. He took another bite from his apple and before turning on his heals he said, “Nope, I have never had the need to knock before and I don’t see why I should have to start now.”
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Hope you enjoyed this little teaser. Tomorrow Odin and I visit E.C. Stilsen at the Crazy Life of a Writing Mom. So, who is your favorite among the Norse Gods?

Why Gods and Fairytales?

The festivities are well under way. Today is the big reveal of my book trailer, which my son so graciously made for me as a birthday gift.  He has never done anything like this before so I was amazed at how well it turned out.What better place to have such a party than at the club Meilori's, so head on over to Writing in the Crosshairs and see what Roland Yeomans has planned. One more thing, you might want to bring along a little sugar. Trust me.

So you might be wondering what inspired me to write about Gods and Fairytales. Growing up I often felt disconnected from the world I lived in, and like the character in my book I discovered a secret about my family that made me realize why I was different. Secrets of the Ash Tree is the first book in a series about Gods and Fairytales. The stories are about myths and how they can relate to real life. There is a lot of symbolism in Norse mythology that I find fascinating and I have tried to incorporate that in my story. 

You can get a sneak peak Here.

Tomorrow is mine and Rolands birthday so don't forget to SIGN UP HERE for the Norse Gods birthday blogfest! Which one of the Norse Gods is your favorite? See you over at Meilori's!

IWSG: RULES FOR BEING A WRITER and SOME NEWS

Another first Wednesday of the month, proving once again just how fast time flies. As usual my blog calendar is marked off for the Insecure Writers Support Group, and this month I am reposting my most popular blog post (according to blogger stats) Minnie has some words of wisdom (Minnie-isms) to share with you. I do not always agree with Minnie but one thing is for sure, she is the least insecure “person” I know of.

 

Rules for Being a Writer by Minnie:

1.       Be true to yourself. There is no point in trying to be a copycat.

2.       Dress yourself in the style you are comfortable in, not what others tell you. This is YOUR fashion statement!

3.       Go somewhere new and exciting every day, even if it is only in your mind.

4.       If you are going to write bullshit then you should be prepared to get bullshit back. In other words, be prepared. Know what you are writing about.

5.       Not everyone is going to like you. Who cares? You don’t like everyone either! There is always someone out there that will like what you write, so don’t give up looking.

6.       If the water is too deep then learn how to swim. Don’t be afraid to ask for help or learn a new skill.

7.       Practice makes perfect. Don’t expect a magic genie to appear and do all your work for you.

8.       Sometimes you have to stop and smell the roses. How you get to the finish line is more important than when you get there.

9.       Too many weeds strangle a garden. Get rid of weedy words and unnecessary flourish so the reader can better enjoy his journey through your story without getting Poison Ivy.

10.   Remember there is always a beginning, middle and an end. Stay on the path and don’t get distracted. Most of all….WRITE!

Want to see what others in this group have to say, check out the Insecure Writers Support Group.

 

Now that Minnie got all that off her chest, I have some news for you. My blog tour with the Norse Gods celebrating the release of my new book, Secrets of the Ash Tree, starts next week on Monday October 7th. Also, there will be a Norse Gods birthday blogfest(Co hosted by Capt. Ninja himself, Alex Cavanaugh) and giveaways all week so make sure to sign up and stop by! Here is the schedule:

 

So What do you think of Minnies rules? All signed up to party with Captain Ninja and the Norse Gods?

Who Let The Trolls Out?

So much has been happening in the blogsphere lately. If you have not been caught in Alex Cavanaugh's CassaStorm put on your rain clothes and visit his site to find out about his NEW BOOK! You might even win a prize. 

Also Hart Johnson is offering her book 'A Flock of Ill Omens' for free today. This book is part I and the first episode of A Shot in the Light, an Apocalypse Conspiracy Tale about what happens when people play God for fun and profit. 

My blog tour is fastly approaching and Roland Yeoman has already been visited by the gossiping squirrel from Norse Mythology, Ratatoskr, who caught Roland by surprise when he broke into Meilori's looking for the inside scoup. Take a trip over to Writing in the Cross Hairs, make a left turn at the first crossroads and you can not help but see the sign for Meilori's. Word of caution...Tread lightly...Anything can happen at Meilori's, you might even meet a dragon on your way in.

Finally I would like to say that Minnie is rather discouraged at the turn out for last 

month’s gibberish... BUT she is giving her fans ONE last chance before she runs off into the vast cyber space never to return again.

All Minnie fans who love to play with a story made from YOUR Gibberish, here is the chance. The rules are easy, just continue the story from the previous comment in the comment box and Minnie will tie everything together next week so the gibberish at the end makes a certain kind of silly sense. Test your imagination and play. For previous stories check out my side bar. Now let's make a silly story together!

The Troll

 

The troll wiped the snot from his smiling face. He flung it at the mushrooms growing out of the walls of his tiny cave and stormed towards the exit, hoping they would follow him to...

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

    ...the movie theater. Maybe if they saw the dancing mushrooms in Fantasia, they would also start to dance. But the mushrooms had other ideas...

   

Suzanne Furness said...

    ... they don't want to dance, in fact they don't want to do anything remotely fun. "You ain't no fungi!" the troll sniffed. "I'm going to ...

   

Michael Di Gesu said...

    "... squash you into the ground with my club." The troll raised his trunk-like club, swung, and ...

Minnie continues and says…missed the mushrooms as they flared into bright green hulk sized terror with snapping jaws that grasped towards….( Your Turn )

Do you want to see Minnie come back again? Have you been enjoying the CassaStorm? Have you downloaded Hart Johnsons book A Flock of Ill Omens? Are you going to join the Norse Gods on their blog tour? Have you visited Roland Yeoman at Meilori's today?