An Appeal To Calliope

It would seem that I have some unexpected time on my hands. A mini vacation of sorts, that will cost me more money than I can really afford, but will provide a much needed rest.

And what should I do with this time? Watch movies? Complete all the sudoku puzzles I can? Dance around the living room with Pangur Ban? Browse Facebook every five minutes?

I am a mastermind at murdering time. But what I really want to do is have a break through on Shadows On The Wall. The wall that Cameo has put up to block me is incredible. I'm going to need a truckload of C4 and a nuclear bomb to clear it.

I'm stuck right at the point just before the climax of the story. I've worked on Selkie Dance a bit lately, but my heart's not really in it. I need to finish SOTW. Help!

I hereby formally appeal to the muse Calliope. I need my inspiration back, and I need it soon. I must take advantage of this unexpected time!

Fate As I Know It

Lake Oroville Dam: April 2012 (c) Shanco.corporations

I believe in fate. I believe that certain things are just meant to happen. I believe that we can't see where we are heading, and we're not supposed to, but that doesn't mean we aren't heading somewhere. As in, specific.

I believe in free will. I think fate believes in free will...the thing is, our personalities are such, that we will pick the same road, or make the same type of choices, every time.

Fate knows us. Fate is a living, breathing entity that learns and evolves with us.

Fate is the will of the great I Am, combined with the spirit of us.

Sometimes, things happen, and they seem horrific. Hell, they are horrific. But time, and distance, shows us that we wouldn't change those instances. Every thing that happens, leads us somewhere new. Sometimes the biggest 'mistakes' or most awful occurrences, lead us to best parts of our life.

"Everything happens for a reason" has become merely a trite saying that other people tell us when they have no explanation for the terrible.

But it's true! Gosh darn it! It is absolutely, irrevocably (I hate that word) true!

We may not be able to see the reason, see what road we're on or where it ends, but you may trust that everything that happens to you, happens for a very specific reason.

Fate exists. You can shape it, but you can't necessarily change it. All you can do is react, piece yourself back together, and get back on the road.

Listening to Bublé, Wainwright and Deejay: Need I Say More?

Yeah, I got out of the habit of posting. Yeah, yeah, WAY out of the habit. Point taken, sorry.

No really, sorry :'(

And with that behind us, wow today was just awful. As if I needed a reminder of how different I am, and how unappreciated a good sense of humor is these days. Oy. I mean, really, OY.

If there was a bus to Hermitsville going by my apartment right now, I would grab Pangur Ban and Sam and jump on without a seconds thought. It was that bad of a day.

So all day I've been reading Jennifer Armentrout's Lux series to try and distract myself. I've read all three books in the last day and a half (yes, now you really understand how depressing my life is right now). I like them a lot. I'm kind of sick of Katy's elitist book syndrome, which must be a direct manifestation of Armentrout (wow that's a long last name). But Daemon Black is pretty terrific. I hate the way his first name is spelled though. And she needs to get past 'daemon/daimon' in general. And the name alliteration is driving me NUTS. (I have to stop beginning sentences with 'and') I can't tell you how many times I've gotten Daemon and Dawson, or Adam and Andrew and Ash all mixed up because I'm reading über fast. But a good story nonetheless. I really liked the cliffy at the end of Opal (book 3). That was fun.

Yeah, so, meow.

Meow is my new answer to everything. Except today. Today is more of a YOWL day. I hate it when Pangur Ban yowls, but I get it, it's necessary sometimes.

I feel like crying. A lot.

But hey, The Host movie came in the mail yesterday. I could watch that, get my Ian and Jared fill.

I just don't understand how people can stand sucking so much. Seriously, that's got to drag a person down.

Shadow On The Wall ESBS Scene Release!

As promised, here is a scene from the upcoming,

Shadows On The Wall: The Immortal World Book 2

Chapter 2

Wearing someone else’s skin was not nearly as uncomfortable as it used to be. The stray thought gave her pause, as she actually could not remember a time she had worn her own skin.

It was a worry that she couldn’t truly understand. She didn’t remember what her own skin looked like. It had been too long since she had felt the weight of her own bones, seen through her own eyes. Why it should bother her so, she couldn’t say. Her master had never requested that she look like herself, he always had someone else for her to be.

A seagull screamed directly overhead, bringing her wandering mind back to the humans’ port she currently strolled through. It was different kind of nightmare she experienced now. This was her only semblance of freedom, and it was marred by the job she must perform.

The ocean was calm, the waves gently lapped at the docks in a loving embrace that belied the vengeance they had wreaked the night before. Sailors were working hard to repair the damage from the storm before the ships could sail again.

Cameo slowed to a stop before one of the ships and stared at it’s magnificent hull. The Quick Redemption had docked in the early hours of the morning, as soon as the storm had ended. It wasn’t safe to have a ship so large remain docked during such a storm. From what Cameo had heard in the bar the night before, the sailors had been very upset to reboard. After six months away from their homeport the men had been looking forward to a few days with their families.

The news hadn’t just upset the sailors though, Cameo’s master had also been annoyed to have his plans thwarted. She rubbed a hand over her neck, hoping the marks no longer showed. Normally makeup would be enough to cover them up until they faded, but her master had been very put out. He was not quite as careful when he was angry.
The Quick Redemption had returned swiftly though, and now she would be able to do her job, and then enjoy her relative freedom for a night or two.
¨¨¨
The Saltwater Tap Room was packed with all of the single sailors who weren’t ready to retire to their hotel rooms and bachelor pads. They drank and told their stories and danced with girls who hoped to meet their Knight In Shining Armor.

Not bloody likely, Cameo thought as she stared at the brazen sailors from a booth in the back corner. These sailors only wanted to meet a damsel they could distress for the night. She felt the familiar urge to sigh as she stared at the happy humans, enjoying a life of blissful ignorance.

She was so lonely for her own kind it sometimes shocked her. She had never met another shifter, her master had assured her they had died out. That was why he had rescued her and kept her safe, she was the last of her kind.

The last shape shifter. A genetic dead end, at that. Without another shifter to there was no way to pass on the gene. She would always be this alone.

Her master would never understand that burden, his kind were many and he could be with them whenever he wanted. He reminded her often though, that his kind were a danger to her. Vampires couldn’t resist the lure of shifter blood. He kept her safe, but for a price.

Reminded of the task at hand once again, Cameo turned her attention back to the crowd and spotting the one she had come for. A name, a picture and a location was all she was given, but she was good at her job. She would find him.

A young man stopped in from of her booth and looked down at her with an easy smile. “Well, what’s a pretty thing like you doing, sitting all alone? Waiting for someone?”

Or he would find her…

She smiled slowly, “I was waiting for you.”

The Extra Special Birthday Surprise: ESBS

It's that time of year again! The ESBS is here, because it is what?

November 9th! (Best day of the year in my extremely biased opinion)

http://youtu.be/GKAHA4Yohi8

So, first things first:

1. Giveaway of Only The Stars Know by Ryan, from RyanReadsBooks on YouTube. This will be a US Only Giveaway. I believe it will be opening tomorrow, and I'll post again to make sure you have all appropriate links and videos available. Giveaway Includes: Signed & Personalized copy of Only The Stars Know: The Immortal World Book 1, Signed Submerged In Darkness bookmark, and two extra signed business cards for Only The Stars Know.

Next!

2. Scene release from Shadows On The Wall: The Immortal World Book 2!!! That will be posted right here, in just a few moments!

3. Book Orders can now be made directly through me, via email & Paypal. EMAIL ME HERE if you would like to take advantage of this! Be sure to include "Book Order" in the subject line, and your name, how many books, personalization wanted, and mailing address. In return I will send you my PayPal information. The books should end up costing about $8 plus shipping & handling! (Probably $11 total, for continental US)

4. Pre-Release copies of Shadows On The Wall: The Immortal World Book 2 can now be requested by reviewers! Please EMAIL ME HERE if you are interested. Make sure you put "SOTW Pre-Release" in the subject line, include your name, review forum links and any personalization you might like for the book.



There now, aren't you happy I'm alive?

Learning Lessons From Others' Mistakes

Wow, had a crazy wake-up call/lesson learned this afternoon.

Some poor, not all that bright blogger wrote a blog in May of this year about a news story and ended up using what he likely thought was a perfectly innocent, likely free photo off the internet.

What he had no idea of at the time (though should have researched) was that the man who both took and starred in the photo is now a writer and very well known actor for a comedy website that many people frequent (myself included). He is a beloved face on the website for his humor, charm and immodesty about his own good looks.

So when this paragon of comedy innocently did an image search on his own face (please, don't act like you've never done it) he was shocked to find this picture of himself just floating wilhe-nilhe about the internet. It was unlicensed and unaccredited everywhere it popped up portraying him as a dufus.

So he went on this comedy website and wrote an article linking back to most, if not all, of the places that had used his picture without permission (including this unsuspecting blogger) and said that, while he was not going to throw a fit or demand people take it down, couldn't they use this more flattering image that he would also provide for free? And thus he posted a similar but unarguably more flattering picture.

In this comedian's defense; it wasn't right for people to use his photo unlicensed and unaccredited and I too would be annoyed to find an unflattering photo of myself floating about the internet with hashtags of #dumbass and #assholes.

In the bloggers defense: When you run a small blog with few readers and less money, it is much easier to find photos via a google image search, than through a professional website that you must pay for and then credit the photographer.

Lessons to be learned: Don't take unflattering photos of yourself and post them on the internet. Don't use unaccredited photos unless you want it to possibly bite you hard in the butt someday.

Now, this poor blogger's previously quiet site has been blown up with comments (unwittingly?) directed there by the comedian...and they are not nice comments.

Possibly Bad People, LJ accounts & Burnt Toast, And A LBD Reference

I don't know why Pangur Ban keeps hissing at my roommate whenever she walks by. My mom thinks it's because my roommate has done something to my cat when I'm not around...but I just don't think she's that bad of a person. ( I rank people who are cruel to animals up there with rapists and serial killers) It's bugging me though, not knowing. I really need to learn how to speak cat, and just ask Pangur.

In other random news; I logged onto my long forgotten LiveJournal account today, BlackAsMySoul (so named for my favorite scene in Chris Moore's book You Suck!). It was a curious thing. I looked back on my early attempts at blogging and saw some good, and some very immature posts. I suppose that I shall feel the same about my early posts on this blog in a few years...but I hope not.

Anywho, it has unduly depressed me. Also, it brought to mind from the grave dead friendships that should remain buried. Even more depressing.

And thus, I am depressed. Hmm. I need a pick-me-up.

I need to do some writing, as well. To get my creative build-up out on paper (or keyboard). Yes, that is what I need. But it is 1 AM. So first, I should probably sleep. Yes. Sleep. A grand idea.

BTDubbs, (As THELydiaBennet (The Lizzie Bennet Diaries) would say) I want to buy books. But Cameo and Damon won't let me...I have to write 1000 words on Shadows On The Wall first. I am depressed. Oh wait, I already said that. Nvm.