tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-84350771920547489152024-02-06T18:30:51.816-08:00A Writer’s PerspectiveAspen Hitehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05932782767440912193noreply@blogger.comBlogger60125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8435077192054748915.post-55212973181978025702018-12-16T08:33:00.000-08:002018-12-16T08:33:32.389-08:00Ruby Hood 2.0<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: center;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Tempus Sans ITC"; font-size: 48.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Part
I<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Chapter
1<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Ready for this week’s
classes to end, Ruby Hood let the list on her latest mix tape play through her
head aimlessly. Doodling in her notebook, she thought about the dance tomorrow
night. The perfect black dress hung in her closet, waiting to be worn. And her
Grandmother had lent her beautiful diamond teardrop earrings... Lost in thought,
she didn’t hear her name, the first time or the second, but she did feel the
pencil tip in her back, “What the…” She whispered, craning her neck to look at
her best friend, Lily Fair. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">“Pssst
… Rue … question time.” Lily whispered. “You’re up.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">“Ruby,
as I just asked, twice, what’s your take on the motivations of the main character
Scarlett?” The literature teacher, asked through clenched teeth. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Well, Mrs. Armstrong, I think she’s motivated
by anger and resentment at being left alone to fend for herself, but it has
made her a stronger and better person, even if she has yet to realize it,” Ruby
rattled off, sitting a taller and giving her teacher an award-winning smile
which reached all the way up to her dark almond shaped eyes. Ruby had a slight
obsession, some called it an unnatural love of books, but she loved finding
solace in other fictional worlds. Worlds where she often felt more comfortable
than in her own. Even in the honors class, kids were struggling with the
assigned pages every night, but not Ruby. She read for fun, often time for many
hours night. As a result, she knew the answers to every possible Gone with the
Wind question before they were asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">“That’s
a great analysis, Ruby.” Mrs. Armstrong said before she turned to write all of
Ruby’s points on the board.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">“Book
nerd,” Lily added in a low whisper that only Ruby could hear. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“And who would you cheat off if I weren’t?”
Ruby twisted around and gave her friend a wink.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">“Too
true,” Lily said, sticking out her tongue at her friend and stifling her giggles.
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">The
bell rang, before Mrs. Armstrong could finish the notes on the board. Neither
the bell or the weekend’s Homecoming festivities deterred her from trying to
power through her lecture. She shouted over the frenzied hustle and bustle of restless
honors students, gathering their things and headed toward the door. Finally,
she gave up, as Ruby walked passed, “Miss Hood, a moment, please?” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">“Of
course,” Ruby said, stepping out of the way as she pushed back a stray blonde
hair, escaped from her ponytail, behind her ear. “Meet you at the car,” She
said to Lily as she passed, then turned back to her teacher, “Yes, ma’am?” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">“That
was an impressive insight into the main character that you just gave,
especially only 600 pages in. How do you like Gone with the Wind so far?” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">“Well,
I’ve actually read it three times. The first time I was intrigued. I definitely
enjoyed it more the second time, but it wasn’t until the third time, I actually
picked up some subtle foreshadowing. It’s well-written. A classic. I love it,
especially the overall plot and character development. Plus, the author wrapped
it up nicely at the end.” Ruby said, her dark eyes met Mrs. Armstrong’s gaze. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">“You’ve
read Gone with the Wind <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">three</i> times?”
Mrs. Armstrong asked, flabbergasted. You’ve read a 960-page book <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">three</i> times already? The rest of the
class is on page 600 but you’ve read it <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">three</i>
times?” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">“Yes,”
Ruby said, nodding, then shrugged. “I liked it, so I kept reading and
rereading. The third time, I was mostly bored…and needed something to read.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">“Well,
I’m sorry you’re bored.” Mrs. Armstrong’s shoulders slumped in defeat, pushing
a stray lock of her mousey brown hair out of her eyes. “I’ll make sure you always
have something else to read and maybe some enrichment assignments for you. Now,
enjoy Homecoming and have a nice weekend, Miss Hood,” Mrs. Armstrong replied,
turning her attention back to the paperwork on her desk. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">“Perfect,
thanks. Have a nice weekend, Mrs. Armstrong,” Ruby said, giving her teacher a
quick wave over her shoulder as she left the room. She wove her way through the
seas of students in the halls and finally out the doors of the Main building
and into the pit.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Woodsville Senior High lay sprawled out below her. The
Main building, the first building, was built before central air was thing. The
sweltering hotbox housed the English, PE, band, science departments, as well as
a few electives. As Woodsville grew in the 70s, the Annex building, was added
to house the history, math and foreign language departments. The in the early
80s, a need arose for trade and art classes, so a local wealthy donor built the
Olin Building. In between all the buildings sat the parking lot, or The Pit, as
it was referred to by every student, teacher and resident of Woodville. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Keyed up about the weekend Homecoming festivities, restlessness
had plagued the 3,500 students and all of the faculty on the campus of
Woodville High all week. Tonight’s big game pitted the Woodsville High Cougars against
its No. 1 rival, Hickory Grove Beavers. Personally, Ruby just wanted to watch
the game, but Lily had conned her into going stag to the dance the following
night and she had to admit, she was a tiny bit excited about getting dressed up.
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>A sudden breeze picked up, Ruby’s eyes were drawn to the
Wood off on the distance on the other side of the school. Goose flesh erupted
over her bare arms, but she sighed and shook it off. Cool breezes were in the
air, fall was coming.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Shielding
her eyes with her hand, she scanned The Pit for Lily. At WHS, books were kept
in the trunks of cars once you could drive. It was way better than a locker.
Much more centrally located, plus you got to see your friends and cute boys
between classes. Ruby nodded and waved to a few folks as she made her way to
Lily’s drove a small beat up red thing that back fired every time she came to a
stop. It really was a riot. Plus, it got them from point A to point B, most of
the time. And it was better than sharing your mother’s station wagon with fake
wood paneling.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“How’d it go, Rue?” Lily’s brown eyes danced
as she watched her friend approach.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">“Promised
me a revised reading list and an accelerated list of assignments,” Ruby said
softly, shrugging. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">“Oh
Rue, you are my favorite dorky, book girl,” Lily laughed as she pulled out a
small mirror to check her reflection. Today her red hair was tucked in a messy
bun on top of her head to hide her unruly curls. Always worrying about her
appearance, Lily brushed some powder on her face in an attempt to hide her
freckles, then dabbed some concealer on a barely noticeable pimple on her chin.
Finally, she glanced down and straightened her white T-shirt and gray flannel,
which happened to match her gray Vans. “I’m just glad someone’s here to keep
the teachers in check,”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">“I
just want my ed…gi…mi…cation, man,” Ruby said, with a laugh, “these teachers
owe me that. And you look gorgeous darling,” shaking her head at Lilly’s
beautification. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">“Wouldn’t
want you to be without a book. Sheesh!” Lilly huffed dramatically, glancing
once more in the mirror. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">“I
know, right? Now you see my point,” Ruby said, checking her ponytail over
Lily’s shoulder, and tucking loose hairs behind her ears. She glanced down, bent
over to retie her black Converse sneakers, then smoothed her t-shirt as she
stood.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">“Hey,
did you hear about that homeless man they found near the train tracks on the
edge of the Wood? I heard he was all mangled. They think he might have been
attacked by a bear,” Lily said, raising her eyebrows. “A bear, Rue…a bear…in
the Wood. I know you and Grams are nature lovers but promise me you’ll be
careful. I couldn’t handle it if my bestie got mangled by a bear.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">“Now,
just stop that. You know there haven’t been any bears anywhere near Woodville
or the Wood in over a hundred years. Plus, you know the Hood family cabin is
out there. Grams keeps an eye on everything that happens and believe me she’d
notice if a bear was hanging around. Besides, she’s such a busy body, everyone
would know if bears were running amuck. Any sort of woodland creature could
have mangled his body after he died of perfectly natural causes, like a raccoon
or a vulture…some sort of scavenger.” Ruby’s argument seemed logical. “The Wood
is perfectly safe. I’m sure of it.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">“You’re
going this weekend, aren’t you? Even with the dead man?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">“It’s
the Fall Equinox on Sunday. Grams and I are hiking every year…it’s a thing.”
Ruby said with a shrug, “It’ll…we’ll be fine.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">“Promise
me you’ll be careful,” Lilly insisted. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">“Always,
plus I’ll be with Grams,” Ruby said. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">“If
you say so,” Lilly said, softening slightly before she slammed the trunk closed
and linked her arm through Ruby’s. “Now, come on, let’s get this last class
over with.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">“For
real. History class, then onto Homecoming shenanigans,” Ruby agreed as the pair
made their way up the steps into the air-conditioned Annex building. Weaving and
winding, the they made their way down the crowded corridor. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">HEEEEEYYYYY,
COUGARS! ARE YOU READY FOR A FIGHT TONIGHT?” A cheerleader’s voice echoed
through the halls. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Locker
pounding, and whistles filled the hallways in response, followed by shouts and
cheers of excitement. Lilly and Ruby glanced at each other. Sometimes friends
only needed a look. They knew who the screeched belonged to, and if they faked
left now, they might get out unscathed…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">“GIRLS!”
The cheerleader shouted as they turned away. The pair stopped in their tracks,
plastered fake smiles on their faces and turned around. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">“Hi,
Kayla,” Ruby said to the “it” girl of Woodsville High. Most girls went through
an awkward stage in high school, but not Kayla Wolf. She exuded the confidence
of a woman, not a gawky teenager. Most girls looked up to her and wanted to
just be noticed by her; while most of the boys just wanted her. As if that
wasn’t enough, her family was the wealthiest in town and her father was the
mayor. “Girls,” Kayla purred, leaning in to give them super fake air kisses
with her perfect pouty lips. Her cheerleading uniform hugged her body better
than it should have. “Are you excited about this weekend?” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">“Of
course,” Ruby said, “who isn’t?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">“True
and good,” Kayla said. With a saccharine smirk firmly in place, she smoothed
her perfectly layered long black hair. “I assume you’re still planning to stay
after school and help with the signs for the game tonight?” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">“Yep,”
Ruby answered. “Mrs. White’s room after school, right?” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">“Yes.
And then you’ll also be responsible for bringing the signs to the stadium
tonight by 6:00 p.m., okay?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">“Yep,”
Ruby said as the girls nodded in unison. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">“You
guys are the best,” Kayla said, patting them both on the head like obedient
puppies before she headed off to shout at some other poor unlucky souls at the
end of the hallway. “Heeeeeeey Cougars!” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">“UGH!
She makes my head hurt,” Lily said as they trudged off in the direction of
their last class.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">“For
real, but that smug ego is new…a pat of the freakin’ head, is she for real?”
Ruby said, cringing. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">“So
demeaning…and she doesn’t discriminate.” Lily added as they continued toward
history class. “Dad is mayor. Mom is a well-known interior designer. Twin
brother is incredibly handsome. Anything and everything you could possibly
dream of at your fingertips. Must be nice to be a Wolf.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I guess, although, I’ll be honest, I’m glad
I’m in no way related to Kellan. I have way too many inappropriate thoughts
about him.” Ruby said, with a mischievous smile. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">“Aaahhh…Kellan,”
Lily sighed, and they walked in silence the rest of the way, lost in their own
fantasies.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Kellan
Wolf made friends easily. The few that had an ill word were fueled by petty
inferiority complexes. As the star quarterback, he’d lead the football team to
a state championship last year, and everyone hoped he could pull it off again,
starting with a win tonight against the first ranked Hickory Grove Beavers. But
it wasn’t just his football skills, that had everyone swoon in his company, it
was the way he treated people. He made time to skate with the younger kids. He
donated his time and money to community projects. He was the type to help a little
old lady across the street. He was an all-around congenial guy. Plus, it didn’t
hurt he was uber handsome with a killer smile. The girls stopped short,
arriving at class. With a sobering look, Ruby waved one of her folders in front
of her flushed face to help calm herself down as they both cracked up.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">“Come
on, let’s get this over with,” Lily said, grabbing Ruby’s elbow and leading her
into the classroom. All lecture halls at WHS were large rooms with tiled floors
and fluorescent lights. The standard chair and desk combos filled the room for
the students. The teacher, Mr. Brown, sat at the rickety desk in the front of
the room.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">“Afternoon,
ladies,” Kellan said with a genuine smile that touched the corners of his steel
blue eyes, as the girls walked passed him. All of the football players dressed
up on game day to show unity as a team and pride for their school, but Kellan
looked especially sexy in his dark blazer and indigo silk tie.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">“Hey
Kel,” Ruby said nonchalantly, pushing away her pounding heart and some slightly
romantic thoughts about him. She slid into the seat behind him with Lily taking
the seat next to her. Ruby leaned in and whispered, ignoring her friend’s mortified,
beet-red face. “Ready for tonight?” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">“You
bet,” Kellan responded, turning in his seat. His intense gaze found her eyes
and the corners of his mouth turned up ever so slightly, a wicked smile
underneath. “Hey, Rue, I need a favor…” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">The
intensity of his gaze, and the use of her nickname, sent chills all the way
down her spine to the tips of her toes, but Ruby spoke steadily. “What’s that?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">“My
ah…lit grade…and maybe my history grade… is dangerously close to getting me
benched. I’m fine for tonight, but well there’s a big test next week. If you
have time and could squeeze me in.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">“Sure,”
Ruby said with an easy smile. She’d been tutoring Kellan off and on since
freshman year. They certainly didn’t run in the same circles, but they viewed
each other as friends, even flirted every now and again. Ruby was always happy
to help him out. The last time she’d helped him, he’s gone to her Grams and
chopped up all her wood. He was that kind of guy. “I’m free Monday or
Wednesday,”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">“I’d
hoped you’d say that. A true life-savior, you are,” He said, never taking his eyes
off her, “Monday night? My place?” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">“Monday’s
great, but not at the mansion. Let’s make it the library.” Ruby offered. Through
the years, she’d never had a problem with Kellan, it was his family. Both his overbearing
mom and super smug father gave her the creeps. Her Grams had told her stories
of back when her father had been alive, before she was born, her parents had
been friends with the Wolfs. Grams had never elaborated why they weren’t
anymore, so Ruby didn’t know all the details and she really didn’t want to. It
didn’t matter if they were old friends of the family, Mayor and Mrs. Wolf
weren’t very nice and she didn’t like them.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">“The
library it is, away from the distractions of my family,”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Ruby
felt herself blush, “It’s not that…it’s…”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">“It’s
okay, I try to get away from them as often as I can, too.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">“Sure
you do,” Ruby said, taking in the Kellan Wolf seated before her. She had to
admit, while he was the same, but yet different somehow. Older. Stronger.
Hairier. He made her heart skip a beat now, more than before. “You ready for
tonight?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">“Yep,”
he leaned toward her, letting his eyes linger near a second too long. “And I
intend to win.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">“That’s
what I was hoping you’d say,” Ruby said, holding his gaze, totally composed on
the outside.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">“You’ll
be there, I assume?” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">“I
never miss the opportunity to see you play,” Ruby teased. She folded her hands
under her chin with her elbows planted firmly on the desk, batting her
eyelashes. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">“That’s
what I thought,” Kellan chuckled, obviously enjoying flirting with Ruby. “I’ll
give you a good show,” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">“I
would expect nothing less.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">“I
do hate to disappoint,” Kellan said. “How about the dance. You going?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">“Yeah
and don’t be jealous but I have the best date,” Ruby said as she gestured to
her friend. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">“What
she’s not telling you is she has a super-hot dress,” Lily added.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Oh yeah?” He smiled at Ruby, but there was a
something else in his eyes. “Save me a dance in your super-hot dress?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">“I
could arrange that…” She teased, folding her hands under her chin with her
elbows planted firmly on the desk, batting her eyelashes. “…if you win.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">“Heartbreaker,”
Kellan joked and reached his hand to his heart, “Guess I’ll have to work extra
hard tonight, now.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">“Alright,
I’ll dance with you anyway,” she said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">“I
would hope so, but I’ll still win…for you…” He smiled one last time before
turning to face the teacher attention back to Mr. Brown, the history
teacher.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .5in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">“I said, ‘MORE spirit!’”
Kayla’s voice reverberated from the back of the room as she ridiculed some poor
sophomore. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Lily
and Ruby communicated their distaste silently through eye rolls as the spirit
dictator moved from group to group critiquing the student-made Homecoming
signs. The she stopped right next to Ruby and Lily. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">“Well
now, that’s more like it.” said Kayla as her lined dark lips curled into a
satisfied smile. Bending down, she ripped Lily’s sign right out from under here
and stood back up. “ATTENTION PEOPLE, OVER HERE! This is what a sign should
look like! Lily will be around to help you in minute. Make yours like hers.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Ruby’s
brow furrowed as she sat back on her legs, her eyes wide in astonishment.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Kayla
bent back down, with a look to Lily, “Go. Go now. I need to talk to your
friend.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">“You
sure, Rue?” Lily threw Ruby a sideways look.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">“Sure,”
Ruby nodded agreement, glaring at Kayla, who smiled sweetly at Lily then shooed
her away. Lily got up and walked across to the group of freshmen with raised
hands. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">“Excuse
me, but who in the…” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">“I
heard that you were talking to my brother in history class earlier.” Kayla
interrupted. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">“Wait.
What? I talk to him every day in class,” Ruby said. Confusion clouded her mind
as she shifted herself out of the space Kayla had so rudely invaded. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">“Stay
away from him.” Kayla’s steely gaze only added to Ruby’s confusion.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">“Whoa…look
here…I don’t know what you’re talking about. We sit next to each other in class.
I tutor him…we make casual conversation … it’s not like we go on dates,” Ruby
said, cocking her head as she raised an eyebrow.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“And if that were the case, it wouldn’t be
any business of yours.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">“I
said NO and that’s all you need to know,” Kayla said, getting up. She smoothed
her cheerleading uniform skirt, wearing her best phony smile.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">“Now
just you wait a minute there, sister!” Ruby said. She stood up to her full
height of five feet, six inches, squared her shoulders, looking up into Kayla’s
mean eyes. Her voice steady when she spoke, “I have no idea what you’re talking
about. Again, we’re friendly. We sit next to each other. I tutor him. I say
hello and I’m not going to stop, so get over it.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">“Look,
little Hood, things change. People change and believe me when I tell you it’s
no longer in his best interest to hang out with you. And he’s way too kind to
say anything, so I will. That’s what sisters do.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">“Take
your self-important inflated ego and shove it. Some of these kids may be afraid
of you, but I’m not. I have no idea where this little snit is coming from, but I
can be the bigger person and chalk it up to senior Homecoming jitters. Maybe
you’re nervous about Kellan playing tonight, but that’s no reason to treat
others like crap, and I’m not even talking about me. I’m talking about all
these people here making signs. Jeez, how about a freakin’ ‘thank you’ or ‘nice
job’, but no, you have to ridicule them! They’re here on their own time to help
you out. As for me and Kellan, like I said, we’re friends … sort of. We chatted
and joked for three and half minutes today, not that it’s any of your business!
Nor would it be your business if I was putting the moves on him. He’s a big boy
and can handle himself!” Ruby fumed, causing people to look up from their signs
with curiosity. For a moment, the girls just glared at each other. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Kayla’s
shoulders subtly relaxed and she smiled a stiff smile, like it was painful. “Oh
my gosh, Ruby. I’m so sorry. I’m not sure what came over me. You’re right, I
must be overly anxious about tonight. I just want everything to be perfect for
my school and my brother,” Kayla said, attempting to place a comforting hand on
Ruby’s shoulder. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">“Whatever.”
Ruby said, folding her arms across her chest, and taking a step back. “And don’t
touch me.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">“Awww…can’t
we be friends?” Kayla asked, somewhat insincerely, extending her hand in a
peaceful gesture.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">“Hardly.
We’re nowhere near friendship, but I will be ‘friendly’ to you for the time
being. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have a sign to finish.” Ruby’s almond eyes
narrowed as she took a seat back on the floor and finished her sign without
looking up.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Kayla
stalked off to the middle of room. “Okay everyone! It’s almost 4:00 o’clock. We
need to wrap this up, so the signs can dry. Now get home to get ready to root
our team on to VICTORY!” Kayla finished with her best cheerleader holler, and
he room erupted in cheers. Everyone finished quickly, placed their signs on the
desks, grabbed their belongings and hurried out the door, excitedly discussing
the upcoming evening. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">“What
was that all about, Rue?” Lilly whispered. They were the last two left besides
Kayla and a small group of cheerleaders. “I’ll explain later,” Ruby whispered.
“Let’s get out of here,” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">“Be
back in an hour for the signs, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Ruby</i>,”
Kayla said with a phony smile. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">“Aye
Aye, Captain,” Ruby called with a salute and stalked out of the room. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />Aspen Hitehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05932782767440912193noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8435077192054748915.post-45090533452056884432018-10-20T12:02:00.000-07:002018-10-20T12:02:23.201-07:00Finger Politics<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEZumVkh_NgTsVquQxQVPFI3s_AugMpXOC1OyJ_6QJDCTNbpNTHWo2SRnhHTo4qdKSS7WrmgbuYPsMv4zjbsr4_VNu3mFV4jmYBRZDMmshqOIWW_4RZv7tQMidTI7nKSoBmMP8vicERao/s1600/hands-600497_1920.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1068" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEZumVkh_NgTsVquQxQVPFI3s_AugMpXOC1OyJ_6QJDCTNbpNTHWo2SRnhHTo4qdKSS7WrmgbuYPsMv4zjbsr4_VNu3mFV4jmYBRZDMmshqOIWW_4RZv7tQMidTI7nKSoBmMP8vicERao/s320/hands-600497_1920.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif; font-size: 20.0pt; line-height: 107%;">How
do you keep politicians honest? <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif; font-size: 20.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Finger
Politics<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif; font-size: 20.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Book Antiqua, serif;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">A
bit tongue in cheek, a bit real world problem solving if you ask me, but I’m a
flawed human with a </span><span style="font-size: 18.6667px;">wacko</span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> imagination and a demented sense of humor. Read on
to enjoy a comedic post with one goal in mind: clean up the dishonesty in
politics. <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Inspired by looming
midterms, constant ads, abundant flyers, intentional misinformation, I’ve
developed the concept of <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Finger Politics.</b>
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s a bit outside of the box and a tad
twisted, but it could be a highly effective way to streamline the monstrosities
that have become political propaganda.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">In Finger Politics, each
candidate…at every level…in any capacity…pledges to stand behind and back TEN
issues/policies. Every time they actively go against anything they pledged to
do, they get a finger cut off. For example, I pledge to fight to increase
funding into public education, but then I vote against it. I do anything to intentionally
stand in the way of getting funding into public education, and I lose a finger.
(This is not to say I lose a finger if others vote against it and the bill to increase
funding doesn’t pass.) It’s about what I said I would do and what I actually
did. It’s about our elected officials meaning what they say and saying what
they mean, thereby making it easy for the public to stay informed, without the
twists and spins of smear campaigns, talking heads, biased news and intentional
misinformation. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Bye bye, </i>‘I’m going
vote with my buddies’<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">. Bye bye, </i>‘I’m in
the lobbyists’ pocket’<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">. Bye bye, </i>‘self-interest
bullshit’. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">FP may seem harsh, but it will
make it crystal clear who has integrity and who doesn’t. Honesty becomes transparent.
Accountability is in place. Keeps politics a touch fairer for the common folk…those
of us that are supposed to be represented. True colors shine through. The guess
work. The smear campaigns. The rhetoric. All gone. No need to recycle all those
flyers, because there’s no need to make them. In fact, ads will be scaled back
to just a picture of the candidates’ face and hands, with fingers held high for
all to see. At the bottom all the pertinent information: <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">Dale,
7 fingers, 15 years of service<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">Paula,
3 fingers, 8 years of service<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">Stephanie,
9 fingers, 20 years of service<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">On the back of their
face/finger card every candidate would have one side to explain the finger loss(es)
and tout any accomplishments, like how they kept their current fingers. One
card. That’s it. Think of all the money saved and the waste not wasted! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Another bonus? No need for
term limits, once you’re out of fingers, you’re out. After all its Finger Politics.
Not Nub Politics. Want to keep your fingers? Don’t be a corrupt asshole liar.
The simplicity of it. It could be a thing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><b>Finger Politics, Coming Soon?!?</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua", serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">***Endorsed by Americans Everywhere</span></span></div>
<br />Aspen Hitehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05932782767440912193noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8435077192054748915.post-17196398405013435132016-08-22T13:04:00.002-07:002016-08-22T13:06:12.456-07:00Summer 2016<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyyRtMcBTQW5jElyB0jqjCZOb5_PdSuviTuXdSZKTHnx6Jf6Gu8C4LF8doraAtzCQf9mT_RiAkHS7RpC0My_9bFfnS_-Ir9Qmxo9ARtnndmJxyJ973ZQJpZaaSndo_1WhW3-I3HiNEsoQ/s1600/20160818_115758.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyyRtMcBTQW5jElyB0jqjCZOb5_PdSuviTuXdSZKTHnx6Jf6Gu8C4LF8doraAtzCQf9mT_RiAkHS7RpC0My_9bFfnS_-Ir9Qmxo9ARtnndmJxyJ973ZQJpZaaSndo_1WhW3-I3HiNEsoQ/s320/20160818_115758.jpg" width="227" /></a></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: "felix titling"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Oh Summer, where did
you go?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">I
haven’t written in weeks…2.5 to be exact (not that I’m keeping track).
Normally, that wouldn’t bother me too much, but my sweet summer writing time is
quite literally up and I’m nowhere near my 100,000 word/2 novel summer writing goal.
To make my own dissatisfaction even worse, I return to adulting and the daily working
grind in 1.5 days (not that I’m keeping track). Completely mentally unprepared
to adult, I’m also befuddled about where my summer went. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">June
blew in and BOOM school was over and summer vacation at the lake was A-MAZING! I
have only the fondest memories of June…between vacation and writing…it was a
sweet stress free time. The Ozarks with the FAM was simply grand, and once I
returned, my writing seemed to take on a life of its own…simple bliss. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">With
July came a barrage of doctors, from dentist to eye doc to annual tests to
vets. This is where the summer took a turn for the worse. My dude’s cancer returned after 4 short months. In the exact same place. At the time, treatment options
sounded horrid. Needless to say, there were tears (a</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"> lot of them) and anger (a lot of it).</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">Alas this too shall pass, and it did. Some new avenues were presented and things
started to look up. AND I’m happy to report, while cancer still riddles his
body…he has no idea, and I’m not about to tell him… #lovemydog. Even with all
the angst July brought, I managed to finish a novel. My 4</span><sup style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">th</sup><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">. It’s
nowhere near ready for any sort of publication, but the story is there, just
waiting for polish and shine.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">Then August
showed up and well…more on the medical front. Nothing serious. Just obstacles
and nonsense. Of course, amongst all the chaos, there was time for a splendid
staycation with some of my FAVE people from Jersey. Riding high on some summer fun, I was
blown away to learn of the passing of my dearest friend’s father, and within a
few hours a red eye was booked. I was going home. After a tumultuous 60 hours in the Midwest, I was glad I could be there to celebrate the life of a truly wonderful man. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<b><span style="font-family: "bradley hand itc"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">***Big
Kyle, you lit up the lives of all those who knew you. The world just doesn’t
make men quite like you anymore and you certainly made the world a better place.
You will be deeply missed now and always. May you rest in peace.<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">Now, near the end of August with the 2016-2017 school year looming, all I can think
is that I failed as a #booknerd this summer. One lousy novel written and only
five read…not the best for this gal. Time to re-evaluate goals and aspirations.
More than anything, my goals are fluid and ever changing as life is
unpredictable and I’m a realist.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: "felix titling"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Re-evaluated Goals<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">Writing:</span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"> Make sure to carve out weekly
writing time with a focus on the rough draft of Modified. Be patient and let the
polisher work her magic on Gems. #onward #dreambig<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">Reading:</span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"> Continue with the 2016 Reading
Challenge.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">***Side
note: The list will get finished, even if it carries into 2017. I needed a book
that intimidates me and I choose the first seven of the Outlander books as the bundle on my kindle
is monstrous. Possibly a little over zealous on my part. #readingismypassion #fluidgoals
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">Teaching:</span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"> Positively impact the lives of
little humans to the best of my ability. #newschoolyearishere<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">The
unpredictably of life can be unnerving and terrifying at times, but the unpredictable
part also leads to some of the most exciting adventures. However, if we
continually worry and fret about the parts of the past that didn’t work out, it’s
impossible to move forward to reach your dreams. #goalsandaspirations #aimhigh<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: "felix titling"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Until Next time…<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: "felix titling"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Don’t stop Reaching for
the stars even when life gets complicated.<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
Aspen Hitehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05932782767440912193noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8435077192054748915.post-14787955204208561882016-05-21T09:20:00.003-07:002016-05-21T09:21:26.674-07:00It's All About the Process<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_HGHy3fVmuNUx3gxVWo_RUELxI9GXTKO1qee_My9LxDsL86XgCEZvxK_uiXkXwIfEdTubHu_0YmW_XsvlaUk9D0K1aKDc1_F-5Rk4hDpZ1AanNb0s9RT7jL5JBR8RXJVLG0hmaDFUfCs/s1600/13226731_10154059330146291_7855983932579831452_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_HGHy3fVmuNUx3gxVWo_RUELxI9GXTKO1qee_My9LxDsL86XgCEZvxK_uiXkXwIfEdTubHu_0YmW_XsvlaUk9D0K1aKDc1_F-5Rk4hDpZ1AanNb0s9RT7jL5JBR8RXJVLG0hmaDFUfCs/s320/13226731_10154059330146291_7855983932579831452_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Ah, the iceberg photo. I’ve always thought it was a
cute little meme. Then I slammed into it head first. The initial pain was
excruciating, but the ride has been wild, tumultuous and highly enlightening
ever since. It’s all about the process…over time…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">A few years back, I wrote and self-published a
novella, <i>If the <b>Silver</b> Slippers Fit</i>. At that time, the novella was a huge
achievement on a variety of levels, a real feather in my cap. But not to stay
in one place too long, I was soon onto the second Ruby Hood. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Nearly two years later, I wrote the sequel to the
novella, <i>If the <b>Sapphire</b> Slippers Fit</i>. Time, characters and adventures had
passed, and the new story spun its own tale. Sapphires was fresh and so much
fun to write. Finally, the rough copy was complete and ready for an editor,
another feather in my cap. With any luck, I’d have this ready for publication
by the fall.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">To make sure there was continuity in the story, the
editor read the first installment as well as the second, then asked if she
could quickly edit the first one. On cloud nine and revealing in my own
accomplishment, I readily agreed, even at $45/hour. After a week, the editor
sent me an email, letting me know she was done with the first story and would
like to meet to discuss the notes. Anxious to move ahead to the sequel (the real
reason I’d hired her), I agreed. Everything was going according to plan. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Then I got the invoice. First, my heart palpitated
then sank to the pit of my stomach. My entire editing budget for both books was
blown…in one shot…on a stupid little novella that was already published! I was
devastated, and now I didn’t have enough money to edit Sapphires. This was NOT
the plan! What had gone wrong? To start, I had grossly overestimated the
quality of my work, and underestimated the time needed to fix my errors. When
the editor used the word ‘quickly’, I should’ve asked what that meant, but the time
for rehashing mistakes was over. Suddenly, nothing else mattered except getting
my hands on those very expensive edits. Deep down I couldn’t help but think…<i>those edits had better be written in gold
and a bit of blood. </i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The night before the meeting, I reread my story. While
I read, I was struck by the mediocrity of the novella. Certainly not what NYT bestsellers
are made of. With an open and very
intrigued mind, I walked into the coffee shop the following day. I spent
several hours with the editor, poring over 22 pages of edits. First, she presented
the plethora of problems, errors, flaws and weaknesses that riddled the story. Some
I had caught, but there were more…lots more. I listened…to everything she said,
while I jotted notes and tried to keep up with my own inadequacies. Halfway
through, I was feeling like a total loser but hoping there was a <i>silver</i> lining to this very gray cloud. And
there was. We spent the rest of the time discussing a variety of ideas,
solutions and possible fixes for this…MESSS. At the end I thanked her, but my
mind swirled with utter chaos. She had ripped my story apart and destroyed my
comfort zone. Just a week before, I had a very different plan for my summer
writing. Putting my latest WIP, <i>Modified</i>,
on the back burner to REWRITE an already published book was NOT part of the
plan. BUT everything had changed. My editor had made me think about Silver
Slippers from a totally different perspective, and I couldn’t undue that. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">At this point, I had to choices: wallow or rebuild.
While pity parties have their time and place, they’re no place to live, or
spend a precious summer, so #onward to rebuilding it was. With my big girl
pants firmly in place, I’ve admitted defeat and failure. I’ve unpublished the
novella and quite literally gone back to the drawing board.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Since then, I’ve spent my time creating an entire
world…my vision of the <b><i>Enchanted Realm of Oz</i></b>. I have notes,
character maps, notes, sub plots, drawings, notes, sketches, big plot twists, a
brilliant AH-HA moment for the reader, and more notes. I’m 17,000 words into it
and nowhere near the end, still building the world and creating character
layers. It has completely consumed me. At certain times, I feel overwhelmed by
the chaos in my head, but the more it churns the clearer it becomes. I’ve never
written at this level. The growth throughout the entire process simply amazes
me, both as a writer and a human being. The craziest part? My current WIP is
titleless. For today, this massive reconstruction is known as <i>Silver, If the Slippers Fit (book 1)</i>. Its
definitive title will come…it’s all part of the process. Personally, I can’t
wait to see where this Oz iceberg leads…over time…</span></div>
Aspen Hitehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05932782767440912193noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8435077192054748915.post-46808468333929960422016-03-13T10:55:00.000-07:002016-03-16T06:38:42.159-07:00Spring and New Stuff<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj39GDNcKTUH8X0ufpz3VORs1IHbmlbhOVAQ6HhF9vbzbwj7lCWYCEjYYGIFzVrJXsuucVQQaeCJkEh_kP8PbFkSmk-yPzfzedMluOVlpjKnkKAri9x375oeabeRei3o95aU4hILEaXduI/s1600/spring-awakening-1197602_1920.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="197" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj39GDNcKTUH8X0ufpz3VORs1IHbmlbhOVAQ6HhF9vbzbwj7lCWYCEjYYGIFzVrJXsuucVQQaeCJkEh_kP8PbFkSmk-yPzfzedMluOVlpjKnkKAri9x375oeabeRei3o95aU4hILEaXduI/s320/spring-awakening-1197602_1920.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: center;">
<div align="center" class="MsoNoSpacing">
<b><span style="font-family: "tempus sans itc"; font-size: 36.0pt;">Spring 2016<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNoSpacing">
<b><span style="font-family: "tempus sans itc"; font-size: 20.0pt;">What’s new?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Life</span></b><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Just
to be clear, I am not a fan of daylight savings. I find it to be stupid and
senseless, not mention rude. An hour stolen, ripped from our clutches. In the
middle of the night. On a sacred weekend. I propose daylight savings time
should be done at noon on the third Monday of March! Let common sense and
non-rudeness prevail! Or we could just stop it all together, and let nature
lighten and darken on its own. Seems like Mother Nature already had her own
system.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">On
a completely different note (no pun intended), there has been a recent profound
musical impact in my life. Music is almost a constant in my life and I have a
several stations and playlists I enjoy regularly. But it is rare that a song, a
rendition of another song…a classic…will stop me cold, right in the middle of
an edit, sending shivers up my spin and a sudden lump into my throat, only to
find myself biting my lip to keep the emotion at bay. The voice is haunting,
tough, tired, hard, eerie, sad, soft, tormented…it’s so good…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif;">The Sounds of Silence by Disturbed</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe width="320" height="266" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/u9Dg-g7t2l4/0.jpg" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/u9Dg-g7t2l4?feature=player_embedded" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Current
Books</span></b><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The
RUBY HOOD BOOK BLITZES went VERY well! Thank you to all those who participated
and supported! There’s still a $25 Amazon Gift card up for grabs. Check out a
few of my favorite blogs for your chance to win.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><a href="http://mythicalbooks.blogspot.ro/2016/02/shes-here-for-our-help-twistedly-true.html">Mythical Books</a></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><a href="http://linkis.com/www.chocomeiske.com/6oNuQ?utm_content=buffer086fc&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=buffer">Cover2Cover</a></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">REVIEW
COPIES of </span><a href="http://yaboundbooktours.blogspot.com/2016/02/review-copies-available-twistedly-true.html"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">RUBY HOOD</span></a><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> ARE ALSO AVAILABLE from </span><a href="http://yaboundbooktours.blogspot.com/"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">YA
BOUND BOOK TOURS.</span></a><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">What’s
next for Ruby? There is a third one on the horizon, but it’s simmering on the
back-burner while other, new stories are boiling on the front burner.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">New
Stuff <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<i><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">If the Sapphire Slippers
Fit</span></i><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> is coming along
so nicely! I’ve been collaborating with my east coast counterpart, </span><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennifer-paquette-abaa1b75"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Jennifer Paquette</span></a><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">, in NYC again. We’ve been having a world
of fun creating this second story in the <i>Precious
Gems Series</i>. Oz. Vegas. Sisters. Withes. Sapphire Slippers. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="color: #002060; font-family: "felix titling"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Excerpt: Prologue, <i>If the
Sapphire Slippers Fit<o:p></o:p></i></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 18.0pt; margin-bottom: 1.2pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.2pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="color: #002060; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Pouring another round of shots, Giselle
scanned the room of rowdy bachelors in front of her. She hoped this private
party would pay off. She had a plethora of problems and a little extra cash
would help solve one of them. Her latest marker was due, tomorrow. Since
relocating to Vegas, she’d developed a fetish for the poker tables. This past
round had gotten a little out of control, but she was close to her owe. Between
these bachelors and her shift at the demon bar later, she should be able to pay
off the sharks, with a little left over for take-out and a bottle of pinot
grigio.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 18.0pt; margin-bottom: 1.2pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.2pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="color: #002060; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Lately, she’d also noticed some cop type hanging
around. In the last three days, she’d seen him three times, and it could only
be a coincidence for so long. She hoped he was just new to the area, but if he
was here for her she knew it was because of her Lightning Power.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 18.0pt; margin-bottom: 1.2pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.2pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="color: #002060; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Then there was her biggest baddest problem,
her curse, the Lightning Power. She’d been letting it get the best of her more
and more lately. The pull of the power overwhelmed her, especially when she
felt threatened. She’d lost it at a recent poker game when a demon accused her
of cheating. Then he’d lunged at her, the power had taken control and within
seconds he was fried crispy. It had felt so good to let go, to push the
consequences from her mind, and give in to the power, but it had been a costly
mistake. She’d given away her tell, and now her secret was out. Word spread
like wild fire in the supernatural community; the Lightning Power was in Vegas.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 18.0pt; margin-bottom: 1.2pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.2pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="color: #002060; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Giselle shoved her hands into the ice, and took a deep
breath. The supernatural world knowing about her power was terrible, but the
daily struggle to control it was even worse. It was a constant struggle, and if
she used the power regularly, or allowed it to use her, it would become a way
of life. Then she’d never get back to Oz, to her family. She sighed, letting
the coldness calm her prickling fingers. Things weren’t as easy in Vegas as
she’d thought they’d be. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 18.0pt; margin-bottom: 1.2pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.2pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="color: #002060; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Gently biting the inside of her lip, she pushed the
anxiety away as she turned to check her reflection in the mirror behind the
bar. Straightening her ponytail, she forced a smile and put on her best bartender
face. Right now, she just had to make enough money to pay her due to the
sharks, then she’d to deal with this power. And hopefully between the two the
cop problem would go away. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 18.0pt; margin-bottom: 1.2pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.2pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="color: #002060; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">The red-faced sweaty men began pounding on the table, chanting,
“SHOTS, SHOTS, SHOTS!” Fucking bachelor parties in Vegas. She resisted the urge
to snort and roll her eyes. After all, she had a role to play and a service to
provide. Plus, they had a huge tab and any extra gratuity was always welcomed. After
she adjusted her top to make the most of her assets, she grabbed the tray and turned,
making her way across a sea of people to serve up ten shots of Maker’s Mark to
a table of rowdy men, already half in the bag.</span><span style="color: #002060; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="color: #002060; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">She arrived at the table, served the guys and took a
shot glass for herself, “To the lucky couple,” the waifish witch said, raising
her own drink in front of the men. The table cheered at her words and toasted their
glasses, patting each other on the back and polishing off their shots. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="color: #002060; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Running her fingers through her long brown curls,
Giselle tilted her head back and let the rich full-bodied whiskey slide down
her throat. It was one of the few perks to tending bar on a lively Saturday
night. A fire ignited in her belly and she gave a small smile. She hoped
tonight was a good night.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="color: #002060; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">The French doors into the private room opened. Neon
light and the thump of the bass from the DJ poured into the room as a man entered
and walked to the back bar. Tall, dark and brooding were the first words to
enter Giselle’s thoughts. He ordered a beer, then turned to scan the room. She
gasped when she saw the demon hunter’s intense stare cut through the crowd
until he found her own. A smirk danced in his eyes as he nodded in her direction,
bringing the beer to his lips.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="color: #002060; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">“Axim Walker,” she whispered as her voice caught in her
throat and the shot glass slid from her hand, shattering to pieces on the
marble floor. Her dark eyes blazed and the Lightning Power crackled at her
fingertips. She knew he was here to kill her.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNoSpacing">
<b><span style="color: #002060; font-family: "felix titling"; font-size: 14.0pt;">If the Sapphire Slippers FiT<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNoSpacing">
<b><span style="color: #002060; font-family: "felix titling"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Book #2 in the Precious Gems Series<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNoSpacing">
<b><span style="color: #002060; font-family: "felix titling"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Coming Soon<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: "tempus sans itc"; font-size: 36.0pt; line-height: 107%;">On
the next blog?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">There
is always time for books, even if it’s the last 5 minutes my tired eyes see.
Coming in the next edition of <b><i>Latest Reads:</i></b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<i><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<i><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The Girl on the Train </span></i><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">by Paula Hawkins<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<i><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Explosive Eighteen</span></i><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> by Janet Evanovich<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<i><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">More</span></i><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> by T.M. Franklin<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<i><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The Girl with the Dragon
Tattoo </span></i><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">by Stieg
Larson<i><o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<i><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Naked in Death </span></i><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">J.D. Robb<i><o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "tempus sans itc"; font-size: 36.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: "tempus sans itc"; font-size: 36.0pt; line-height: 107%;">After
that?</span></b><i><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I
have no idea. Many plans, but they’re all tentative. Until next time. Peace.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
Aspen Hitehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05932782767440912193noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8435077192054748915.post-54008220976552419292015-12-31T14:57:00.002-08:002015-12-31T14:57:47.471-08:00Good-bye 2015...Hello 2016<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLGgNvckgQtaB1o7nwBS33fnLZQLaodQWIhEcyJpVFCsb5vIaflwHc0hgJRmYkGrV9VrvwB7D5yOp9TdKvWxfQ8KQWl8gshZohrVA1m4KKYHKFW-KDwblLHHDl77iRUQDI-iEIPAOV44I/s1600/2015_2016.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="191" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLGgNvckgQtaB1o7nwBS33fnLZQLaodQWIhEcyJpVFCsb5vIaflwHc0hgJRmYkGrV9VrvwB7D5yOp9TdKvWxfQ8KQWl8gshZohrVA1m4KKYHKFW-KDwblLHHDl77iRUQDI-iEIPAOV44I/s320/2015_2016.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Year
in Review<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif;">WOW…2015 was
one hell of a year! My 40<sup>th</sup> year…10<sup>th</sup> year of marriage…10<sup>th</sup>
year teaching…TONS of family time and #meaningfulmoments, a new house, a new book
and LOTS of writing! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">On the
writing front, </span><b style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://writemorepublications.blogspot.com/">Write More Publications</a></b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">
was gracious enough to publish the second Ruby Hood, </span><b style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Twistedly-True-Guardian-Tale-Ruby-ebook/dp/B012PMF0G4/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1451594860&sr=1-1">The
Twistedly True Guardian Tale</a></i></b><i style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">.</i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">
I also wrote more this year, than I’ve written in previous years and finished the next in the </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Silver-Slippers-Fit-Precious-Gems-ebook/dp/B00HLQM95K/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8" style="font-weight: bold;">Precious
Gems Series</a>,</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> which I hope to have out in 2016. AND I’m currently
working on something new, a futuristic fiction set in 2035 after enzymes in
GMOs have MODIFIED the people of the world. It’s incredibly fun to create and
write!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif;">Clearly, the writing
part is great. However convincing people to read a book, and then tell others
about it or write a review is MUCH more difficult! Plus, I’m not especially good
at promoting myself, but I’m adapting and trying some new things. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjQyyQiemdcBoDVu1tjYfCjl7k31p9Kyko2zaSTb0yrGqMBmXI3rlEpktj5Jf5ZE2yhIfx9Lcdi2cqWowumQF2aqd9m2VnhxhgVPBOV8bdPt5oGT6BcQy4zLFb1yescOL46krR_Zgk3VE/s1600/rubyhood+book+blitz+banner.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="118" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjQyyQiemdcBoDVu1tjYfCjl7k31p9Kyko2zaSTb0yrGqMBmXI3rlEpktj5Jf5ZE2yhIfx9Lcdi2cqWowumQF2aqd9m2VnhxhgVPBOV8bdPt5oGT6BcQy4zLFb1yescOL46krR_Zgk3VE/s320/rubyhood+book+blitz+banner.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif;">There is an
upcoming </span><a href="http://yaboundbooktours.blogspot.com/2015/12/book-blitz-sign-up-twistedly-true-tale.html"><b><span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif;">BOOK
BLITZ for <i>The Twistedly True Tale of Ruby
Hood</i></span></b></a><b><span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif;"> </span></b><span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif;">via </span><a href="http://www.yaboundbooktours.blogspot.com/"><b><span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif;">YA BOUND BOOK</span></b><span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif;"> <b>TOURS</b></span></a><span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif;">. If you are a reader, writer,
blogger, fan, etc… I hope you’ll consider signing up! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">And, I’ve
made my first book trailer for </span><b style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Twistedly-True-Tale-Ruby-Hood-ebook/dp/B00FKLY7WQ/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8">The
Twistedly True Tale of Ruby Hood.</a> </i></b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Check it out…</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe width="320" height="266" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/QXguMu0Xjf4/0.jpg" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/QXguMu0Xjf4?feature=player_embedded" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<b style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #3333ff; font-family: "Bradley Hand ITC"; font-size: 26.0pt;">All in all, 2015 was utterly amazing and I am
grateful beyond belief!</span></b></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Upcoming
in 2016<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif;">What’s next? GOALS!
I don’t make resolutions, but I do LOVE to set goals. Is goal setting about mastering
or perfection? Not usually…okay never. I’ll be honest, I’m in it for the
journey. Sure the accomplishment or destination is nice, but I have an
affection for the trip. Sometimes I make it to my destination, other times I
end up someplace completely unexpected. However, I usually have a good time and
ALWAYS learn a thing or two. Plus, most journeys are riddled with those #meaningfulmoments
I love so dearly. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif;">I do set some
very specific goals, but they are always fluid and subject to change at a moment’s
notice. However, some are every day constants, meant to provide general
directions…purposes…destinations. Here are a few of my absolutes for the
upcoming year…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
</div>
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<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Write: as
often as possible...<i>if there’s no time, make some</i></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Read: at
least once a day</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Live:
daily</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Laugh:
hourly</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Love:
every second</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Learn: every time the opportunity arises</span></li>
</ul>
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<b><span style="color: #3333ff; font-family: "Bradley Hand ITC"; font-size: 26.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Wishing you and yours a lovely, delightful and wonderful New Year!
<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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</div>
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<b><span style="color: #3333ff; font-family: "Bradley Hand ITC"; font-size: 26.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Happy 2016!<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
Aspen Hitehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05932782767440912193noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8435077192054748915.post-10852772762766506522015-12-18T21:02:00.003-08:002015-12-24T08:11:13.529-08:00Holiday Blog with a Splash of Book Blitz<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRfPMrqo35XB5OVoo_GVlRTf4nTlWAmqZir65dU-f4f4e6XsZ3BgEQhNI46lE00cmVps9D0jUghvp7OU56xfqMcIrJiJfDe4JjBZg0RAVDpqopS2mVq1Hns57B7CTzDgyAK9i5ANmJrCM/s1600/christmas-card-566305_1920.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="222" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRfPMrqo35XB5OVoo_GVlRTf4nTlWAmqZir65dU-f4f4e6XsZ3BgEQhNI46lE00cmVps9D0jUghvp7OU56xfqMcIrJiJfDe4JjBZg0RAVDpqopS2mVq1Hns57B7CTzDgyAK9i5ANmJrCM/s320/christmas-card-566305_1920.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<b><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 18.0pt;">Holiday Blog</span></b><b><span style="color: #9fc5e8; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 18.0pt;">…You Know…</span></b><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 18.0pt;"><span style="color: #351c75;">Instead
of Nog</span><span style="color: red;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #351c75;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16.0pt;">Life</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="color: #351c75;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">With
the holidays fast approaching...er...here, I am pleased to announce my Christmas spirit is
intact and I’m not going to lie, I am super excited to get my holiday on…some
festivities, family, good will, down time from work…I can dig it all! And can’t
wait! This year, the husband and I wanted original so we went with repurposed recycled
gifts from the local and very cool </span><a href="http://blumarble.com/"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Blu Marble</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"> (seriously, check
their stuff out)! In between the merriment, I hope to score some very serious
writing time! Here’s the latest…<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16.0pt;">Writing<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">Precious
Gems <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">I
am so fortunate to have had the opportunity to co-author this series with the
lovely and talented <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Jennifer-Paquette/e/B00DV4U3YK/ref=dp_byline_cont_ebooks_2">Jennifer
Paquette</a>! And it has been a blast working on the next installment! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">The
first one, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Silver-Slippers-Precious-Gems-Series-ebook/dp/B00HLQM95K">“If
the Silver Slippers Fit”</a>, released in 2014 and contains two stories, each
surrounding the same pair of diamond encrusted Silver Slippers. In the first
story, Glinda falls through a portal from Oz and lands in New York City. She
has to hone her witchy powers and NYC savviness with a quickness to retrieve
her sister’s favorite shoes and get back home. In the second story, Glinda’s youngest
daughter, Giselle, finds herself exiled to Vegas and her troubles only continue
to mount. With her back up against a wall, she’s left with only one choice: accept
a huge burden to protect her family, no matter the cost to herself.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">In
the second one, “If the Sapphire Slippers Fit”, my story picks up right where
the first one ended. Giselle encounters even more problems in Vegas until one
day she disappears, but not before she sends a cryptic message to her sister,
the Chanceloress of Oz. Grace immediately heeds the advice of Glinda, their
mother, and their Aunt Elle. Before long she is transported to Vegas to rescue her
sister. Grace struggles to decipher the clues Giselle left behind, especially
when she finds herself powerless after a teenager winds up dead. Will she
figure out the clues and find her sister before another teenager dies? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">****I’ve
also complicated matters by throwing in a few gurus, a Greek goddess, a
Mesopotamian goddess and a sexy demon hunter. It has been so much fun to write,
but I’ll admit I’m only halfway through, so any and all, is subject to change.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">Ruby
Hood<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">The
first two in the series are completed and on the market. I hope to work on the
third and final installment soon. All books are available in ebook and
paperback. I even have free review copies! If you are interested in reviewing
either or book, please get a hold of me, I’d be happy to send a copy your way. In
January, I will be running some promo through </span><a href="http://www.yaboundbooktours.blogspot.com/"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">YA Bound Book Tours</span></a></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="color: #351c75;">. Are you a
reader, blogger, reviewer, writer??? Sign up to join the <a href="http://www.yaboundbooktours.blogspot.com/2015/12/book-blitz-sign-up-twistedly-true-tale.html">Ruby
Hood Book Blitz</a>!</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="http://www.yaboundbooktours.blogspot.com/2015/12/book-blitz-sign-up-twistedly-true-tale.html"><b><span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 28.0pt; mso-no-proof: yes; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;"><!--[if gte vml 1]><v:shapetype id="_x0000_t75"
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjQyyQiemdcBoDVu1tjYfCjl7k31p9Kyko2zaSTb0yrGqMBmXI3rlEpktj5Jf5ZE2yhIfx9Lcdi2cqWowumQF2aqd9m2VnhxhgVPBOV8bdPt5oGT6BcQy4zLFb1yescOL46krR_Zgk3VE/s1600/rubyhood+book+blitz+banner.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="118" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjQyyQiemdcBoDVu1tjYfCjl7k31p9Kyko2zaSTb0yrGqMBmXI3rlEpktj5Jf5ZE2yhIfx9Lcdi2cqWowumQF2aqd9m2VnhxhgVPBOV8bdPt5oGT6BcQy4zLFb1yescOL46krR_Zgk3VE/s320/rubyhood+book+blitz+banner.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 28.0pt;"><span style="color: #351c75;">Haven’t read them yet? Need a last minute Christmas gift?</span><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Twistedly-True-Tale-Ruby-Hood-ebook/dp/B00FKLY7WQ/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1450413790&sr=1-1&keywords=stephanie+greenhalgh"><b><span style="font-family: 'Tempus Sans ITC'; line-height: 107%;">The Twistedly True Tale of Ruby Hood</span></b></a><b><span style="font-family: 'Tempus Sans ITC'; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Twistedly-True-Guardian-Tale-Ruby-ebook/dp/B012PMF0G4/ref=sr_1_3?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1450413790&sr=1-3&keywords=stephanie+greenhalgh"><b><span style="font-family: 'Tempus Sans ITC'; line-height: 107%;">The Twistedly True Guardian Tale</span></b></a><b><span style="font-family: 'Tempus Sans ITC'; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Silver-Slippers-Fit-Precious-Gems-ebook/dp/B00HLQM95K/ref=sr_1_4?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1450413790&sr=1-4&keywords=stephanie+greenhalgh"><b><span style="font-family: 'Felix Titling'; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">If the Silver Slippers Fit</span></span></b></a><b><span style="font-family: "Felix Titling"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: red; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 28.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 28.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #351c75;">In case I don’t get another post out for a while…</span><span style="color: red;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: red; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 28.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span></b><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 28.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #9fc5e8;">Wishing you and yours
the very best and brightest holiday season!</span><span style="color: #00b050;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 28.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #351c75;">Happy reading, writing, and holiday celebrating! </span><span style="color: red;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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Aspen Hitehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05932782767440912193noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8435077192054748915.post-24099021110081299462015-11-25T07:23:00.000-08:002015-12-01T19:43:30.516-08:00Fall 2015...and Books<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVleVG6YnNVa8Nqhorm7ttHjlDiWpNtX71IWUNF7vf0IIRqW5ldzGqnVpgu4aw4xt0EmKQRkAEEC9AIn1SjZ1h5vbY-sOy0y-3OG8DvQhN40BE0csPRy8aHvAVbwvQjDX3QWERME_zW6I/s1600/blog+picture.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="201" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVleVG6YnNVa8Nqhorm7ttHjlDiWpNtX71IWUNF7vf0IIRqW5ldzGqnVpgu4aw4xt0EmKQRkAEEC9AIn1SjZ1h5vbY-sOy0y-3OG8DvQhN40BE0csPRy8aHvAVbwvQjDX3QWERME_zW6I/s320/blog+picture.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">As much as
I despise daylight savings time and the ever shortening days, I do have a
certain affection for fall. I love the changing leaves (even in the desert),
fuzzy socks, the fireplace, hot totties and the holidays, especially when
family is involved. Recently, life has been a whirlwind of family, friends, work,
home, writing/books…so many good things to be thankful for every day!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">Does that
mean every day’s perfect? Of course not, that would be a fictional tale, and a
boring one at that. However finding my own peace every day is essential! No
matter how many challenges or roadblocks I may meet in any given day, I have to
find a piece…a slice…just a smidgeon…of happiness, harmony, peace, gratefulness…whatever
I can grab. And some days that peace is the first five seconds of the day when
my subconscious is still technically asleep. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">But that’s
the day-to-day chaos, not the big picture…the grand scheme…the reasons for it
all: family, friends, happiness, harmony, love, kindness, health, beauty…the
very core of the lovely and delightful #meaningfulmoments. So with the arrival
of the Thanksgiving holiday and some of my favorite people, I am feeling extremely
blessed and thankful this season.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "tempus sans itc"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "tempus sans itc"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">May your life be
filled with #meaningfulmoments now and always.<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "tempus sans itc"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">Happy
Thanksgiving!</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: "tempus sans itc"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><br /></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">AND I think
we all know…no matter how nuts life gets, there is always time to read. Even if
it’s the last few moments before your eyes drift closed. Here are my latest reads…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">Speak</span></i></b><b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">
by Laurie Halse Anderson<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">Great read!
Anderson weaves a page-turner told from the perspective of a young freshmen
girl, Melinda. The girl who called the cops at the big summer party. Needless
to say, the start to her high school career was rough. She lost her friends and
withdrew from her parents. It was through art she was able to find her voice
and face her demons. The inner dialogue of this tormented teen is incredible. Highly
recommend!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">Midnight Raven</span></i></b><b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">
by Becca Boucher<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">As a
sequel in the Moon Series, this book shifts to the point of view of Kat, the angry
loner. That is, until the good Dr. Cace Matthews shows up at her hospital. An
instant connection is made, and it turns out they have more in common than the
natural ways of the world. Before long they are neck deep in a harrowing
nightmare. The story flowed and Boucher writes with great creative detail. I wasn't a fan of the way things ended for the characters, but it definitely has me thinking about where the next book will
go. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">Splintered </span></i></b><b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">by
A.G. Howard<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">This
modern Wonderland fractured fairy tale kept me guessing. Nothing is as it
seems, but everything is familiar. A very creative spin/explanation/continuation
of a classic tale. It was a little slow at the beginning, but near the end it
was hard to put down. This book has some of the most impressive
detail/description I’ve ever read, almost to a fault. There were points where I
would get lost in details. But the ending was fantastic!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></i></b></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">Afterburn</span></i></b><b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">
by Silva Day<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">It’s hot.
It’s heavy. It’s a quick read. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "tempus sans itc"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">Thanks for stopping by and have a wonderful
holiday!</span></b></div>
Aspen Hitehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05932782767440912193noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8435077192054748915.post-88898766386014431162015-11-17T17:40:00.002-08:002015-11-17T18:21:24.195-08:00BOOK BLITZ: A Horse Named Dog<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTbqHp_KkVUNMTfs7YOkP0BNaZMWrJ5BrFFssPAXAxC_5_kFdkRTwdww8k713T5wwDiwR2Zb2-QhwnyQB2_rbQQEnKNKuslZnU22L8I1QrgO_YSoRbEQbN9Oj_lgczCA1sMlWBjjt3DbA/s1600/A+Horse+Named+Dog_front+cover_FINAL.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTbqHp_KkVUNMTfs7YOkP0BNaZMWrJ5BrFFssPAXAxC_5_kFdkRTwdww8k713T5wwDiwR2Zb2-QhwnyQB2_rbQQEnKNKuslZnU22L8I1QrgO_YSoRbEQbN9Oj_lgczCA1sMlWBjjt3DbA/s320/A+Horse+Named+Dog_front+cover_FINAL.jpg" width="206" /></a></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: #666666; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">A
Horse Named Dog</span><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br />
<span style="background: white;">by </span></span><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4811674.Theresa_Oliver"><span style="background: white; border: none windowtext 1.0pt; color: #2101fb; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; padding: 0in; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">Theresa Oliver</span></a><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br />
<span style="background: white;">Release Date: October 21st 2015</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Genre: Middle Grade Contemporary</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Write More Publications</span><br />
<br />
<span style="background: white;">Summary from Goodreads:</span><br />
<!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]--><br />
<!--[endif]--></span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 17.05pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;">
<i><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; color: #222222; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; padding: 0in;">Sam is a typical twelve-year-old boy who works on his parent’s
farm, but is not as interested in horses as his horse-training family. However,
he does his best to help out until an incident when he is riding with his mother.
After saving her from becoming nearly trampled, his viewpoint changes … until a
strange horse comes to their farm with quirks, earning him the name Dog.</span></i><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 17.05pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;">
<i><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; color: #222222; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; padding: 0in;">Dog likes Sam right away, but Sam wants nothing to do with him, as
he is the son of Trumpeter, the horse that nearly maimed his mother for life.
Sam has a hard time dealing with not only the memory of the accident, but the
extra chores and responsibilities suddenly thrust upon him, one of which is
training Dog.</span></i><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; color: #222222; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; padding: 0in;">Because his mother is out of work and people are canceling orders,
money is scarce. With the Indiana Classic coming up—a local horse race with a
huge purse—will Sam be able to befriend Dog and save their farm, or will Dog go
back to his present owner, never to be seen again?</span></i><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; color: #222222; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; padding: 0in;">Find out in Theresa Oliver’s first pre-teen novel, A Horse
Named Dog.</span></i><i><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; color: #181818; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; padding: 0in;"> </span></i><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/27251178-a-horse-named-dog?ac=1"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Add
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<b><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; font-family: "times" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;">About the Author</span></b><span style="color: #666666; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br />
</span><span style="background: white; border: none windowtext 1.0pt; color: #222222; font-family: "times" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;">Theresa Oliver grew up in southern Indiana,
across from Louisville, Kentucky, in Clarksville, Indiana. In her childhood,
she fell in love with the power of the written word, a love affair that has
continued her whole life. She moved to Florida, where she has lived much of her
adult life. She attended the University of Tennessee at Martin, Martin, Tenn.,
and earned her Bachelor of Arts in Communications degree, News Editorial
sequence. She also earned a Master of Arts in Teaching degree, Early Childhood
Education sequence, from Armstrong Atlantic State University, Savannah, Ga. She
is currently a writer, a full-time teacher, and the owner of Write More
Publications and TNT Author Services. However, her greatest adventure is as a
mother of three beautiful boys. Oliver currently resides in Kissimmee, Florida,
with her husband and children. </span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="http://theresaoliverauthor.blogspot.com/"><span style="color: #0563c1; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Website</span></a><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">│</span><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4811674.Theresa_Oliver"><span style="color: #0563c1; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Goodreads</span></a><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">│</span><a href="https://twitter.com/TheresaOliverA"><span style="color: #0563c1; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Twitter</span></a><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">│</span><a href="https://www.facebook.com/Theresa-Oliver-Author-222240647830818/"><span style="color: #0563c1; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Facebook</span></a><u><span style="color: #0563c1; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></u></div>
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Aspen Hitehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05932782767440912193noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8435077192054748915.post-9004792199033135792015-11-04T06:00:00.000-08:002015-11-04T06:15:52.490-08:00The Contract Killer Cover Reveal<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUHyM9krHfSQuhJuFKT0SZfu4no5M3ZCjBhySQkclvNJzOcwmqArSQ0krXcdfNBaO4W5ax4FA2r9EbM_GgcjwW36jHYbpdr7i8w2I1gIFen7PAggA1d3iRNPQ-tuAvkRMbZ_rY8dVD3Ng/s1600/The+Killer+Contract+Agency_Final+front+Cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUHyM9krHfSQuhJuFKT0SZfu4no5M3ZCjBhySQkclvNJzOcwmqArSQ0krXcdfNBaO4W5ax4FA2r9EbM_GgcjwW36jHYbpdr7i8w2I1gIFen7PAggA1d3iRNPQ-tuAvkRMbZ_rY8dVD3Ng/s320/The+Killer+Contract+Agency_Final+front+Cover.jpg" width="201" /></a></div>
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 17.05pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 17.05pt;">The
Killer Contract Agency</span><br />
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<span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; color: #666666; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; padding: 0in;">by </span><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5221494.Jessica_Samuels"><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; color: #2101fb; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; padding: 0in; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">Jessica
Samuels</span></a><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; color: #666666; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; padding: 0in;">Release
Date: November 30th 2015</span><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; color: #666666; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; padding: 0in;">Summary
from Goodreads:</span><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; color: #181818; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; padding: 0in;">Salina
Sinclair hunts Malians, an alien species that preys on weak teenagers, making
them crazy enough to kill themselves. But after being nearly burned alive by
one, Salina is contacted by The Killer Contract Agency. Wielding the powers of
The Bracelet and with her mentor, Carter, by her side, she exacts her revenge
by taking out the Malians responsible for her near death.<br />
<br />
But something big is happening with the Agency and operatives are dying. Will
she find out what it is before it's too late, or will the Agency be destroyed?</span></i><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/27258366-the-killer-contract-agency"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Add
to Goodreads</span></a><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; padding: 0in;">About the Author</span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 17.05pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; color: #181818; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; padding: 0in;">My
name is Jessica Samuels. I am an author addicted to caffeine, and I have
imaginary friends that keep me up at night begging for me to tell their story.
I love writing in my spare time a long with reading books since I have been an
avid reader since elementary school.</span><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Author Links:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<a href="http://wolfdreamer25-myjourney.blogspot.com/"><span style="color: #0563c1; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Website</span></a><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">│</span><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5221494.Jessica_Samuels"><span style="color: #0563c1; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Goodreads</span></a><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">│</span><a href="https://twitter.com/Jdsamuels25"><span style="color: #0563c1; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Twitter</span></a><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">│</span><a href="https://www.facebook.com/authorjessicasamuels/?ref=bookmarks"><span style="color: #0563c1; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Facebook</span></a><u><span style="color: #0563c1; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></u></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">Cover Reveal Organized
by: <o:p></o:p></span><a href="http://yaboundbooktours.blogspot.com/"><span style="color: #0563c1; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">YA Bound Book Tours</span></a></div>
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Aspen Hitehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05932782767440912193noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8435077192054748915.post-29062038699041434732015-07-06T13:33:00.004-07:002015-07-06T13:42:08.414-07:00Latest Reads: Summer 2015<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF5TOtw45G3ZsjwLBH5mDjsA5KkI3avZwh9giw7OLsCB-mPFsGhVr5Mmy1E0_4Gt26785Bu0Or33de1ppvp18vOBWEvgvTKXT-YxlJB4v-0NMXebid6BDxEl8xS-hOvvfe5EAOzqOZIDs/s1600/open-book-this-summer_127522.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF5TOtw45G3ZsjwLBH5mDjsA5KkI3avZwh9giw7OLsCB-mPFsGhVr5Mmy1E0_4Gt26785Bu0Or33de1ppvp18vOBWEvgvTKXT-YxlJB4v-0NMXebid6BDxEl8xS-hOvvfe5EAOzqOZIDs/s320/open-book-this-summer_127522.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Papyrus; font-size: 18.0pt;">Latest Reads: Summer 2015<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">Wow! It’s been a long time since I’ve written anything for this
blog. My last post was 3.5 months ago to promote my dear friend Becca Boucher’s
latest release, </span><span style="color: #cc0099; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Midnight-Raven-Moon-Book-2-ebook/dp/B00UCU25F6/ref=sr_1_1_twi_2_kin?ie=UTF8&qid=1436214120&sr=8-1&keywords=becca+boucher"><span style="color: #cc0099;">Midnight Raven</span></a></span><span style="color: blue; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">. Well, by now, I’m reading it and it’s got
me very intrigued!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">After wrapping up another school year, my alter ego, Summer
Stephanie, is quite content with the bliss that is summer. A little traveling has been done. Some fun has
been had. And laughs have been abundant. SO I can’t complain in the slightest.
Plus, some good things are happening with the writing. The second <b>Ruby Hood</b> book, <b>“The Twistedly True Guardian Tale”</b>, is at the publisher and getting
ready to release. I’m thrilled to be working with </span><span style="color: #cc0099; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"><a href="http://www.writemorepublications.com/"><span style="color: #cc0099;">Write
More Publications</span></a> </span><span style="color: blue; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">again. I’ve also started the third and final book in the <b>#rubyhoodseries</b>. It’s exciting and sad
at the same time. For now, it’s still more exciting than sad. However I
suspect, the further I get into it, the sadder it will be. BUT a new series
will spin off from this one. As for Ruby’s future? You never know where she may
pop up! Summer has also provided me a little time to get some reading in. In
fact, I have a whole slew of books for this edition of LATEST READS (How on
Earth did I ever publish these once a month?!?!). Check out what I’ve been
reading…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">A Discovery of Witches </span></i></b><b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">by Deborah Harkness<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">This
was okay. I LOVED the storyline and the idea of evolution of the supernaturals,
BUT I didn’t connect with either of the main characters. However, I did really
like the supporting characters. I have the other ones downloaded and will
probably read them, when I find some time.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Bared to You</span></i></b><b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"> by
Sylvia Day<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Gideon
Cross and Eva Tramell are quite an interesting pair. There is the basic boy
likes girl, girl likes boy, boy can’t let girl know, girl pretends he doesn’t
make her heart race but then there’s also a lot of sex. Set in the face paced Manhattan,
NY, it’s a quick read. There is always something happening with multiple
storylines all intermingled together. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">The Giver</span></i></b><b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"> by
Lois Lowry<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">One
of the first dystopian novels and a classic. I reread to see if it was
appropriate for my students. And while it would have prompted some amazing
discussions the idea of having to explain ‘the Stirrings’ deterred me. That being
said, it may not have been my choice to teach to 5<sup>th</sup> graders, but is
a great book. Lois Lowery has an amazing storytelling ability.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Reconstructing Amelia</span></i></b><b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"> by Kimberly McCreight<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">EXCELLENT!
I couldn’t put this on down. One of the best books I’ve read in a long time. This
heart-breaking twisted novel sucks you right in.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Benjamin McTish</span></i></b><i><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"> </span></i><b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">and the Grandfather Tree<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">In
this fantasy fun, Benjamin and his two best mates venture out on the adventure
of a lifetime. The story is filled with interesting characters and plot twists.
At the end, the reader can’t help but root for Benjamin. And while one problem is
solved, there is more ahead for the main characters in their journey. Book two
is on my wishlist.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Beautiful Bastard</span></i></b><b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"> by Christina
Lauren<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">A
quick fun read. Bennett Ryan is a beautiful bastard, but Chloe Mills can hold
her own. </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">At
first I thought he was an absolute ass, but he’s just all twisted up over a
girl. They have a sultry fun relationship, even though they’re both a touch
needy.</span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">A Dance with Dragons</span></i></b><b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"> by
George RR Martin<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Holy
Moly…FINALLY! I think this sucker took me a year to read. Only in George RR
Martin’s 5<sup>th</sup> book do you get a barrage of new character
introductions 65% in. Why??? Because he keeps killing all his characters…it’s
maddening!!! If you read the books or watch the series, you know he killed a
whole slew of folks in the fifth book, so of course, I am throughly intrigued
and canNOT wait for the release of the 6<sup>th</sup> book!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">American Sniper</span></i></b><b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"> by Chris
Kyle <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">This
is a tragic and heartbreaking story of courage and bravery. I enjoyed the book,
but I liked the movie better, which I don’t usually say. In the book, we see Chris
Kyle’s perspective and snippets from his wife, but in the movie we see how his
entire existence benefited others. He was entirely to humble to brag about this
aspect of his life in the book. He was an amazing human being and American. The
world is so much darker without his presence, but at least the story of his
bravery and humanity is out there for the world to see. May you rest in peace, Chris
“Legend” Kyle.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Currently Reading<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">The Girl who Kicked the Hornet’s Nest</span></i><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"> by Stieg Larson<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Midnight Raven</span></i><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"> by Becca Boucher<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Afterburn</span></i><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"> by Sylvia Day<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-family: "Tempus Sans ITC"; font-size: 20.0pt;">Thank you for
reading! May your summer be filled with books, laughter and love! <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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Aspen Hitehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05932782767440912193noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8435077192054748915.post-78539914785703394332015-03-22T09:22:00.000-07:002015-03-22T09:22:21.977-07:00Midnight Raven<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-nrnlDX4JdGwSwxQ7ZVbLkhMneshw_HIY-Wdd5rvixbyyLv04oD7uCwxiu5z4z3ZwUHRidyVF4M3ONTvNuNRNYBEbMp1rLVUnoC0_XC77gWjrq8Zx6ljyqnvf_Jd6X9XiKy7NqN5pPTA/s1600/midnight+raven.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-nrnlDX4JdGwSwxQ7ZVbLkhMneshw_HIY-Wdd5rvixbyyLv04oD7uCwxiu5z4z3ZwUHRidyVF4M3ONTvNuNRNYBEbMp1rLVUnoC0_XC77gWjrq8Zx6ljyqnvf_Jd6X9XiKy7NqN5pPTA/s1600/midnight+raven.jpg" /></a></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Felix Titling"; font-size: 20.0pt;">New Release<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="color: purple;">There
are always books to add to the ever growing, ridiculously long TBR list, and I’m
a bit dismayed to report I have not made a dent in mine as of late. First,
there is the general chaos of life, but there is also The Walking Dead. Binge
watching this show has been fueling my creative, and it took me by total surprise. I
never EVER thought TWD would hold my interest, but the writing...the characters...the twists and turns...sucked me right in! Plus, it’s great research for my next
novel. But all good things must come to an end, or go on hiatus. As I await a marathon of five, I have turned back to my favorite pastime to fuel the creative. One of the latest books added to my TBR list
is the newly released </span><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Midnight-Raven-Moon-Series-Book-ebook/dp/B00UCU25F6/ref=pd_sim_kstore_1?ie=UTF8&refRID=0ZQCRS2498Z3VY3707H4"><span style="color: blue;">Midnight
Raven</span></a><span style="color: purple;"> by Becca Boucher. I
pre-ordered it, so it was on my kindle the day of the release, and it is near
the top of my paranormal/magic TBR list. </span><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Hunting-Moon-1-Becca-Boucher/dp/061593837X/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1427035730&sr=8-2&keywords=becca+boucher"><span style="color: blue;">Hunting
the Moon,</span></a><span style="color: purple;"> the first in the series, was intriguing and nicely paced. As a
big fan mystical tales, I’m interested to see where the author takes these characters.
</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Felix Titling"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Book Blurb<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Kat
Brennan was a loner. Trust no one, and don’t let anyone in, was the mantra she
lived her life by. The few times she had, it ended badly. Now alone and bitter
she’s facing the consequences of her actions. Until one night a chance
encounter with a raven sets into motion a range of events, and desires, she
thought she had buried long ago. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Cace
Matthews was a successful doctor to the outside world. He seemingly had it all,
good looks, a fast paced career, and a prestigious new job. But no one knew the
real Cace. The shifter who searched for the truth, the end to the curse that
had been placed on his family. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">When
the two cross paths it leads to discovery and passion. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Can
Kat accept her true lineage and the magic that surrounds her? More importantly,
can she let go of decades old resentments and let herself find true love? Can
Cace bridge the gap between family commitments, and the desire to be himself,
all while navigating his true feelings for Kat? And will they both live to see
midnight? <a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="_GoBack"></a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Felix Titling"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Author<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"><a href="http://www.beccab8.blogspot.com/"><span style="color: blue;">Rebecca
Boucher</span></a> was born and raised
in Worcester Massachusetts. Her father instilled an early love of reading and
encouraged her when she started to write. Rebecca earned a degree in Criminal
Justice from Quinsigamond Community College, but her love has always been
writing. After the birth of her first child, she moved to a quiet little town
on the edge of Worcester County, in the heart of Central Massachusetts. Living
there has inspired her to write most of her current projects. In fact,</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">local readers might recognize some of her locations.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Currently, Rebecca is a freelance writer and
blogger. Her first novel, Hunting The Moon (The Moon Series) debuted December
2013 from Write More Publications. She has also authored three short stories
and one novella, </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Shadow-Soldier-Becca-Boucher-ebook/dp/B00PAX6A2O/ref=sr_1_4?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1427036853&sr=1-4"><span style="color: blue;">The Shadow Soldier.</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">When
she is not writing, Rebecca is the mother to two boys, ages 12 and 14. Two of
Rebecca’s favorite causes are <span style="color: blue;"><a href="http://www.autismawareness.com/"><span style="color: blue;">Autism
Awareness</span></a> </span>and Veteran’s causes. All
proceeds of her book, The Shadow Soldier, have been donated to the <a href="http://www.woundedwarriorproject.org/"><span style="color: blue;">Wounded Warrior Project.</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="color: purple;">Wishing
Becca tremendous success, not only with this project, but with all future endeavors!
Looking forward to reading Midnight Raven!</span></span><span style="text-align: center;"> </span></div>
Aspen Hitehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05932782767440912193noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8435077192054748915.post-87725117049129258062014-12-31T12:29:00.001-08:002014-12-31T12:43:31.704-08:00A Reflective Last ‘Latest Reads’ of 2014<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7luAg3oqV8LIjC3ZhPX0KFmzIuovc7vKjoxdvb0aoiYq9exVCatnpGCKKcUMzl71mss7xaqIkjPGqo4czpLv09L_jNYPphdXEfCVArVUu1My8yB-AaPybOt-4i28zjFoBgx_h-Wxi8zE/s1600/happy+new+year+2015.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7luAg3oqV8LIjC3ZhPX0KFmzIuovc7vKjoxdvb0aoiYq9exVCatnpGCKKcUMzl71mss7xaqIkjPGqo4czpLv09L_jNYPphdXEfCVArVUu1My8yB-AaPybOt-4i28zjFoBgx_h-Wxi8zE/s1600/happy+new+year+2015.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Hard
to believe another year has come to an end. As I sit here, writing for the
first time in ages, I find myself staring out the window, watching a rare blustery
winter storm wage war on my normally sunny desert. Thankfully, I am snug and
cozy in my own little rabbit hole, pecking away on the keyboard, while tunes pump
through the speaker and a cup of tea steams next to me. Woodland blossoms waft
through the air, and it’s pure bliss. After all, sometimes it doesn’t matter
what I write…I just have to write…a cleansing of the soul, if you will. Other
times, there is more intent and purpose. Today, I find myself in a deep reflective
state, but this year is very different from previous years. Usually, it’s all
about what goals did I accomplish? Which ones did I not accomplish? Why? Do I
still need/want to? What new goals do I want to set for next year? But, like I
said, this year is…different…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">I
find myself insanely thankful for all those meaningful moments, large and
small. And some of mine at the end of this year have been amazing. From quality
time with my brother and my best friend to a memorable 4<sup>th</sup> birthday
celebration for my niece filled with friends, family, laughs and love. Only to
be followed by a special Christmas with my in-laws, and much needed free
time enjoying Disney with the husband. To wrap it all up, I get some serious warm
snuggly time my two, favorite, four-legged dudes, and downtime before the rest
of the school year kicks into high gear. All in all, one hell of a way to say
good-bye to a lovely and wonderful year! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">To be fair, I also reflect on the bad, but I find this bubbly feeling from my recent slew of meaningful moments has clouded
my normal realism (some call it cynicism), because I can’t even find fault in rough times, both successes and failures. Of course, there are the tragedies that left holes in the heart, but most of the tough times feel
like valuable lessons, some harsher than others, but each one meaningful and
necessary, in its own way. I don’t know what it all means, and I'm not going to spend too much time dwelling on it. I do know that I’m going
to continue to follow my dreams and shoot for the stars, making sure to stop and take
time to enjoy the journey, wherever it may take me. Truth be told, I’m very
interested to see where it leads.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Papyrus; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Wishing everyone a
peaceful, prosperous, harmonious, delightful 2015!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Papyrus; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">~Stephanie<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Now, a few things before I get to the original
intent of this blog…<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">First,
there are a ton of them. Some, I think, I read over the summer and parts are
fuzzy. A lot has happened since summer to cloud bits and pieces, so you will
find my thoughts short and sweet.<b><o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Second,
let me explain my method of evaluations…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">*N/A<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">**N/A<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">*** Pick up at your
own risk, even if it’s your preferred genre<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">****It’s doable. You
can probably get through it, if it’s your preferred genre<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">***** PICK IT UP, especially
if it’s your preferred genre<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">I
don’t give one or two stars. Congrats, you wrote a book! You jump immediately
to THREE. I know what it takes to write a book. And I am certainly not the last,
only or final say on any book. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Finally, the books and my thoughts…<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Looking for Alaska</span></i></b><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> by John Green<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">I
have mad respect for Green. He has an intense way of writing within the
parameters of very sensitive and heavy topics. In this story, he leads the
reader on a journey into the life kids in a private school, filled with teenage
angst and agony. Along the way the characters have some very meaningful
moments, and learn some intense life lessons about friendship and immortality.
It was a great read, but I cried opening…Green does that to me. I also chuckled
every now and again. The characters are believable and intriguing. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: #7030a0; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Final
thought: I’ll read just about anything Green writes.<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Paranormalcy</span></i></b><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> by Kiersten White<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">OK,
I read this because it was recommended by an agent I was trying to solicit at
one time (at the very beginning of this adventure). It was okay. Tough to
follow at the beginning, and I hate being confused at the beginning. I like to
be intrigued, not confused. It was tough to identify with the characters,
although I liked Evie, so I pushed through it. It ended up being an interesting
storyline. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: #7030a0; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Final
thought: Yes, I would check out the next one, if I can catch it on sale.<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Dark Water Rising</span></i></b><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> by Mariah Hale<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">I
read this as a possible book to use with my 5<sup>th</sup> graders. It’s a good
story about a family and people responding to the crisis of a devastating
hurricane. The author created a realistic and frightening picture of the
destruction a hurricane would leave in its wake. The characters were believable
and heroic.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: #7030a0; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Final
thought: A good read for grades 6+<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Manaic Magee</span></i></b><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> by Jerry Spinelli<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">One
of my all time favorite books to read and teach! Spinelli is a god in my eyes.
It is the outlandish tale of the legend, Jeffery ‘Maniac’ Magee, and his quest to
find a forever home. No matter what life throws at him, he preserves and
remains a kind decent human being. He sees people for who they are, based on their
character and actions, not by the color of their skin or where they live.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: #7030a0; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Final
thought: Read this with your kids. Use it to teach respect and acceptance of
people that are different. Make the future a better place than we have now!<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Life After Life</span></i></b><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> by Kate Atkinson<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">It
started off very confusing (again…intrigue, yes…confusion, no). Darkness kept
coming, but I didn’t understand what it meant. The more I read the more I loved
it! Until the halfway point, then it lost in interest for me. Once I figured
out what the darkness meant, I couldn’t get enough, especially when Ursula was
mingling in the same circles as Hitler prior to World War II, but the older
Ursula got the less and less I liked it, not because she grew older, but once I
realized she was destined to continue to make poor choices, again and again. There
was a chance for redemption at the end, but the author never pulled it off for
me. I can only stomach a
terrible ending if the book is amazing. This one lacked a lot for me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: #7030a0; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Final
thought: This rollercoaster ride was tough to enjoy. <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Spellbound </span></i></b><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">by Sylvia Day </span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">(18+)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Three
has three paranormal short stories wrapped up in one book. These erotic tales
intertwine the many highs and lows of Max, a Hunter, and Victoria, his feisty Familiar.
Victoria is a fun, strong, female character to read. The intense relationship
these two share is enough to keep the pages turning. I would have preferred a
little more depth to the storyline at points. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: #7030a0; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Final
thought: The author can create an intense picture and I’m reading another one
of her books now.<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Esperanza Rising</span></i></b><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> by Pam Munoz<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">I
love this book. I’d read it before and enjoyed it years ago, when I was becoming
a teacher. Now, as a veteran teacher and a new author, I love it even more.
Munoz constructs the heartfelt realistic fictional tale of Esperanza with grace.
She plagues a spoiled young woman with sudden challenges and ill fortune, but
the character digs deep and finds unimaginable strength. The scenic setting the
author describes is intense and beautiful. The lessons learned are poignant and
meaningful.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: #7030a0; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Final
thought: Read it with your kids. Use it to teach them about persevering when
life is tough, because life can be very mean.<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16.0pt;">Current Reading List:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">A Discovery of Witches </span></i></b><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">by Deborah Harkness<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Thirty
percent in and very intrigued to see where this goes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Bared to You</span></i></b><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> by Sylvia Day<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Sixty
percent in and there are times when I can’t put the sucker down, then there are
times I roll my eyes and get up to do just about anything else.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Dances with Dragons</span></i></b><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> by George R.R. Martin<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">This
will be done soon…the next season on HBO starts in March!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 18.0pt;">Thanks so much for stopping by! See you in 2015!<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
Aspen Hitehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05932782767440912193noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8435077192054748915.post-4971654812497805512014-11-11T06:53:00.000-08:002014-11-11T06:57:02.702-08:00The Shadow Soldier and Becca Boucher<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSWT2DZl_kpllZ8vyB9lfMpMbwnbmw765Z_Cls-fAsOMd18I8q2GuIZBQjVTCDiVh7J2wUG-KMUrV6jg-cVaN55dxHMvOsffSIUd7scu4v8sKJKXRNXD5MqV0FBrKvul5fXppXZOv6sSU/s1600/the+shadow+soldier.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSWT2DZl_kpllZ8vyB9lfMpMbwnbmw765Z_Cls-fAsOMd18I8q2GuIZBQjVTCDiVh7J2wUG-KMUrV6jg-cVaN55dxHMvOsffSIUd7scu4v8sKJKXRNXD5MqV0FBrKvul5fXppXZOv6sSU/s1600/the+shadow+soldier.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">I’d like to start with <b>Happy Veteran’s Day</b>. I love this holiday,
I really do. I’m thrilled there is an entire day devoted to the brave military men
and women of this nation! The courage they possess amazes and inspires me daily.
I truly have my utmost respect for what they give (and give up), so that I may
live my life of luxury. The only flaw I find in Veteran’s Day is that there is
only one a year. I think there should be one every month, like the third Tuesday
of every month is Veteran’s Day! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">However, while we only
have one, I want to extend my deepest gratitude of appreciation for the courage
and sacrifice of these men and women. With that being said, I thought a blog
that promoted the military both figuratively and literally would be a great way
to show my support today. Without further adieu, please welcome the amazing and
talented <b>Becca Boucher</b> with her
latest story, <b>“The Shadow Soldier”</b>!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">SG:</span></b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"> The
Shadow Soldier. I’m intrigued by the title alone. Where did you get the inspiration
for this story? Please tell us more about it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">BB</span></b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">: My
family has a long history of military service on both sides. My dad was a
Vietnam Veteran who suffered from PTSD, a lot of my inspiration comes from his
stories and struggles. The Shadow Soldier came to me around the time that young
Afghan girl was shot by the Taliban for her work with other girls and
education. And I was thinking, what if we had tried to get her out? What if we
knew about her? But then my mind was overtaken with the story of a young widow
close to my home town who had lost her husband in Afghanistan. I was like
thinking the grief must be unimaginable. I just kind of combined the two and
The Shadow Soldier was born. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">SG:</span></b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"> I
am a huge fan of projects that support our veterans. I thought I read this had
something to do with the Wounded Warrior Project? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">BB:</span></b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"> You
read right. My publisher, Visionary Press Collaborative, is led by a fantastic
veteran, Blaze McRob, who donates a lot of his proceeds to various charities.
One close to his heart, as well as mine, is the Wounded Warrior Project. I
decided whatever royalties I get from this story will be donated to them. We
are also hoping for a print version that Blaze will be handing out at VA
hospitals. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">SG:</span></b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"> Wow!
That’s an incredibly generous offer. Here’s to hoping for incredible sales for
both you and our veterans! So tell us, what are you currently working on? What
can we expect next?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">BB:</span></b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"> I
have a romance/erotica piece coming out in an anthology very soon. I am
finishing up Midnight Raven, the second book in my moon series, and I am
working on a post-apocalyptic novel dealing with domestic abuse. Very intrigue
mix of stuff I know. But just because
the world has ended as we might know it, doesn’t mean man gives up all his
other dark issues. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">SG:</span></b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"> What’s
your biggest challenge as a writer?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">BB:</span></b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"> Time!
Finding the time to write. Between my day job and two busy teen boys I never
get to write as much as I want. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">SG:</span></b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"> Me,
too! Time sure has a way with us all Suppose you have time…what’s your idea of
the perfect day?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">BB:</span></b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"> Coffee,
a secluded cabin, and my lap top. All alone to write lol…… Other than that
cuddled up with my kids watching movies is pretty darn nice. We don’t get much
time for that.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">SG:</span></b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"> That
sounds quite peaceful! One last one…who’s your favorite character?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">BB:</span></b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"> Wow.
My favorite character of all time would have to be Scarlett O’Hara from Gone
with the Wind. I think she was brilliantly written. For her time period to be a
strong woman, who goes after what she wants, and who she wants, very
intriguing. Both for the time period it was set in, and the period Margret
Mitchel lived in. She was a misunderstood character. A lot more depth than
people give her credit for. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Thank you so much for taking the time
to chat, Becca. Wishing you nothing but wonderful success with this and all your future endeavors! </span></b></div>
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<span style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">Be sure to pick up your copy from Amazon today</span></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">: </span><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Shadow-Soldier-Becca-Boucher-ebook/dp/B00PAX6A2O/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1415716557&sr=8-1&keywords=The+shadow+soldier" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">The
Shadow Soldier by Becca Boucher</a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">OR find Becca online: <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/rebeccaboucher88?ref=br_tf">Facebook,</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/BeccaBoucherAut">Twitter</a>, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=ntt_athr_dp_sr_1?_encoding=UTF8&field-author=Becca%20Boucher&search-alias=books&sort=relevancerank">Amazon</a>,
and her blog <i><a href="http://www.beccab8.blogspot.com/">Life with Boys and Books</a></i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="_GoBack"></a><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">***Next
blog may be coming soon…there is a long overdue "Latest Reads" simmering! And I
finally finished “Life After Life”…a terrible ending, so tune back in before
the end of the month (I promise) to see my perspective on my “Latest Reads”!</span></div>
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Aspen Hitehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05932782767440912193noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8435077192054748915.post-52345378932296697412014-08-15T06:34:00.000-07:002014-08-15T06:42:35.727-07:00No Sympathy for the Wicked Blog Tour<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguIXqfu7T6C-MAfflCRUGgbDtyAb86GLxNb8wSkf4Rql3SxGfrP53j9qM_f4uuvOUk8h6i4LbjiStxHrrqKz2wTjkgr4zGFdiOIrPiuKpQ1-dNoOGkBBQshM1IBA1s_aJIMIc2qmh03Vc/s1600/no+sympathy+for+the+wicked.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguIXqfu7T6C-MAfflCRUGgbDtyAb86GLxNb8wSkf4Rql3SxGfrP53j9qM_f4uuvOUk8h6i4LbjiStxHrrqKz2wTjkgr4zGFdiOIrPiuKpQ1-dNoOGkBBQshM1IBA1s_aJIMIc2qmh03Vc/s1600/no+sympathy+for+the+wicked.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">I
was recently contacted to participate in the “No Sympathy for the Wicked” blog
tour. My knee jerk reaction, was no, just because I have been swamped this
summer, and I HATE to say ‘yes’ to something only to complete the task
half-assed because I’ve run out of time, BUT once I found out the story is set
in Vegas, I was ‘all in’, so to speak. Since I’ve lived in Vegas off and on
since ’97, I always enjoy reading stories set here…just to see…and this one was
worth it!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">My review of “No Sympathy for the Wicked”<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Let
me preface with, this is not your run-of-the-mill read! It is actually a
compilation of three short stories, all intertwined around the underbelly of
Vegas life. We meet a wide barrage of ‘wicked’ folks from meth heads to
mobsters, and they are all tied together via dog fights, drug deals, music
moguls, death, and police investigations. Mark Rico is the central character
that threads through all three stories. He’s a likable ex-gangster from
Atlantic City. I especially like his golden pit-bull, Queen! In fact, I LOVE
the author actually writes from the dog’s perspective from time to time! In
these stories, the point of view can change at a moment’s notice. At first, it
was disconcerting, but once I got the hang of it, I enjoyed being privy to the
thoughts, feelings and experiences of different characters. I found the Vegas
details to be accurate and entertaining! All in all, “No Sympathy for the
Wicked” is a gritty, unusual, gripping, fast-paced page turner!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 18.0pt;">Be sure to enter
the Rafflecopter for your shot at prizes<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"><a href="file:///E:/Writing/Blog/%3ca%20id=%22rc-837bcf9811%22%20class=%22rafl%22%20href=%22http:/www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/837bcf9811/%22%20rel=%22nofollow%22%3ea%20Rafflecopter%20giveaway%3c/a%3e%3cscript%20src=%22/widget.rafflecopter.com/load.js%22%3e%3c/script%3e"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"><a id="rc-837bcf9811"
class="rafl"
href="http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/837bcf9811/"
rel="nofollow">a Rafflecopter giveaway</a><o:p></o:p></span></a></span></div>
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<span class="MsoHyperlink"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><a href="file:///E:/Writing/Blog/%3ca%20id=%22rc-837bcf9811%22%20class=%22rafl%22%20href=%22http:/www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/837bcf9811/%22%20rel=%22nofollow%22%3ea%20Rafflecopter%20giveaway%3c/a%3e%3cscript%20src=%22/widget.rafflecopter.com/load.js%22%3e%3c/script%3e"><script
src="//widget.rafflecopter.com/load.js"></script></a></span></span><u><span style="color: blue; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-themecolor: hyperlink;"><o:p></o:p></span></u></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 22.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Important
Links<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Sympathy-Wicked-Joseph-Albert-King-ebook/dp/B00JLWKV4I/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1406856037&sr=8-1&keywords=no+sympathy+for+the+wicked"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 20.0pt;">No Sympathy For The Wicked on Amazon</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">
</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Joseph-Albert-King/e/B00JPGHOY0/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_pop_1"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 20.0pt;">Joseph Albert King’s Author Page</span></b></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="http://www.visionarypresscoop.ws/"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 20.0pt;">Visionary Press Collaborative</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> </span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://www.facebook.com/VisionaryPressCooperative?ref=br_tf"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 20.0pt;">Visionary Press Collaborative on Facebook</span></b></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 22.0pt;">Other Participating Blogs<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<a href="http://www.blazemcrob.com/"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 20.0pt;">Blaze McRob’s
Tale of Horror</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 20.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="http://blogsaboutwriting.blogspot.com/"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 20.0pt;">Blogs about
Writing</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 20.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="http://erikgustafson.wordpress.com/"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 20.0pt;">The Darkness
Goes ‘Round</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 20.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="beccab8.blogspot.comhttp://www.amazon.com/Sympathy-Wicked-Joseph-Albert-King-ebook/dp/B00JLWKV4I/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1406856037&sr=8-1&keywords=no+sympathy+for+the+wicked"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 20.0pt;">My Life with
Books and Boys</span></a></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 22.0pt;">Thanks for stopping by! See you next time!<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
Aspen Hitehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05932782767440912193noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8435077192054748915.post-60904727209934472512014-08-12T17:29:00.000-07:002014-08-12T17:29:07.331-07:00Path to Writing Blog Tour from IC Publishing<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiajN5BEbdCVclH2tOPCq_zBvGi9mDKQdl6JOZsuK1TLnenqXpcuGnhHeETvyMQ0Lft6diDZc1o-cvXwWYv9bMGQ9ueqtvwJFeZWwJ_Jq6yDcDbeUXL0f1veTaQ3DKmWLl8BdaykZVQo34/s1600/path+to+writing.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiajN5BEbdCVclH2tOPCq_zBvGi9mDKQdl6JOZsuK1TLnenqXpcuGnhHeETvyMQ0Lft6diDZc1o-cvXwWYv9bMGQ9ueqtvwJFeZWwJ_Jq6yDcDbeUXL0f1veTaQ3DKmWLl8BdaykZVQo34/s1600/path+to+writing.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">Well,
this little blog tag/hoptour from IC Publishing sounded like fun! I eagerly jumped
at the chance once I was contacted by the amazing and talented June M. Pace of </span><a href="http://benjaminmctish.blogspot.com/"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Pressed
Leaf Publishing</span></a><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">
to participate! She sent me four questions to answer, and the wheels started
spinning. (Click to check out <a href="http://benjaminmctish.blogspot.com/2014/08/the-writing-path-blog-tour-from-ic.html">June’s
answers</a>)</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 20.0pt;">Here’s how I write…<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">How do I start
my writing projects? (BRAINSTORMING/PREWRITING)<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Most
of my writing projects start with a spark. Now, where that spark comes from is
anyone’s guess. It could be the music or endorphins of a run, a gift, a spoken
word, or something I encountered while walking my dogs. The spark can come from
anywhere, really, and once it happens, then the characters begin to form. I
have to hear their voices, see their clothing and understand their
personalities and mannerisms before I know how they will behave. The characters
always come before the plot. During the character development, there are
multiple notes in notebooks, on post-its, scribbled on a bar napkin or a store
receipt, and this handwritten ‘outline’ is labeled and kept safe until the
story reaches completion. After character development, I write. I sit at the
computer and write, regardless of how I feel. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">How do you continue
your writing projects? (DRAFTING)<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Continuing
my writing projects can prove tricky. From late August to early June, I am an
elementary school teacher and this MUST take priority. I find myself jotting
notes at school (I teach English Language Arts to very creative kiddos, so
there are constantly ideas flowing). Then I try to keep Saturdays as sacred
writing days; it’s important there is always time carved out for my writing. If
I’m lucky, I can sneak into my office in a few nights a week, allowing my fingers
to peck away…if I’m lucky. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Now,
once I start a story, it writes itself in stages. A story plays in my head and
I write what I see. Most of the time it’s a consecutive sequence, but there are
times I have bits and pieces of a story in a random clutter. It sorts itself
out at the story progresses. Every story has a ‘junk pile’. When I cut
something, I place it in the ‘junk pile’, just in case…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Sometimes,
the story won’t flow, so I write a lot of TELLING…’he was sad’…to remind myself
of my train of thought and to move the story forward. During the editing phase,
I will come back and SHOW the reader how/why he was sad.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">The
rough draft can take anywhere from a few weeks to a few months, depending on
the length and flow of the story. Every time I finish a rough draft my mind
flashes to Kathleen Turner’s character in “Romancing the Stone”. At the
beginning of the movie, she finishes her book and has a drink. It always makes
me giggle!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">How do you
finish your writing projects? (REVISING/EDITING/PUBLISHING)<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Once
the rough draft is completed a few different things happen. First there are
revisions. I reread it, checking for plot holes and making sure my timeline is
clear. I revise for content and fix as many mistakes as I can find. Then I edit
it. OK, I don’t actually edit my own work. I send it out to a professional
editor. Lately, I have been lucky enough to work with Carol von Raesfeld of </span><a href="http://www.vonraesfeldagency.com/"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">The
Von Raesfeld Agency</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">.
While the editor has my manuscript, I don’t touch it. I don’t open it. I don’t
read it. I don’t make changes to it. I let her fix my proofreading errors and I
wait for her feedback. During this time, I also send it to my creative advisor,
the talented </span><a href="http://jennpaquette.weebly.com/"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Jennifer Paquette</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">, and several beta readers. This
is a time when I rely heavily on feedback from others to check for plot holes
and to see if the story is any good. After a few more revisions on my part and
another pass through my editor, the story is ready for publication. I’ve been
self publishing lately. I tried one summer to write and send query letter to
solicit agents. With such a limited time (summer) to dedicate to writing, I
hate to spend hours poring over letters that barely get read, let alone a
response. Right now, self publishing suits my needs.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">One final challenge
or tip…<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Tip: </span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">WRITE! Even when you don’t feel
like it…WRITE! Even when your fingers are tripping over each other…WRITE! Even
if you think you have nothing to say…WRITE! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Challenge:</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> Look at yourself critically, so
you can become better. Have an open mind when someone has constructive
criticism to offer. (This doesn’t mean take abuse. It means truly listen to
opinions of others. Yes, write for yourself, but remember the reader is an important
part of the equation.)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16.0pt;">Next up:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><a href="http://blogsaboutwriting.blogspot.com/"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Liz
Kingsbury McKeown</span></a></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">:</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">
A blogger and indie writer, Liz uses social media to connect with others.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16.0pt;">Also check out some great responses from some
talented others!<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<a href="http://www.joshpunk.com/how-i-write-the-writing-path-blog-tour/"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Josh Stanton</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">: UK SteamPunk author.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="http://andrewknighton.com/2014/07/23/how-i-write-the-writing-path-blog-tour/"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Andrew Knighton</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">: writer, teacher, blogger <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="http://www.russellphillipsbooks.co.uk/getting-the-words-down/"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Russell Phillips</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">: non-fiction writer specializing
in military technology and history<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 22.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">On Friday, the <a href="http://beccab8.blogspot.com/2014/08/blog-tour-kick-off-no-sympathy-for.html">“No
Sympathy for the Wicked”</a> blog tour will be featured! Be sure to stop by for
my review and some awesome prizes!<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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Aspen Hitehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05932782767440912193noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8435077192054748915.post-92151071449504737252014-08-01T09:09:00.000-07:002014-08-01T14:36:33.705-07:00If you Give Stephanie a Story to Edit…<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHPjmreeY8IQ9sn60jEx1yw7AnLTI8EFqNDAmtqUQw5dQr2IdRPHZGqCS2CZO8meVOsacSSH4FJFMjoWw0uZlF2CjBwmaW7erjYE95z0wMG1aVTJKtGKzlWFv3qZayTjVqsMghS6U0GGQ/s1600/moose.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHPjmreeY8IQ9sn60jEx1yw7AnLTI8EFqNDAmtqUQw5dQr2IdRPHZGqCS2CZO8meVOsacSSH4FJFMjoWw0uZlF2CjBwmaW7erjYE95z0wMG1aVTJKtGKzlWFv3qZayTjVqsMghS6U0GGQ/s1600/moose.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">One of my favorite all
time children’s book is “If you Give a Moose a Muffin…”. I love this crazy ass moose! He gets offered a
muffin, but then he's faced with some serious distractions at every turn. One thing
leads to another as he makes his way through the house, leaving messes and
silliness in his wake. BUT he’s a good-natured congenial moose! Just cute stuff!
And there are other variations: “If you Give a Pig a Pancake” or “If you Give a
Mouse a Cookie”. In fact, there are a whole slew of them now. If you hang out
with children, you’ve probably heard of them. If not, look them up. Who knows?
They may brighten your day and make you chuckle. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">The other day, I found
myself in a similar conundrum to the moose. Here is a silly tale with a similar
premise of “If you Give a Moose a Muffin…” set in a modern day adult world. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: center;">
<b><span style="color: #7030a0; font-family: "Franklin Gothic Book","sans-serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">If you Give Stephanie a Story to Edit…<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="color: #7030a0; font-family: "Franklin Gothic Book","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">If you give Stephanie a story to edit, she’ll
want a green tea to go with it, so off to the kitchen she’ll go. Of course, she’ll need to turn the Keurig on.
While the Keurig warms up, Stephanie will notice the floor is dirty and grab a
broom. When she’s done sweeping, she’ll realize the throw rugs need to be
washed. And when she goes through the house collecting rugs, she’ll decide she
might as well sweep ALL the floors. When she finally puts the broom away, she’ll
see the new magic erasers, and want to try them out on the scuffs on the walls.
Once the scuffs are cleaned, she’ll see all the dust on the blinds and grab the Swifter. In the middle of changing Swifters, she’ll remember she wanted a
green tea and load the Keurig cup. While it brews, she’ll realize she’s in too
deep to quit. Shrugging, she’ll finish the blinds, only to see the terrible mess it’s
left on the carpet. Off to the closet, she’ll grab the vacuum. Once the carpets
are cleaned, the trash will need to go out. As Stephanie replaces the kitchen
trash bag and washes her hands, she’ll decide she’s starving, so she'll makes herself
a sandwich and lemonade before heading back to edit.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24.0pt; line-height: 150%;">True Story! See you next time!<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
Aspen Hitehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05932782767440912193noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8435077192054748915.post-61169332378892666622014-07-04T09:34:00.000-07:002014-07-05T07:36:01.889-07:00America the Beautiful<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBKoJ3c0wTfVfWkANZuNHoVwpXDrcaMvFTJUum7j0JapIvVR4_gGGOs9TpnxlOG_L25fi44I4uPHIZMqWWXXQXytzlShp4kApRcrOC_p3HybFHDMpt0MHULxJPP5sTU730Wg_Z1sUuzyc/s1600/4th+of+July.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBKoJ3c0wTfVfWkANZuNHoVwpXDrcaMvFTJUum7j0JapIvVR4_gGGOs9TpnxlOG_L25fi44I4uPHIZMqWWXXQXytzlShp4kApRcrOC_p3HybFHDMpt0MHULxJPP5sTU730Wg_Z1sUuzyc/s1600/4th+of+July.jpg" /></a></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Bell MT","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">America
the Beautiful<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Bell MT","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">On this
holiday, I find myself reflecting on a bevy of things: choices, experiences,
failures, success, goals, summer leisure, etc. And I know the only reason I’m
able to live the life I live is because I live in the greatest country in the
world! Don’t get me wrong, I have severe qualms about the current administration
and the direction of society, but today isn’t about that. It’s about a desire
for freedom so strong it spouted a country. A desire for freedom so great, our
forefathers stood up to a tyrannical administration centuries ago. Freedom our brave
soldiers have fought and died to maintain. Freedom the courageous men and women
of our military willingly risk their lives every day to protect.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Bell MT","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">So what
does that mean in 2014? People have the freedom to choose a life, any life they
want. It’s a truly beautiful thing. In the USA, you really can be anything you
want, IF (this is a BIG ASS IF) you work hard enough. Now, that is not to say
everyone who works hard will succeed, and I think this misnomer has brought
about confusion and spouted a disgusting sense of entitlement. There will be times,
you may work incredibly hard, and still fail. Think about our forefathers’ fight. No one
handed this country over to them. It cost blood, sweat and tears, intermingled
with strategies, failures and successes. Failure doesn’t necessarily mean the
desired goal isn’t attainable; it just means it’s going to be complicated to
achieve. It may take multiple attempts again each time growing and learning
more. Think of it as success preparation. Achieving success is all about the
willingness to persevere; to pick yourself up, dust yourself off and try again,
and again, and again as many times as needed. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Bell MT","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">So what
is success? How will I know I’ve become successful? The idea of success, for
each individual, can (and should) be different, because we are all unique
individuals. Even the most basic forms happiness and success (money, love,
family, power, peace, etc) come in a variety of shapes and sizes. Personally,
there are days when success is not being an asshole or punching anyone in
the face. Most of the time, I’m successful, and I haven’t had to punch anyone
yet! In all seriousness, the freedom to choose my own form of happiness and
success allows me to adapt and grow. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Bell MT","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">America
the Beautiful, where reaching your desired success is possible. It all depends
on your level of commitment. America the Beautiful, where you are free to grow,
change, learn, adapt, succeed, fail, love, laugh, live. America the Beautiful, the
greatest country in the world!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Bell MT","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">HAPPY 4<sup>TH</sup>
OF JULY!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Aspen Hitehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05932782767440912193noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8435077192054748915.post-90002111526890302002014-06-27T14:43:00.002-07:002014-06-28T09:17:53.690-07:00Latest Reads: 3 INDIE and 2 BIG PRESS<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSnuAKPI3joXvQs9ZDMBfoOfUy22hlSX2rldoUzOHnxEo7qqRqj2XALRDAogIWahF7L-GVmDkGOYyIjIYTHIzKDpizkziMPG65jJOZdUv__hLzxrREMQ7xR73d9kmJAfp8IsyYeKWglw0/s1600/book+tree.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSnuAKPI3joXvQs9ZDMBfoOfUy22hlSX2rldoUzOHnxEo7qqRqj2XALRDAogIWahF7L-GVmDkGOYyIjIYTHIzKDpizkziMPG65jJOZdUv__hLzxrREMQ7xR73d9kmJAfp8IsyYeKWglw0/s1600/book+tree.jpg" /></a></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Latest
Reads: 3 INDIE and 2 BIG PRESS<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .5in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="color: #660066; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">This summer kicked off
with a bang! Thankfully, so has the writing! Three weeks into summer, I have a
16,000 word count total, bringing the next Ruby Hood (<b><i>The Twistedly True Guardian Tale</i></b>)
to a whopping 28,000 words. In this sequel, Snow White’s soul has just been
stolen, the witch wants the diamonds to change the past, Robin Hood thinks he’s
a Guardian, and now I need to bring Kent and Kayla back from Africa with their
uncle to wrap-up this story. THEN, I will go back and add my
details/descriptions, and make sure I’m showing not telling (a weakness for me,
but I’m improving). However, there are some days my prolific nature eludes me
and I have to write words like <b>DESCRIBE </b>in
the middle of a page to remind me to come back to that particular moment/event
in the story. At those moments, I just couldn’t envision my description, but I
needed to continue move the story forward, so I leave my reminder!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="color: #660066; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Writing has been quite
enjoyable lately, and I’ve become consumed by this story. I’m very excited
about the next phase in Ruby Hood’s life. She’s growing up, changing and
learning about herself, as young woman and as a Guardian. I like to think I’m also
growing as a writer (yes, I see the parallels). I’ve learned so very much
since I wrote my first story, which incidentally is a HOT ASS unpublished MESS,
BUT it was the catalyst that propelled me to this point, along with so many
other amazing experiences and supportive people in my life. Believe me, I truly
understand how incredibly blessed I am! There aren’t many people who get to
spend the majority of their days doing things they love, which of course always
includes reading, and the original purpose of this rambling blog: Latest Reads.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="color: #660066; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">In this edition, I have
three INDIE books and two BIG PRESS books. Incidentally, two of the INDIE books
are zombie books, and both are pretty good! (<i>Just between you and me, I don’t really feel the love for zombies…they
freak me out…just a personal thing, but I like to stay on top of current
reading trends, and zombies are trending.)</i> In fact, every book kept me guessing
and I like that in a story; plus there were some very original storylines.
Please read on and enjoy my thoughts on these five ‘latest reads’.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .5in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 150%;">INDIE<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 150%;">
<i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Tonight
the World Dies</span></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;"> by Amber White<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">In this zombie apocalyptic
novel, four friends survive an earth-shattering virus, only to scramble for
food shelter and escape zombie attacks. Eventually, they meet a small group
living in a compound, and they decided to try out a more stable life. And that’s
about the time things go from bad to worse for these friends, all with a dramatic
end. The author took a new and unique turn on the traditional zombie story with
good pace and likable characters. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 150%;">
<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Final
thought: I enjoyed it.<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 150%;">
<i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Hunting
the Moon </span></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">by Becca Boucher<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
In this
story, we meet widowed Lilly and the very handsome Daemon. To refer to these
two as star crossed lovers, wouldn’t even come close to describing the problems
and road blocks they encounter. Boucher weaves paranormal goodness into the
budding relationship and heat between the two main characters. She keeps the
reader engaged with plot twists and action, not to mention the exciting and
interesting pull Daemon and Lilly feel toward each other. I
enjoyed it and look forward to the next one!<o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="line-height: 16.3pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<b>Final thought: It’s a good read, especially for the
paranormal romantic!</b><o:p></o:p></div>
<u1:p></u1:p>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 150%;">
<i style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Reinfection
</span></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;">by
Cynthia Melton</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">This is the fourth book
in this zombie series and I will say I have enjoyed all of them. In this book,
the wayward group of survivors think they are about to have a place to settle
down and rebuild, but Melton has other plans for the characters. As readers, we see a new spin on the classic
zombie tale. Something about the latest zombies is different and beyond
frightening for this cast of characters. That being said, I have always enjoyed
the main characters, Colton and Chalice. They really are just kids, but they
have turned into leaders many look up to for safety, security, protection and,
most importantly, hope! Looking forward to the next one.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 150%;">
<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Final
thought: I am big Melton fan and enjoy reading her stuff!<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 150%;">BIG PRESS<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 150%;">
<i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Confessions
of Murder Suspect</span></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;"> by James Patterson<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">In this young adult
thriller, we see a new side of James Patterson. As an avid Patterson fan and a
YA writer, I just had to check this out. I was not disappointed, as his take on
wealthy children and murdered parents was new and fresh. Four siblings find
their parents murdered, but they are the only ones who had access to the house.
As this mystery unfolds there are multiple twists and turns. The oldest living
female child, Tandy, is determined to solve this mystery, even if she turns out
to be the killer (Tandy both narrates the story and speaks to the readers in second
person at certain points). Of course, when you are a wealthy, high intelligent,
somewhat famous family, nothing is as it seems. The deeper Tandy digs into
the murder, the more she learns about herself and her family. A dramatic end,
which I didn’t see coming!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 150%;">
<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Final
thought: I will definitely check out more of Patterson’s YA books!<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 150%;">
<i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Defending
Jacob</span></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;"> by William Landay<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">In this novel, we
follow ADA Andy Barber as he begins investigating the local murder of a
fourteen year old boy. Soon his son, Jacob, becomes the prime suspect. As you
can imagine this leads to a bevy of problems and impressive twists and turns.
The reader watches as two parents vehemently defend their child, and the
different ways they cope with this murder charge. Landay weaves a tale that
keeps the reader on the edge of the seat. And the ending is as dramatic and
tragic as they come; one I certainly didn’t see coming. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 150%;">
<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Final
thought: This ending still haunts me, but I will certainly check out more of
Landay’s work.<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: center;">
<b><span style="color: #660066; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Thanks so much for stopping by!<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Coming
next to ‘Latest Reads’<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Paranormalcy</span></i><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> by Kiersten White<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Looking
for Alaska</span></i><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> by John Green<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">?????</span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .5in;">
<br /></div>
Aspen Hitehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05932782767440912193noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8435077192054748915.post-32877234242252994652014-06-12T14:31:00.001-07:002014-06-12T14:32:33.458-07:00American Gothic Part 3: Final Installment<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUUs_59Ais8YKYj9c9b0vw9VjrECIHZO93nU14407WT_tEmcZq0PpjYS-FWozWgos4_43i44afDnKeqSDrqhgKkHrPRn8SMnDO9htp0CCgCKOdb3E5Ym3fy_GceOHXGBCUi00kNHpZM0s/s1600/schools+out+for+summer.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUUs_59Ais8YKYj9c9b0vw9VjrECIHZO93nU14407WT_tEmcZq0PpjYS-FWozWgos4_43i44afDnKeqSDrqhgKkHrPRn8SMnDO9htp0CCgCKOdb3E5Ym3fy_GceOHXGBCUi00kNHpZM0s/s1600/schools+out+for+summer.jpg" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">Let me preface with: I
LOVE SUMMER!<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="color: purple; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">Hard to believe I’m a week into summer and still haven’t
accomplished much! In my defense, things haven’t exactly worked out the way I
anticipated. I did some unscheduled dog sitting. And just for the record…5 Labrador
retrievers in one house is a total chore…just walking from one room to another
is an ordeal! Then there was a massive issue with one of my pups, Divot (he’s
missing a chuck of his ear, hence the name). Apparently, he has some
birth defects. One in which his diaphragm didn’t form properly and his
intestines have been sliding between his abdomen and chest cavity for years.
Imagine his regular vet’s surprise when she saw his intestines floating around
his heart in an x-ray! So a semi-serious surgical procedure was needed.
Thankfully, he survived the surgery and is recovering! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="color: purple; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">So as you can see, other things have gotten in the way of my
original plan. BUT I have managed to write 3,500 words on the next Ruby Hood,
bringing the total word count up to 16,000 words. Ideally, I would love to have
the second book finished by the end of June and off to my editor. I’m shooting
to have it released in Oct. 2014 (a year after the first). And I must say, this
one is good…lots of twists and turns. In <i>The
Twistedly True Guardian Tale</i> (working title that I don’t love), we meet my
version of Snow White, the 7 Dwarves and Robin Hood. Questions about Kayla’s heritage
also get answered, and the budding relationship between Kent and Ruby will
blossom (or wilt…I haven’t decided yet). Then I’ll add in some more strife and
conflict to propel the characters onto a third book!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="color: purple; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">But since the school year has officially ended, I thought I
should post the final segment of the American Gothic project I did with the kiddos.
In case you missed the first two parts, follow the links to check them out: <a href="http://www.stephaniegreenhalgh.blogspot.com/2014/04/american-gothic.html"><span style="color: purple;">Part 1</span></a> and <a href="http://www.stephaniegreenhalgh.blogspot.com/2014/05/mona-lisa-and-american-gothic-part-2.html"><span style="color: purple;">Part 2</span></a>. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: purple; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">Enjoy the final installment
of my short story, <i>American Gothic</i>!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%;">PART
3<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">“Oh
good heavens!” the young woman exclaimed. “What on earth brings you to our
quaint little town?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">“Sadly,
a missing child.” Agent McClint added.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">“Well,
please come in. I’d be happy to help.” Lilia responded.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> “Would you care for a cold drink of lemonade on
this particularly warm spring day?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Agent
McClint beamed. “That would be lovely, ma’am. It has been a long day.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Maude
settled the very handsome man at the kitchen table with an icy cold beverage,
and was about to sit down when a phone rang. “Please excuse me while I grabbed
the phone,” She said smiling affectionately, before she walked to the foyer to
answer the ringing phone. The moment she stepped into the room, the ringing
stopped. Maude paused and looked around. An odd sensation made her shiver. She brushed
it off and turned to head back to the handsome FBI agent. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Once
Lilia returned to the kitchen, her eyebrows shot up to her hairline. Clark
McClint was standing over the stove, peering into her potion pot. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">“Agent
McClint, how does my grandmother’s homemade allergy medicine smell?” Lilia
composed herself and walked into the room smiling. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Clark
rubbed his eyes and turned to face the young blonde. “Umm, it smells
interesting.” He said before he sneezed. “I guess, I could use some. May I try
it?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">“I’m
sorry, Agent McClint, but it must simmer for several more days before it’s
ready for human consumption. How long will you be here?” Lilia asked .<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">“I
hope not very long, but it depends on how quickly I can solve this case.” The
agent responded.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">“Well,
tell me how I can help.” Lilia said sweetly and gestured to the kitchen table
for them to sit.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Clark
choose a chair and Lilia sat next to him. “There is a little missing girl,
Macie Trims. She was last seen in the woods between your farmhouse and the
Cummings’ farm to the east of you. She is about 10 with brown hair and green
eyes. I’d like to know if you have any information about this little girl.
Anything you can provide might help.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">“Oh,
that is just terrible!” exclaimed Lilia. “Those woods are dense and terrifying
for me and I’ve lived here my whole. I can only imagine how scary they would be
for a little girl who’s new to the area. Have you searched the woods?” Lilia
asked as concern dripped from her lips.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">“We
have. Our dogs picked up a scent near the edge of the Cummings property, but we
found nothing.” Agent McClint said dismayed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">“Hmmm…”
Lilia got up to stir her potion and refill the agent’s lemonade. “I assume
you’ve searched the bomb shelter old Mr. Cummings built in the 40’s.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">“Huh?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">“The
bomb shelter. He built it back during World War II.” Lilia turned to look at
the agent. Her cobalt eyes held his firmly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Clark
pulled a notebook out of his pocket and looked through his notes. “I don’t have
any information about a bomb shelter.” Agent McClint furrowed his brow in
confusion before he looked backed to the young woman.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Lilia
said, chuckling. “Of course not, Agent McClint. Old man Cummings wasn’t known
for sharing that sort of information with the city. I’d be happy to show you,
if you have some time.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">As
the two walked through the woods, conversation flowed easily. The two exchanged
stories about their childhood, books, movies and the weather.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Lilia<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="_GoBack"></a> stopped abruptly when they neared the underground bomb
shelter. She could find it with her eyes closed, as a child this is often where
she went to get away when she needed some time to herself, especially those
difficult high school years. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Clark
McClint followed her lead and froze. He brought his finger to his mouth, and
pulled out his gun, listening intently.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">A
faint crying could be heard, when the birds weren’t chirping and the leaves
weren’t rustling in the breeze. “Oh no!” Lilia shouted, before bolting into a
broken and battered barn.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">“WHOA!
Where are you going?” Agent McClint shouted as he holstered his gun and ran
after her.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Within
moments, Lilia leapt like a gazelle over two roof beams that had fallen down
and ducked under a doorway that was about to collapse before her eyes. She
grabbed the trap door in the floor, pulled it open with ease and disappeared down
the dark rickety ladder to the bottom.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Agent
McClint mumbled under his breath as he climbed down the wooden ladder, which creaked
with every step. The agent huffed at every splinter that dug further into his
skin. He groaned as his feet touched solid earth. After grabbing his flashlight,
he turned around and gasped in surprise.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">In
the corner, Lilia sat holding a little girl on her lap. “Sshhh, it’s okay now,
sweetie. You are safe.” She cooed as she cradled the young girl, gently wiping away
the little girl’s tears.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">“I
want my mommy,” the little girl whimpered.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">“I
know, darling, and we’ll get you home soon.” Lilia said softly before she
looked up and smiled at Agent McClint. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Clark
returned her smile and sighed, then he grabbed his two way radio and called it
in to his boss. “We found her. I repeat the girl has been found!” There was a
loud rejoicing in the background. The agent then leaned down next to the little
girl. “Are you Macie Trims?” He asked and the child nodded in agreement. “How’d
you get here, sweetheart?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">The
little girl snuggled closer to Lilia. “I don’t know. I just woke up here.” She
whimpered.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">“OK,
kiddo. We can talk about it more once we get you home. Are you ready to see
your mom?” The agent asked and held out his hands to take the little girl, but
she shook her head and clung tighter to Lilia. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">“I’ve
got her,” Lilia said as she deftly stood up with the young girl in her arms.
The three carefully climbed the battered ladder back to the warm sunlight
spring day.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">*****<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Ending: Wrap up loose ends and
provide closure. If you intend to end with a cliff hanger, you MUST resolve the
first part, and then introduce a new problem to be dealt with in the next
segment.<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">BEEP
BEEP BEEP…the alarmed sounded and Lilia bolted out of bed. She had been having
some odd dreams lately and last night’s was super strange. She stretched and
shook off the eerie feeling. Today was the day she was going to meet the little
girl that had just moved onto the Cummings Farm, Macie Trims. Macie and her family
had just moved to town, and she had promised Mrs. Trims she would show the
little girl around, especially the woods. They were scary for Lilia and she had
lived here her whole life. That must have been where that bizarre dream had
come from.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">“Lilia,
hurry up dear. I made breakfast. You are due to meet the Trims in 30 minutes.
Hurry up, Darlin’” Grandma shouted from the kitchen.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">“Coming,”
Lilia shouted as she pulled her long blond hair into a ponytail on the top of
her head and grabbed her running shoes on the way out the door. She hopped down
the steps toward the succulent smell of bacon and pancakes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Before
she walked into the kitchen she stopped and looked at the picture over the
fireplace. This painting had a special place in her heart. ‘Good morning Mom
and Grandpa. I miss you terribly.” She said sadly. Lilia had lost her mother
and grandfather almost a year ago in a terrible barn fire on the Cummings’ farm.
Her unselfish and brave mother and grandfather had rushed into the barn to
rescue the animals trapped inside moments before the burning barn collapsed.
After their death, Gran M had this painting made from a picture to keep their
memory alive. In the picture her mother and grandfather stood stoically in
front of the farmhouse. Like father like daughter, both were people of few
words and forget a smile for any sort of picture. It always made Lilia smile;
she kissed her forefinger and lightly tapped the painting before the hurried
into the kitchen.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">“Morning,
Gran M.” The 20 year-old said before she kissed her grandmother’s cheek and
snuck a piece of bacon.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">“Morning,
Darlin’, grab a quick bit and get moving. I ran into Mrs. Trims at the market
this morning and Macie is anxious to meet you.” Grandma Maude said absently.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">“I
had the strangest dream about the little girl and you last night, Grandma. The
little girl had gone missing and you were an evil old witch sold her soul for
youth.” Lilia said and then laughed, as she grabbed a to-go coffee mug.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">“Heavens
dear!” Grandma exclaimed. “You know your powers will be in full force on your
21<sup>st</sup> birthday next week when the Blood Moon rises. You need to be
careful. That may have been a premonitions that something terrible is coming.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">“Grandma!
Be serious! I know you think I am destined to become some powerful witch, but
really? I’m sure it was just a reminder to be careful in the woods, especially
with a kid. Besides, what could possibly happen in Farmtown? You worry too
much!” Lilia said as she dismissed her grandmother’s warning and headed out the
door and bound down the front steps. “I’ll be back later,” she called and
headed off, humming a soft tune, completely oblivious to the unfamiliar van
parked at the neighbor’s house.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">A
sinister voice snickered. “Have fun with Macie Trims today, Lilia. I have her
kidnapping set for this evening. That will give me a chance to get close to you
before you come into your powers next week. I will have those powers. You won’t
even know what hit you, witch!” Clark McClint spoke to himself and watched the
young woman in the rearview mirror. Laughing, he pulled off his sunglasses and
his eyes blazed red.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">The End<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">Coming Soon: Latest
Reads<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">Hunting the Moon</span></i><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"> by Becca Boucher<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">Reinfection </span></i><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">by Cynthia Melton<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<i><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">Defending Jacob</span></i><span style="color: purple; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"> by William Landay</span>Aspen Hitehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05932782767440912193noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8435077192054748915.post-45551123269208789002014-05-24T07:58:00.000-07:002014-05-24T08:00:54.168-07:00Mona Lisa and American Gothic (Part 2)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjYmLJu0D7a06ok1mBlxPY2sQ1GrdCOTHACuGusdkG6RfFfezsuaZmpa4xviMelEz7V2uxFgKNKq059JsnMcTPVPLGd3Rq8_IzB8AYFjjM7RBcUy3uzU3MkqlcUCsyYHPPMHjOLZbieBc/s1600/mona+lisa.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjYmLJu0D7a06ok1mBlxPY2sQ1GrdCOTHACuGusdkG6RfFfezsuaZmpa4xviMelEz7V2uxFgKNKq059JsnMcTPVPLGd3Rq8_IzB8AYFjjM7RBcUy3uzU3MkqlcUCsyYHPPMHjOLZbieBc/s1600/mona+lisa.jpg" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="color: #990099; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">It’s the Friday of a three day weekend and I’m getting ready to
grade. Sound like a good time? Go ahead and laugh…I’m 12 days away from having
10 weeks off and damn near losing track of time…hehehe! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="color: #990099; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">In all seriousness, I had to stop grading and give a shout out
to my class. I’m reading their <b><i>Mona Lisa</i></b> stories and I AM
IMPRESSED! They all worked tremendously hard on this project and it shows. Their
work is creative, witty, dynamic, and engaging! In all honesty, the end result
is why I do what I do. I thoroughly enjoyed this project and look forward to
many more like it in the very near future! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="color: #990099; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">To inspire the kids, I wrote a story for them with a different
picture, <b><i>American Gothic</i></b> (you know the one with the old man, holding a
pitchfork and standing in front of a farmhouse with his daughter). It’s aptly
titled <b><i>American Gothic</i></b><i>. </i>Sadly,
that’s the best working title I’ve got at the moment, but I’m open to
suggestions! <i>(To access previous blog,
click here: <b><a href="http://stephaniegreenhalgh.blogspot.com/2014/04/american-gothic.html"><span style="color: #990099;">American Gothic Blog: Part 1</span></a></b>)</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .5in;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="color: #990099; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Without further adieu here is the second installment of my
portion of the picture/story, language arts/art, 4<sup>th</sup> grade collaborative
project.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 150%;">
<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Middle:
Use points of action to construct your plot or storyline. Make sure one thing
leads to the next.<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Maude
hummed a happy tune as she ground up the last of the eye of newt before she
dropped it into the boiling black steel cauldron. In fact, she was so relaxed
she let her wrinkles show. At this point in the cycle it took so much effort to
show her younger face. She was old. There was no denying that; Maude had
already had a long life. She placed the lid on the potion simmered on the
stove, when she heard it again. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .5in;">
<i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">“Mommy, please help me. What have I
done wrong? I promise I won’t do it again.”</span></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"> The little
voice cried.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Maude
shook her head tried to push the sad childish voice away. Then walked to the
window to think about her life.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">She
had been born at least a century before. She wasn’t exactly sure when or where.
There had been so much magic in the early years, it was sometimes hard for her
to differentiate between what was real and what had just been a magical
illusion. Something tugged at the back of her mind. Something she felt very
close to understanding. Just when she was on the cusp of figuring it out a cloud
of dust off in the distance distracted her. With the full corn fields, she had
no idea what to expect.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">“He’s
coming for you! We told you he would!” Bonnie shouted from the painting.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Maude
shot a menacing look through the large spacious farmhouse to the painting. She
snarled and narrowed her eyes, sending a small red flare into the painting
above the fireplace. The gray barn in the background went up in flames.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">But
Bonnie, only laughed as the fire quickly went out. “You can’t hurt us anymore,
old woman.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">“That’s
right, Maude. It’s you who put us here.” Clyde said stiffly. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">“Oh,
SHUT UP!”Maude yelled. Her old gray hair fell around her head, and she seemed
more wrinkled than ever. Her blue eyes shifted from bright and lively to dead
and black. Catching a glimpse of herself in the reflection of the window, she
gasped in horror at what she saw: a monster.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">As
the car approached the home, Maude could tell it was a sedan, and it had a siren
on top. Frantic, she had no idea what to do. The car stopped and a man jumped
out. He was young and he was handsome. His sunglasses and business suit alarmed
Maude even more. He took the steps two at a time with ease, and wrapped on the
door as he called out. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">“Maude.
Maude Clemins. Ma’am, are you home?” The man
paced to the front windows and peaked in before he banged on the front
door. When no one answered, he began to pace around the porch, which wrapped
around the house. With every step he got closer and closer to the back kitchen
window, to seeing the real Maude Clemins. The evil witch, who would do just
about anything to stay young, including banishing her husband and daughter into
a painting. She neared the point of desperation when, the timer buzzed. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">For
an ancient woman of 100+ years, she had the grace of the youth of a ballerina,
as she bounded over to the simmering pot, grab a large ladle and took a gulp of
her potion. She moaned with relief and the pain of old age left her body. Her
soft golden hair returned, along with her ocean blue eyes and her smooth skin.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">“Just
a moment. I was in the shower.” Maude cupped her hand around her mouth and
hollered projecting a melodic voice through the house, then she snapped her
fingers, turning her hair wet and a fresh pair of shorts with a new black tank
top. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">The
footsteps on the porch stopped, paused and turned toward the front door.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Grinning
her herself, she walked toward the door with a swagger, stopping only to pull
the American Gothic painting off the wall. This was not the time to have her
husband or daughter yapping in her ear about her choices. “I’ll deal with you
two later,” she muttered as she shoved the painting into the closet. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">With
a flickity flick of her wrist, a copy of Van Gogh’s ‘A Starry Night’ filled the
void over the fireplace. Maude took the last step to the door and pulled it
open flashing her gorgeous grin. “Hi there, can I help you?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .5in;">
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">The
handsome man took off his sunglasses, revealing his emerald green eyes. A
friendly smiled covered his critical eye, “Why, hello, ma’am. Are you Maude
Clemins?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">The
young blond tossed her head back and giggled a bit, “Goodness, no. That was my
grandmother. She passed on a few years ago. I’m Lilia, Lilia Hawkins, so nice
to meet you.” She held out her hand and smiled kindly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">The
young man smiled and shook her hand before he spoke. “Nice to meet you, Lilia.
My name is Agent Clark McClint and I’m with the FBI.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">To be continued…<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
</div>
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<br /></div>
Aspen Hitehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05932782767440912193noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8435077192054748915.post-77594547359666305122014-05-02T21:48:00.001-07:002014-05-03T13:12:20.650-07:00Latest Reads: Spring 2014 <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ0tz8qRQ-J6MQeEWRHYEn5J1diFPshHKCfueomrZjqjUWtTkgE8gTrC-0lvT64wUkenaRi2Xe2MORYAIQmWsinpGj8RYcUB8bdAHJ2vt_5NdQ3hz3knaJj_QnMoIhQg8pxeeqS_lvMtw/s1600/spring+book.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ0tz8qRQ-J6MQeEWRHYEn5J1diFPshHKCfueomrZjqjUWtTkgE8gTrC-0lvT64wUkenaRi2Xe2MORYAIQmWsinpGj8RYcUB8bdAHJ2vt_5NdQ3hz3knaJj_QnMoIhQg8pxeeqS_lvMtw/s1600/spring+book.jpg" /></a></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="color: #990099; font-family: Papyrus; font-size: 20.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Latest Reads: Spring 2014<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Papyrus;">Happy May…er…Spring! I don’t
even know where to go from here…seriously…where does the time go??? This
started off as a ‘March/April Latest Reads’ and now it’s turned into a ‘Spring’ edition, because it’s MAY! I don’t even know what to say, except…’it’s beyond
me’! Honestly, I’m baffled! I mean, I knew time flew faster when you got older,
but this is out of control! Time goes too damn fast! <b><o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Papyrus;">So what happens when one actually has
time???<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Papyrus;">Sadly, not as much as one would
hope! Lots of school work and minimal writing, which is LAME! But the REAL
world demands certain expectations. Regardless, I dig what gets thrown at me (for the most part),
so I’m always looking for new adventures/opportunities! AND thankfully…no
matter what comes my way, there is ALWAYS a good book to inspire/entertain/distract me! Without further
adieu, please enjoy my thoughts on some of my latest great books! <b><o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: #990099; font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-ascii-font-family: Papyrus; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: Papyrus; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">J</span></b><b><span style="color: #990099; font-family: Papyrus; font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Happy Reading</span></b><b><span style="color: #990099; font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-ascii-font-family: Papyrus; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: Papyrus; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">J</span></b><b><span style="color: #990099; font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 200%;">The
Husband’s Secret</span></i></b><b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 200%;">
by Liane Moriarty<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="line-height: 200%;">I LOVED this book! It was well written and engaging the entire time. In this story, we meet a variety of people whose lives will all
intertwine quite dramatically. I’ll be honest, I had ‘the husband’s secret’
figured out early, but I was not deterred in the slightest. In fact, the author
lets the readers in on ‘the secret’ about halfway through the story. Then the
reader must learn how exactly that secret with effect the lives of all the
characters. And I saw the ending coming a mile away, so I was ready to give it
four stars…until the prologue! At the very end the author outlines all of the
different </span><span style="line-height: 26.66666603088379px;">scenarios</span><span style="line-height: 200%;"> that could (or could not) have happened, along with other other
secrets that may (or may not) have been kept. Let’s face it, we all have
secrets and some are definitely better left buried. <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: #990099; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Final thought:</span></b><span style="color: #990099; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 200%;"> All in all,
it was a great read!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Burned</span></i></b><b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 200%;"> by Ellen Hopkins<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="line-height: 200%;">In this story, we follow a young, Mormon, teenage girl.
She leads a sheltered life complete with an alcoholic abusive father and a
submissive mother. As the eldest, she is responsible for caring for her younger
sisters, but her body begins to change and hormones begin to rage. Suddenly
family, responsibility and religion </span><span style="line-height: 26.66666603088379px;">aren't</span><span style="line-height: 200%;"> her top priorities any more. In
fact, she begins to question everything in life, while making some very
grown-up choices, which of course come with a bevy of consequences. I couldn’t
put this book down, until the end, which I HATED! <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: #990099; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Final thought: </span></b><span style="color: #990099; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 200%;">I gave this
book four stars because of the ending. I hope the author has something better
planned for the sequel!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Lone
Survivor</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 200%;"> by Marcus Lutrell and <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 200%;">I loved this one as well. This is the story of the Navy
SEAL team that went into Afghanistan and only one came out, hence the name. It is a
long story, and it took me months to read. (<i>Not
because I had trouble keeping interest, but because it has very long chapters,
and I read by chapters. Very rarely do I have 45-60 minutes to sit down and
read).</i> However, I recently took a trip and I was able to finish it in 6 hours
of travel…all I needed was time! This story story whirled and twirled me through
a bevy of emotions. In fact, it got out of control. At one point, I was sobbing
like an infant on the plane and the flight attendant had to ask me if I was OK.
In this story, we follow Marcus through SEAL training, then on his mission to
Afghanistan, where he details every event that took place. There are times when
I was VERY angry at people and cultures. AND there were also time when my faith
in humanity was restored. An incredible read!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: #990099; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Final thought:</span></b><span style="color: #990099; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 200%;"> I look
forward to seeing if Mark Wahlberg can do Marcus Lutrell justice on the big
screen.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 200%;">The
Cuckoo’s Calling</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 200%;"> by Robert Galbraith (a.k.a J.K. Rowling)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 200%;">I should probably start this with…I LOVE HARRY POTTER! I
have fond memories of lying in bed or on the couch reading many HP books cover to
cover...just amazingly well written! BUT I went into 'Cuckoo' with a full understanding
that this was NOT ‘Harry Potter’. It is not even remotely close to fantasy. It
is realistic fiction/mystery to the nth degree. I have the utmost respect for
J.K. Rowling. She is my idol and I aspire to be like her one day, but this story
fell short for me. I had the killer pegged early on. AND…I’ll be honest…it
really pissed me off I had to wait until the middle of the book to understand the
significance of the ‘Cuckoo’! Don’t get me wrong…there were GREAT parts! I LOVE
the private eye, Corman Strike, and his secretary (I’ve already put the next book on my wish
list!), but there were also many other parts that fell short for me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: #990099; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Final thought:</span></b><span style="color: #990099; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 200%;"> Will I
continue to read her books? YES! She’s an icon and she has an incredible
talent. I admire her for getting out of her comfort zone!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 200%;">So
far on the next on the 'Latest Reads' list:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Dances
with Dragons </span></i></b><b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 200%;">by
George R.R. Martin</span></b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 200%;">: The LAST published <i>Game of Thrones</i> book. In all honestly, Martin had better hurry up
with the rest! So far, I hate to put this one down!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><i><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Reinfection
</span></i></b><b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 200%;">by Cynthia Hickey: </span></b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 200%;">The
4<sup>th</sup> zombie novella in a series, written by a friend of mine, is keeping
me VERY intrigued!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 200%;">THEN:</span></b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 200%;">
I’m not sure….I have a ton downloaded that I must choose from…I will NOT
download any new books! I will NOT download any new books! I will NOT download
any new books! </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><b>Be sure to check back to see what comes next (and whether or not
I can restrain myself from uncontrollable downloads)!</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Until
then…. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: #990099; font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 28.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-ascii-font-family: Papyrus; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: Papyrus; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">J</span></b><b><span style="color: #990099; font-family: Papyrus; font-size: 28.0pt; line-height: 200%;">HAPPY READING</span></b><b><span style="color: #990099; font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 28.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-ascii-font-family: Papyrus; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: Papyrus; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">J</span></b><b><span style="color: #990099; font-family: Papyrus; font-size: 28.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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Aspen Hitehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05932782767440912193noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8435077192054748915.post-1576267897485026492014-04-16T20:38:00.000-07:002014-04-16T20:38:07.045-07:00FREE DOWNLOAD: "If the Silver Slippers Fit..."<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0ijH_HpZs7xr50Xw9-dhf2simLAtIKkvcenJa3jGVw27GLnmy3Fm9HnldYWApXImtPZuYt-xO-I66CXrNgMajy_VIObpzdCTOEruE01voC2NWtQIhtmu4Mje031TSkVJzSzkgKGxypfE/s1600/If_the_Silver_Slippe_Cover_for_Kindle.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0ijH_HpZs7xr50Xw9-dhf2simLAtIKkvcenJa3jGVw27GLnmy3Fm9HnldYWApXImtPZuYt-xO-I66CXrNgMajy_VIObpzdCTOEruE01voC2NWtQIhtmu4Mje031TSkVJzSzkgKGxypfE/s1600/If_the_Silver_Slippe_Cover_for_Kindle.jpg" height="320" width="213" /></a></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="color: #990099; font-family: "Felix Titling"; font-size: 26.0pt;">“If the Silver Slippers Fit…”<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: "Agency FB","sans-serif"; font-size: 24.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">FREE PROMO DATES: April 16<sup>th</sup>
and 17th, 2014</span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">If The
Silver Slipper Fits…<br />
Two feisty witches.<br />
Two wickedly impossible dilemmas.<br />
Two modern day realms infused with a little mischievous magic.<br />
One pair of totally awesome and very sassy shoes.<br />
<br />
"If The Silver Slipper Fits" begins with a story about Glinda, a
teenage witch, who, like any other teenager in the modern world, is envious of
another woman’s pair of shoes. However, these shoes belong to her sister. After
stealing the shoes for her hot date, she trips on a crack in the Yellow Brick
Road, falls through a portal and lands smack in the middle of New York City. Of
course, she lost her grip on the shoes when she fell and now Glinda not only
has to find her sister’s Silver Slippers in a city of 8 million people, but she
has to find another portal to get herself back home in time for her date.
Unfortunately, a subway train full of degenerates, a Naked Cowboy and herd of
anorexic fashion models stand in her way. And to top it all off, the shoes change
their look as the owner’s personality changes.<br />
<br />
The second story takes place many years later, and centers around Glinda’s
youngest daughter Giselle, who already has way too much baggage for a normal
20-something. She has been banished to Las Vegas because she set her college on
fire, and to make matters worse, she supposedly is the recipient of a Goblin
Curse. To top off her really crummy year in exile, a Blood Moon shows up at the
wrong time, making her powers go out of control. She steals her Aunt’s Silver
Slippers (sound familiar?) and suddenly her luck, and the shoes, begins to
change…for the worse. Can Giselle’s Lightning Power save the ones she loves
most? Or is it really all just about the shoes? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: 'Agency FB', sans-serif; font-size: 24pt;">Click to
get yours now from <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Silver-Slippers-Precious-Gems-Series-ebook/dp/B00HLQM95K/ref=pd_sim_kstore_3?ie=UTF8&refRID=0VS9T3G7SRZ2Y013V6XT">Amazon</a>!<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: #990099; font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 26.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: "Felix Titling"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Felix Titling"; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">J</span></b><b><span style="color: #990099; font-family: "Felix Titling"; font-size: 26.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Happy
Reading</span></b><b><span style="color: #990099; font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 26.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: "Felix Titling"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Felix Titling"; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">J</span></b><b><span style="color: #990099; font-family: "Felix Titling"; font-size: 26.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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Aspen Hitehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05932782767440912193noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8435077192054748915.post-24116358104635438322014-04-11T20:55:00.002-07:002014-04-11T20:55:43.930-07:00American Gothic<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmsRKXgNXSxbLjxyeKkmt7PV3y_phapHsZUHfQYWjOdO6b3dtIPAh2mk9pOLT2wR6jH9USaAWsT5wrwYit00t_5Hsm9G4WATKKB1PlokSxpDe0GZXmtJLJNcm1O5V_RutvLblOCz8aPUo/s1600/american+gothic+pic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmsRKXgNXSxbLjxyeKkmt7PV3y_phapHsZUHfQYWjOdO6b3dtIPAh2mk9pOLT2wR6jH9USaAWsT5wrwYit00t_5Hsm9G4WATKKB1PlokSxpDe0GZXmtJLJNcm1O5V_RutvLblOCz8aPUo/s1600/american+gothic+pic.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #990099; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Recently, I
got to collaborate with our amazing art teacher on a project. In art class, the
kids created their own Mona Lisa, and in writing we wrote stories about the newly
created Mona Lisa. Since writing is one of my favorite hobbies, I wrote a story
along with them. I used ‘American Gothic’ as my source of inspiration (I did
not partake in the artistry…I don’t have a single ounce of artistic ability…my
stick people are sad and scary). It was fun and it may go somewhere…who knows?
At least, it held the attention of 90+ fourth graders and it’s really not a
kiddie story. </span><span style="color: #990099; font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-ascii-font-family: Verdana; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: Verdana; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">J</span><span style="color: #990099; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: #990099; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Part 1 of American Gothic by Stephanie Greenhalgh <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: #990099; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%;">(along with some teacher notes):<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Beginning:
Introduce characters and setting. Use words and descriptions to create
pictures.<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Maude looked out the
window. She inhaled a breath of fresh air. She loved the spring time in
Farmtown, IL. The blooming trees and floral scents always made her glad she
moved back to farmhouse she grew up in over a century ago.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">A cool breeze blew
through her open window and the curtains flapped wildly. Maude jumped at her
own reflection in the mirror behind the coat rack. Her smooth skin wrinkled and
crinkled before her eyes. Her ocean blue eyes darkened to a deep ominous gray,
like storm clouds rolling in, just before they reddened and lit up like flames.
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“I’m coming for you,
old woman,” a wicked voice crooned before the mirror shattered into a million
pieces, sending shards of glass flying through the room. Maude hunched over and
covered her face, as glass littered the room.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Once the flying glass
ceased, Maude stood up. With a flick of her wrist, she restored the shattered
mirror and her ageless young skin returned, along with her icey blue eyes. She
stalked across the room to the painting above the fireplace and smirked.
Glaring at the painting of the old man and woman in front of her farmhouse, she
spoke in a loud screeching voice.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“DON’T YOU DARE
THREATEN ME, BONNIE AND CLYDE! I WILL BE YOUNG FOREVER!” Maude cackled and
stalked to the kitchen to finish her potion.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Meanwhile, a small
little voice, locked a dungeon whimpered, “I want my mommy.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">End
of Part I<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="color: #990099; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I’ll be posting the rest of the story in increments. Hopefully,
you enjoyed it and will check out the rest! Plus I’ve got a ‘Latest Reads’
coming up! I’m currently totally hooked on “The Husband’s Secret” by Liane Moriarty…GOOD!
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: #990099; font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-ascii-font-family: Verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: Verdana; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">J</span></b><b><span style="color: #990099; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Happy Reading</span></b><b><span style="color: #990099; font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-ascii-font-family: Verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: Verdana; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">J</span></b><b><span style="color: #990099; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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Aspen Hitehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05932782767440912193noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8435077192054748915.post-44665921043138395012014-03-21T03:00:00.000-07:002014-03-22T17:13:23.806-07:00Global Blog Event Hop: The Twistedly True Tale of Ruby Hood<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlOScDBhfnCwIpFvraNLi3t_usDFEuCL_66R62uHCtdieAVGTpQI5qJ1OjYgyZJSnPF9kEo_mkIjEg13x1YVHdvKU6IZJiAH5ax1pFFvhw5FRNroUBapvpWeG92YmEz6hCEgEmMqrtuxk/s1600/Ruby+Hood_Front+Cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlOScDBhfnCwIpFvraNLi3t_usDFEuCL_66R62uHCtdieAVGTpQI5qJ1OjYgyZJSnPF9kEo_mkIjEg13x1YVHdvKU6IZJiAH5ax1pFFvhw5FRNroUBapvpWeG92YmEz6hCEgEmMqrtuxk/s1600/Ruby+Hood_Front+Cover.jpg" height="320" width="206" /></a></div>
<h2 style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">Keep the Magic Alive...a World of YA Fantasy</span></h2>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">Ruby
Hood was an interesting creation. I wrote her story when I moved back to Vegas
just over 2 years ago. But now she is real; she’s not just a figment of my
imagination. She’s an actual published character. And there are actual people
that have read her story, <b>“The Twistedly
True Tale of Ruby Hood”.</b> SO it’s like she’s real…kinda. Then it dawned on
me the other day that I gave her a March 21<sup>st </sup>birthday. If we follow
the book, she would be 18 today. It made me think about everything she went through
in book one and suddenly a path to where she was going swirled around in my
subconscious. Thankfully, that brief moment of inspiration realigned my focus for
book 2. In fact, it was perfect timing because I have been stuck for MONTHS. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">When I
created Ruby, I always intended her to be a bright strong-willed teenager. Her
father died when she was very young, but she was happy and readily anticipating
her senior year. However Ruby, at the end of book 1, is far cry from the happy-go-lucky
book worm introduced at the beginning of the story. I like our heroine at the
end way more than the sweet innocent girl that started the journey with me back
in spring 2012.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">Happy
birthday, Ruby Hood! Thank you for the creative and wild ride! I look forward
to many more years in your company!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">Check out a synopsis of “The
Twistedly True Tale of Ruby Hood”, book 1:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: #7030a0; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">In the small town of Woodsville, self-assured
Ruby Hood becomes tangled in more than traditional teenage angst. With the
Homecoming Dance looming, everything at Woodsville High appears normal, but
things are not as they seem. Ruby meets a cute boy with a lopsided grin,
Dylan Hunter. She flirts shamelessly with the football star, Kent Wolf, and
finds herself in a barrage of harsh verbal altercations with his stunning yet
wicked sister, Kayla Wolf. Thankfully, she finds solace in her friend, Lilly
Fair. Through a series of odd and painful events, Ruby discovers her true
calling and the responsibilities that come with her new power and position.
Despite her heartache and sorrow, will Ruby find the inner strength not only to
protect herself, but also to keep the Wood safe at all cost?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: #7030a0; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Twistedly-True-Tale-Ruby-Series-ebook/dp/B00FKLY7WQ/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1389748717&sr=8-2&keywords=Stephanie+Greenhalgh"><img alt=" Click here to download your FREE copy!" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQIULn6y_Mac_lCbP4Vr4_Gen0emxJ1pKtUzqoiWj0iB-k-rkYCwa4PDvMSupK72FsYYkL74ZnkCKBx7u8wNKB6m_WI6qI8cp4ASpoYJMoPJu7gkO_ppuhu_F4uPKvnk1IMlkRINUlp7k/s1600/birthday_blog+promo+7.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">*****Click the banner to download
your copy NOW*****<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: yellow; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-highlight: yellow;">FREE
on Amazon Kindle March 21<sup>st</sup>-23<sup>rd</sup></span><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"> <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="background: yellow; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-highlight: yellow;"><sup><br /></sup></span>
<span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"><b style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span style="font-family: Wingdings;">J</span></b><b style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">Happy Reading</span></b><b style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span style="font-family: Wingdings;">J</span></b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"> </span></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">Be sure to leave a creative comment below for your chance to win a free copy of "The Twistedly True Tale of Ruby Hood"!<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">Thanks
for stopping by! Please be sure to check out the other blogs on the HOP!<o:p></o:p></span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"><br /></span></b>
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<b><span style="background: yellow; color: #95967c; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-highlight: yellow;">1.</span></b><b><span style="background: yellow; color: #95967c; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-highlight: yellow;"><a href="http://www.linkytools.com/click_linky.aspx?entryid=7602067" target="_blank" title="Linked to: benjaminmctish.blogspot.com/2014/02/keep-magic-alive.html"><span style="color: #78aa99; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">Pressed Leaf Publishing, Home of Benjamin McTish</span></a></span></b><b><span style="background: yellow; color: #95967c; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-highlight: yellow;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="background: yellow; color: #95967c; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-highlight: yellow;">2.</span></b><b><span style="background: yellow; color: #95967c; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-highlight: yellow;"><a href="http://www.linkytools.com/click_linky.aspx?entryid=7622051" target="_blank" title="Linked to: blogsaboutwriting.blogspot.com/"><span style="color: #78aa99; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">Blogs About Writing</span></a></span></b><b><span style="background: yellow; color: #95967c; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-highlight: yellow;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="background: yellow; color: #95967c; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-highlight: yellow;">3.</span></b><b><span style="background: yellow; color: #95967c; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-highlight: yellow;"><a href="http://www.linkytools.com/click_linky.aspx?entryid=7624579" target="_blank" title="Linked to: http://stephaniegreenhalgh.blogspot.com/2014/03/global-blog-event-hop-twistedly-true_19.html"><span style="color: #78aa99; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">A Writer's Perspective</span></a></span></b><b><span style="background: yellow; color: #95967c; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-highlight: yellow;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="background: yellow; color: #95967c; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-highlight: yellow;">4.</span></b><b><span style="background: yellow; color: #95967c; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-highlight: yellow;"><a href="http://www.linkytools.com/click_linky.aspx?entryid=7648955" target="_blank" title="Linked to: ilovetoreadandreviewbooks.blogspot.com/2014/03/a-world-of-ya-fantasy-global-blog-event.html"><span style="color: #78aa99; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">I Love to Read and Review Books : ) (INT)</span></a></span></b><b><span style="background: yellow; color: #95967c; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-highlight: yellow;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<td style="padding: .75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt;" valign="top"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="background: #CC0099; line-height: 18.5pt; mso-element-anchor-horizontal: column; mso-element-anchor-vertical: paragraph; mso-element-frame-hspace: 2.25pt; mso-element-wrap: around; mso-element: frame; mso-height-rule: exactly; text-align: center; vertical-align: top;">
<b><span style="background: yellow; color: #95967c; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-highlight: yellow;">5.</span></b><b><span style="background: yellow; color: #95967c; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-highlight: yellow;"><a href="http://www.linkytools.com/click_linky.aspx?entryid=7653061" target="_blank" title="Linked to: smboyce.com"><span style="color: #78aa99; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">Author S. M.
Boyce</span></a></span></b><b><span style="background: yellow; color: #95967c; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-highlight: yellow;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<td style="padding: .75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt;" valign="top"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="background: #CC0099; line-height: 18.5pt; mso-element-anchor-horizontal: column; mso-element-anchor-vertical: paragraph; mso-element-frame-hspace: 2.25pt; mso-element-wrap: around; mso-element: frame; mso-height-rule: exactly; text-align: center; vertical-align: top;">
<b><span style="background: yellow; color: #95967c; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-highlight: yellow;">6.</span></b><b><span style="background: yellow; color: #95967c; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-highlight: yellow;"><a href="http://www.linkytools.com/click_linky.aspx?entryid=7656255" target="_blank" title="Linked to: pinkfluffyhearts.blogspot.com"><span style="color: #78aa99; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">Corina @ Pink Fluffy Hearts</span></a></span></b><b><span style="background: yellow; color: #95967c; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-highlight: yellow;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<td style="padding: .75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt;" valign="top"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="background: #CC0099; line-height: 18.5pt; mso-element-anchor-horizontal: column; mso-element-anchor-vertical: paragraph; mso-element-frame-hspace: 2.25pt; mso-element-wrap: around; mso-element: frame; mso-height-rule: exactly; text-align: center; vertical-align: top;">
<b><span style="background: yellow; color: #95967c; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-highlight: yellow;">7.</span></b><b><span style="background: yellow; color: #95967c; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-highlight: yellow;"><a href="http://www.linkytools.com/click_linky.aspx?entryid=7656679" target="_blank" title="Linked to: www.MargoBondCollins.com"><span style="color: #78aa99; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">Words, Words, Words ~ Margo Bond Collins</span></a></span></b><b><span style="background: yellow; color: #95967c; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-highlight: yellow;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<td style="padding: .75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt;" valign="top"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="background: #CC0099; line-height: 18.5pt; mso-element-anchor-horizontal: column; mso-element-anchor-vertical: paragraph; mso-element-frame-hspace: 2.25pt; mso-element-wrap: around; mso-element: frame; mso-height-rule: exactly; text-align: center; vertical-align: top;">
<b><span style="background: yellow; color: #95967c; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-highlight: yellow;">8.</span></b><b><span style="background: yellow; color: #95967c; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-highlight: yellow;"><a href="http://www.linkytools.com/click_linky.aspx?entryid=7657103" target="_blank" title="Linked to: pwpendleton.blogspot.com/"><span style="color: #78aa99; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">Paige W. Pendleton</span></a></span></b><b><span style="background: yellow; color: #95967c; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-highlight: yellow;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<td style="padding: .75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt;" valign="top"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="background: #CC0099; line-height: 18.5pt; mso-element-anchor-horizontal: column; mso-element-anchor-vertical: paragraph; mso-element-frame-hspace: 2.25pt; mso-element-wrap: around; mso-element: frame; mso-height-rule: exactly; text-align: center; vertical-align: top;">
<b><span style="background: yellow; color: #95967c; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-highlight: yellow;">9.</span></b><b><span style="background: yellow; color: #95967c; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-highlight: yellow;"><a href="http://www.linkytools.com/click_linky.aspx?entryid=7657824" target="_blank" title="Linked to: charbaby63.blogspot.com/"><span style="color: #78aa99; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">BabyCakes Book Blog</span></a></span></b><b><span style="background: yellow; color: #95967c; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-highlight: yellow;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<td style="padding: .75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt;" valign="top"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="background: #CC0099; line-height: 18.5pt; mso-element-anchor-horizontal: column; mso-element-anchor-vertical: paragraph; mso-element-frame-hspace: 2.25pt; mso-element-wrap: around; mso-element: frame; mso-height-rule: exactly; text-align: center; vertical-align: top;">
<b><span style="background: yellow; color: #95967c; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-highlight: yellow;">10.</span></b><b><span style="background: yellow; color: #95967c; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-highlight: yellow;"><a href="http://www.linkytools.com/click_linky.aspx?entryid=7661875" target="_blank" title="Linked to: kelseyketch.com"><span style="color: #78aa99; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">Ketch's Book
Nook (INT)</span></a></span></b><b><span style="background: yellow; color: #95967c; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-highlight: yellow;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<td style="padding: .75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt;" valign="top"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="background: #CC0099; line-height: 18.5pt; mso-element-anchor-horizontal: column; mso-element-anchor-vertical: paragraph; mso-element-frame-hspace: 2.25pt; mso-element-wrap: around; mso-element: frame; mso-height-rule: exactly; text-align: center; vertical-align: top;">
<b><span style="background: yellow; color: #95967c; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-highlight: yellow;">11.</span></b><b><span style="background: yellow; color: #95967c; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-highlight: yellow;"><a href="http://www.linkytools.com/click_linky.aspx?entryid=7666937" target="_blank" title="Linked to: www.creating-serenity.com/"><span style="color: #78aa99; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">Creating-Serenity</span></a></span></b><b><span style="background: yellow; color: #95967c; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-highlight: yellow;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<td style="padding: .75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt;" valign="top"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="background: #CC0099; line-height: 18.5pt; mso-element-anchor-horizontal: column; mso-element-anchor-vertical: paragraph; mso-element-frame-hspace: 2.25pt; mso-element-wrap: around; mso-element: frame; mso-height-rule: exactly; text-align: center; vertical-align: top;">
<b><span style="background: yellow; color: #95967c; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-highlight: yellow;">12.</span></b><b><span style="background: yellow; color: #95967c; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-highlight: yellow;"><a href="http://www.linkytools.com/click_linky.aspx?entryid=7667364" target="_blank" title="Linked to: www.thenewsinbooks.com"><span style="color: #78aa99; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">The News in Books</span></a></span></b><b><span style="background: yellow; color: #95967c; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-highlight: yellow;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<td style="padding: .75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt;" valign="top"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="background: #CC0099; line-height: 18.5pt; mso-element-anchor-horizontal: column; mso-element-anchor-vertical: paragraph; mso-element-frame-hspace: 2.25pt; mso-element-wrap: around; mso-element: frame; mso-height-rule: exactly; text-align: center; vertical-align: top;">
<b><span style="background: yellow; color: #95967c; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-highlight: yellow;">13.</span></b><b><span style="background: yellow; color: #95967c; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-highlight: yellow;"><a href="http://www.linkytools.com/click_linky.aspx?entryid=7667371" target="_blank" title="Linked to: www.rebeccagraf.com"><span style="color: #78aa99; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">Rebecca Graf Author</span></a></span></b><b><span style="background: yellow; color: #95967c; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-highlight: yellow;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<td style="padding: .75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt;" valign="top"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="background: #CC0099; line-height: 18.5pt; mso-element-anchor-horizontal: column; mso-element-anchor-vertical: paragraph; mso-element-frame-hspace: 2.25pt; mso-element-wrap: around; mso-element: frame; mso-height-rule: exactly; text-align: center; vertical-align: top;">
<b><span style="background: yellow; color: #95967c; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-highlight: yellow;">14.</span></b><b><span style="background: yellow; color: #95967c; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-highlight: yellow;"><a href="http://www.linkytools.com/click_linky.aspx?entryid=7670020" target="_blank" title="Linked to: adragonslove.blogspot.com"><span style="color: #78aa99; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">A Dragon's Love (J. F. Jenkins)</span></a></span></b><b><span style="background: yellow; color: #95967c; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-highlight: yellow;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<td style="padding: .75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt;" valign="top"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="background: #CC0099; line-height: 18.5pt; mso-element-anchor-horizontal: column; mso-element-anchor-vertical: paragraph; mso-element-frame-hspace: 2.25pt; mso-element-wrap: around; mso-element: frame; mso-height-rule: exactly; text-align: center; vertical-align: top;">
<b><span style="background: yellow; color: #95967c; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-highlight: yellow;">15.</span></b><b><span style="background: yellow; color: #95967c; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-highlight: yellow;"><a href="http://www.linkytools.com/click_linky.aspx?entryid=7681075" target="_blank" title="Linked to: vvb32reads.blogspot.com/"><span style="color: #78aa99; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">vvb32 reads</span></a></span></b><b><span style="background: yellow; color: #95967c; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-highlight: yellow;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<td style="padding: .75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt;" valign="top"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="background: #CC0099; line-height: 18.5pt; mso-element-anchor-horizontal: column; mso-element-anchor-vertical: paragraph; mso-element-frame-hspace: 2.25pt; mso-element-wrap: around; mso-element: frame; mso-height-rule: exactly; text-align: center; vertical-align: top;">
<b><span style="background: yellow; color: #95967c; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-highlight: yellow;">16.</span></b><b><span style="background: yellow; color: #95967c; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-highlight: yellow;"><a href="http://www.linkytools.com/click_linky.aspx?entryid=7682593" target="_blank" title="Linked to: www.elizatilton.com"><span style="color: #78aa99; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">Eliza Tilton</span></a></span></b><b><span style="background: yellow; color: #95967c; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-highlight: yellow;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<td style="padding: .75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt;" valign="top"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="background: #CC0099; line-height: 18.5pt; mso-element-anchor-horizontal: column; mso-element-anchor-vertical: paragraph; mso-element-frame-hspace: 2.25pt; mso-element-wrap: around; mso-element: frame; mso-height-rule: exactly; text-align: center; vertical-align: top;">
<b><span style="background: yellow; color: #95967c; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-highlight: yellow;">17.</span></b><b><span style="background: yellow; color: #95967c; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-highlight: yellow;"><a href="http://www.linkytools.com/click_linky.aspx?entryid=7683109" target="_blank" title="Linked to: www.kaitlyndavisbooks.com/2014/03/keep-magic-alive-ya-fantasy-blog-hop.html"><span style="color: #78aa99; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">Kaitlyn Davis ~ Author!</span></a></span></b><b><span style="background: yellow; color: #95967c; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-highlight: yellow;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<td style="padding: .75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt;" valign="top"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="background: #CC0099; line-height: 18.5pt; mso-element-anchor-horizontal: column; mso-element-anchor-vertical: paragraph; mso-element-frame-hspace: 2.25pt; mso-element-wrap: around; mso-element: frame; mso-height-rule: exactly; text-align: center; vertical-align: top;">
<b><span style="background: yellow; color: #95967c; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-highlight: yellow;">18.</span></b><b><span style="background: yellow; color: #95967c; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-highlight: yellow;"><a href="http://www.linkytools.com/click_linky.aspx?entryid=7690703" target="_blank" title="Linked to: taliajager.blogspot.com"><span style="color: #78aa99; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">Talia Jager, YA Author</span></a></span></b><b><span style="background: yellow; color: #95967c; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-highlight: yellow;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<td style="padding: .75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt;" valign="top"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="background: #CC0099; line-height: 18.5pt; mso-element-anchor-horizontal: column; mso-element-anchor-vertical: paragraph; mso-element-frame-hspace: 2.25pt; mso-element-wrap: around; mso-element: frame; mso-height-rule: exactly; text-align: center; vertical-align: top;">
<b><span style="background: yellow; color: #95967c; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-highlight: yellow;">19</span></b><b><span style="background: yellow; color: #95967c; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-highlight: yellow;"><a href="http://www.linkytools.com/click_linky.aspx?entryid=7698305" target="_blank" title="Linked to: www.lorilclark.com"><span style="color: #78aa99; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">Lori L. Clark,
Author</span></a></span></b><b><span style="background: yellow; color: #95967c; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-highlight: yellow;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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