Finding My Groove...

I feel like a llama, well, okay I feel like Kusko. I've lost my groove. I was getting organized, caught up on everything and then, wham! Life came along and tackled me again. I think I need body armor for when that happens.

Okay, well not so much Life hitting me, but blogger issues. I posted on Friday to let you all know I was having problems with stuff. Computer, internet, Life, etc.

I think I have the spam issues taken care of. Thank you all for the comments and advice. It has worked so far!

It's been snowing a lot around here and we've had a couple power outages. More than last winter, I think. But a couple of times I haven't been able to even log on to get things done. If I don't do it right away, I forget about it.

Enter "Sticky Notes": I just got Windows 7 on my laptop. It came with this cool little program and now my monitors (yes, the plural is correct) have them posted everywhere! I love getting to destroy... err... delete my notes. Heh!

I've been trying to maintain this blog, plus the Word Weavers blog. I'm also trying to keep up with my personal writing schedule, then there is work and other private projects I am working on but can't talk about yet. (Ooooh! Secrets!) I suddenly found myself not having any fun and sort of threw my hands up in the air in disgust.

And immediately logged into World of Warcraft.

Ahem.

So now that I have that out of my system, I hope to be back on my track again. I am still trying to get to other blogs that participated in Jamie and Allison's Level Up! blog fest. I love finding new blogs to follow. But still can't manage them. Go figure. So if I don't get to you right away or leave many comments, you know why. I have lots of blogs I am trying to follow. One of these days I hope Blogger fixes their issues or something, it's rather irritating.

So how was your weekend? Get any writing done? Play any games?

Friday On Pause...

Hi all, just a quick note to say I won't be posting my usual Friday stuff today. Things are a bit hectic around here, but I'm also having some issues with Blogger.

I'm also having to revert back to some kind of  moderation due to all the spam that's getting through. Must mean I'm popular. Right? Lol!

See you all on Monday and I hope you have a great weekend. Here are some funnies to keep you occupied until then:

Level Up! Blogfest...

Yeah, I totally had to get in on this blogfest! Games. Games! GAMES! I'm a gamer chick, geek, nerd, noob, you name it.

This blogfest is hosted by our fabulous pals, Jamie over at Mithril Wisdom and Allison at Geek Banter. I love these two and can't think of two better geeks to host a blogfest like this.

So the rules of this blogfest: talk about a game you play or used to play; tell us how it works and share your love of the game with the rest of us. It can be any kind of game you like, from World of Warcraft to Hopscotch, from Monopoly to Blackjack and everything else in between. Tell us what you love about that game.

This would be a perfect opportunity to truly let my geek show (Gasp!) and go on and on about all the video games I play, but I have to choose one.

If that is the case, then I choose World of Warcraft. I can't help it. My love of this game comes from lots of different things. One, the ease of play. Two, the fact that I know this game and this world better than my own. (Sad, I know.) Three, the fact that I still have yet to 'beat' the game. (Don't judge! I have my reasons why I still play "Wrath of the Lich King".)

I've heard all the hype about this game. All the people talking about how you can play an "evil" persona. How it promotes Devil Worship.

All I have to say to this is: Bullsh-

Sorry. I could get into a huge discussion about this but I won't. I call BS simply because it is just a game. The people who take it too far make that choice and it isn't the game's fault. It is the fault of that person.

But I love World of Warcraft. It's the best way for me to connect with my friends in other states. We log into WoW, run around, talk on Teamspeak like we're sitting in the next room. If they could pass me a bottle of Mt. Dew while we gamed, well, that would just be the icing on the cake.

I love games in general. It began with board games and card games while I was a kid. Growing up we had everyone over almost every weekend to play some sort of game. Everything from card games to Yahtzee, Monolpoly, Trivial Pursuit. My brother and I would play Risk or Master Mind. Even Simon. Even now I still play games with friends and family. It is that fun connection. Of forgetting all your worries for a few hours, spending some time with quality people and sitting around chatting. That is what I love about ALL games. World of Warcraft just seems to be my choice du jour at the moment. Once I get bored, I find something else.

What about you? What's your favorite game and how do you play? What's the best thing about getting together and playing a game?

Thoughts & Musings...

I'm slowly working my way through revisions. Time is a bit of an issue these days, but that's okay. It will get done if I keep plugging along.

I've been thinking about some stuff and things I want to do on my blog as well. Yeah, it's fun to sit here and post stuff about how things are going on my end of the writing world, but I would like to connect to all of you in other ways as well.

I'm thinking about how I want to do this.

Book reviews are still an ongoing thing for me, but I'm going to seriously limit them for the moment. My personal TBR pile is suffering. So I'm going to alternate books. Review a requested book, switch to my TBR, go back to another request, etc.

I'm also gearing up for my son graduating high school, my daughter having a baby and me and hubby moving to Washington in July. Lots on my plate. Sometimes I feel spread a little too thin and organization is helping. I am building better routine structures in my life to be able to accomplish more in a week.

But, some things have fallen by the wayside. Sadly, this blog suffers. Okay, not my blog personally, but me getting around to all of you is becoming a personal issue. Blogger is not making it easy, either. I spent almost four hours the other day organizing my blogs into folders and such in Google Reader and unsubscribing from blogs that haven't posted in over two years. I felt like I had accomplished something!

Then I logged back in to visit some blogs ...

and not a single change was saved.

....

To say I was upset would be the biggest understatement in the world. Four. Hours. Gone.

I've posted in forums for Blogger to remedy the issue I have about not being able to manage my blogs at all. That was back in December. One other person just posted about this same issue a few weeks ago because they've been watching the thread to see if it's been corrected.

It hasn't.

So if I haven't made it around to your blog in the last couple weeks, you now know why. I'm seriously thinking of moving my blog. But I don't want to. I like it here.

Okay, so I'm done whining for the moment. Don't mean to ramble on about stuff that really isn't that important. However, if anyone knows of any fixes or suggestions, I'll gladly take them. Hope you all had a good weekend!

Author Interview: Victoria Adams...

 Hey everyone, I would like you to meet Victoria Adams. You will find her interview and after that, her book, links and an excerpt. Enjoy and give her a warm welcome.

1. Please tell us a little known fact about you: I have a 2nd degree black belt.
2. What was your favorite genre to read growing up? Is this the genre you currently write in?
Grew up reading mysteries – Agatha Christie, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. I write NA and
contemporary romance.

3. What inspires you to write? I'd say my muse or if you don't believe in that – my creativity.
When my brain gets an idea, I run with it.

4. What sort of atmosphere do you need to write? When an idea hits, I can write anywhere. Wrote
a flash fiction piece while trying to board an airplane. The piece just clicked and I had to get it
down. Grabbed my little book and pen out of my bag and scribbled as I worked my way to my
seat.

7. Who is your favorite character of your own creation?
Robert – he's a fighter in more ways than one. The world has kicked him down so often, but he
hasn't lost his humanity.

8. When did you decide to become a writer?
A former student complained that there was nothing for her age group to read. So I wrote
something for her.

10. Why do you write? It is the way my creative brain wishes to express itself. I can't draw or sing,
so I write.

11. What’s the best piece of writing advice you have ever been given? Get a good cp – critique
partner. I have 2 fantastic ones.

12. What’s the worst thing someone has ever said about your work? That I couldn't write the way
that I do – it was wrong. I had to write like everybody else.

13. Has your writing ever been compared to another, famous author? If so, who? Still laughing – no
– never been compared to anyone.

14. And last, but not least, something really random:
~ What is your favorite meal? Mac and Cheese

Where to Find Me -
Blog – Pages of Romance
FaceBook
Facebook Author Page
Facebook - Circles Trilogy Page
Twitter
Website
Google+ - Victoria Adams

Book Blurb - Circles Divided– Book Two of the Circles Trilogy - One born into
privilege and a charmed life surrounded by love and family. The other born to a life of violence on
the streets as the solemn gang leader of the notorious Shoresmen. What happens next for prep school
lovers, Julie and Robert, when both are caught in the passions of young love and social dilemma.

Is the love of a girl from wealthy Westland and a street punk from the slums of the Shore strong
enough to surpass all that life will throw at them and forge a life together? Is Julie willing to sacrifice
her childhood dream of becoming a professional dancer for the man she loves? Is Robert willing to lay
down his ties to the gang in order to hold onto his new found love?

Sacrifices must be made, but will they be enough?

Author Bio – Born and raised in Ontario, Canada. Victoria lives in the country where she takes
long walks on her quiet country road and in the summer tends her flower gardens and vegetable patch
and in the winter dreams about them. Her large farm house now holds only 2 cats, herself, her husband
and a ghost.

Excerpt –
Robert is called into a conference at the prep school he attends.

Mr. Craig pointed at the thick folder on the table. "That's Robert's academic records from

Kindergarten to the present. It's full of teacher and psychological reports, intelligence tests, and parole

officer statements. We can't access his police record."

"Want me to list it off?" Robert grinned.

The counsellor shook his head as he rifled through the file. "I suggest you read this one. It's

from the head of the youth services office, and it states that Robert's attitude and behaviour are a result

of his rebelling against his life in an effort to survive and succeed. This one." He removed another

paper. "Is an intelligence report showing him to be reading at a level six years above his age. If you

scan through you'll note his mathematical abilities scored even higher."

As the dean read the reports, Robert held out his hand. "Can I see that?" He flipped back to the

beginning of the folder and found his first grade photo. His hair was messy. His eyes were bright with

child-like joy and a tooth was missing from his wide mouthed grin. He tapped Mr. Ross on the arm and

showed him the photo. "Dorky looking kid."

His teacher chuckled.

Robert flipped the papers until he reached his second grade photo. While his hair was still

shaggy and his tooth had grown in, he sported an angry bluish-green bruise on his cheek. A jolt of

anger surged through Robert as he remembered the uncle/boyfriend who lived with them that year. The

man had big, heavy hands and a short temper.

Mr. Ross leaned in to whisper a comment, but the expression on Robert's face stopped him.

One look at the defiant eyes of the third grade photo made Robert close the file and shove it

away. He still had those eyes. The eyes he hid behind, challenging the world on a daily basis.

Friday Favories, Fantasy Art & A Funny...

Friday! How I love thee...

I hope you have all had a good week. Are you looking forward to the weekend? Well, let's get you on your way with favorites, art and funnies!

I met Stuart Jaffe right around the time I met Joseph Lallo. I reviewed books for both of them and had them do guest posts on my blog as well. I really liked Lallo's "Book of Deacon" series. But Stuart Jaffe's book, "The Way of the Black Beast" was just as intriguing. Now I need to read the next two books in that series.

I like keeping in touch with these two through FaceBook and I also get to watch their progress. It is inspiring to me. One of these days, I'll have more than one book out and I can stop being so focused on just the one!

Fantasy Art:

And the funny:

Hehe! I saw that and just had to share it. Have a good weekend, everyone. What are your plans?

Book Review: Children of Sun and Moon by Matt Larkin...

Title: Children of Sun and Moon (Book One of the Skyfall Trilogy)

Author: Matt Larkin

Publisher: Incandescent Phoenix Books

Pages: 356 (Print), File size: 756 kb

ASIN: B00749W3XW

Purchase: Amazon, Barnes & Noble

Summary (From Amazon):

The Lunar King bargained his daughter away in marriage to end generations of war between the two dynasties of the Skyfall Isles. The King sends his niece Chandi along as handmaid to his daughter. Chandi has two tasks: watch over her cousin, and spy on the Solars. The Solars cost her everything she cares about, and now she wants nothing more than proof of their treachery so she can go home.

She knows little of spying, but the blood of the Moon God running through her veins gives her powers mortals can’t match, powers that let her slip into places she’s not supposed to be. Of course, the more she uses her powers, the faster she becomes a lunatic.

When she discovers a Solar soldier, Naresh, watching her, she decides to return the favor and stick close to him. But as he shows her the wonders of the domed underwater city, she begins to realize the Solars are not what she thought. Soon, she’ll have to choose between loyalty to her people and her own heart.

My Thoughts:

I found this book to be an amazing read. Pure, solid fantasy the way it is supposed to be written. Larkin has built up the world with much ease and grace. Chandi, Naresh, Landi and Malin are all solid characters. Even the characters that are secondary have a depth to them that most secondary characters do not.

Chandi is now added to my list of  favorite female characters. Tough, but not so tough as to question her gender. She can hold her own in a fight, but she's still a woman. She fights for what she believes in and then fights for what she loves.

Naresh is a great character as well. He doesn't come off as a pompous jerk who insists that girls cannot fight. He has been trained with women fighting right beside him. Which includes Landi. She could be described as one of his best friends, but the relationship between these two Arun Guards goes further.

All in all, this story keeps moving at a good pace. You don't get bogged down with so many details that you want to tear your hair out. Some of the words are a little daunting and trying to pronounce them can be an issue, but if you are a fantasy buff, you know how to bypass it all and still keep enjoying the read.

I'm going to throw out a suggestion here, something I rarely, if ever, do. If you are going to purchase this book, I suggest you pick up the prequel to the series first. "Curse of Witch and War". It's a short read and opens you up to a lot more of "Children of Sun and Moon". The reason for the suggestion is it prepares you for the world you are about to enter. Of course, don't take my word for it. Read them in the order you like.

I will absolutely be picking up the rest of the books in this series.

I give it 4 and a half out of 5 skull and crossbones.

I Feel The Love...

So tomorrow is Valentine's Day and it also happens to be mine and hubby's 11th wedding anniversary.

11 years! Long time, for me, at least. Like I always tell people, the third time truly is the charm. He's hubby number three and he's not going anywhere. Me either, for that matter.

I hope you all have an enjoyable Valentine's Day. Here is some love for you all from me:

Tell me your favorite Valentine's Day story!

It's Monday...

Pardon me while I whine a bit. Wah! It's Monday!

Well, okay that wasn't too bad. I did have a four day weekend so I can't really complain.

I did do some revising, but by Sunday I just sort of flopped in front of the computer and said, "Meh."

I fizzled a bit. Okay, I fizzled a LOT.

See, I've been so focused on promoting "Adversarius" that I stopped focusing on "Veritas" and "Bellum". Books two and three in the "Shadow of the Rose" series. I literally had to read from the beginning of book two to get caught up and look over my outline notes again. I couldn't make heads or tails of what I had written in that outline.

Then it didn't help that hubby sort of got me sidetracked onto Nightshadow and Black Rose again. He keeps forgetting that they will have their own story in due time and book two needs to focus on other important characters. Love him to death, but he seriously hijacks my writing when I ask him for some input.

Don't get me wrong, it's all good. I love his ideas and lots of what he tells me works so well with the story, I can't ignore it. But this last time was way off the mark and when I looked at my outline again, I was like... what the hell?

I did revise about 5,000 words. I'm sure I will do more here in a little bit. But keep your eye on that progress bar. Once it hits 100%, I'll be sending this off to some Beta Readers.

So how was your weekend? Have you ever lost track in revisions?