Check out the event at Rebel Ink Press Rebel Reasoning Blog

I will be over there blogging about my goals for 2012. Come on over and share your goals too.

Red Queen

Matched up with Galadrielle

Or perhaps a female dwarf

paired up with a fairy

Could any of these star crossed romances ever work? What would it take? Writers take couples who are quite different and bring them together in the heart of conflict. What qualities does it take to bridge the gap between their differences to make a lasting match?

“People are often unreasonable, illogical, and self-centered;

Forgive them anyway.

If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives;

Be kind anyway.

If you are successful, you will win some false friends and some true enemies;

Succeed anyway.

If you are honest and frank, people may cheat you;

Be honest and frank anyway.

What you spend years building, someone could destroy overnight;

Build anyway.

If you find serenity and happiness, they may be jealous;

Be happy anyway.

The good you do today, people will often forget tomorrow;

Do good anyway.

Give the world the best you have, and it may never be good enough;

Give the world the best you’ve got anyway.

You see, in the final analysis, it is between you and God;

It was never between you and them anyway.”

” “Auld Lang Syne” is a Scots poem written by Robert Burns in 1788 and set to the
tune of a traditional folk song (Roud #6294). It is well known in many
countries, especially (but far from exclusively) in the English-speaking world;
its traditional use being to celebrate the start of the New Year at the stroke
of midnight. By extension, it is also sung at funerals, graduations and as a
farewell or ending to other occasions. The international Boy Scout youth
movement, in many countries, uses it as a close to jamborees and other
functions.

The song’s Scots title may be translated into English literally as “old long
since,” or more idiomatically, “long long ago,” “days gone by” or “old times.”
Consequently “For auld lang syne,” as it appears in the first line of the
chorus, is loosely translated as “for (the sake of) old times.”

The phrase “Auld Lang Syne” is also used in similar poems by Robert Ayton
(1570–1638), Allan Ramsay (1686–1757), and James Watson (1711) as well as older
folk songs predating Burns. The phrase “In the days of auld lang syne” if often
used as the equivalent of “Once upon a time…” in the retelling of fairy tales
in the Scots language.”

Blessed be to you and yours in 2012

Eden.

I am not one to air dirty laundry over the internet. We were both right, we were both wrong. Mostly wrong for each other. I’ll not call her names, like raving lunatic. I count the toll of what I sacrificed to make this relationship work. Sadly, I think if our roles were reversed she would be equally distraught.

I am hurt. I am sad. I feel foolish for the poor choices I’ve made. I’ve hurt my family and myself. I’ve lost happiness and joy with the person that I am. I hope I can find me again.

In the meantime, I begin 2012 dedicated to that endeavor. I will get my career back on track. Yes, it involves travel. I happen to like to travel. I can’t support myself and family on menial labor wages. I hope the fates give me a second chance. I promise to appreciate it more this go round.

I was privileged to sign with Rebel Ink Press this year for two short novelettes in their Halloween and Valentines anthologies, respectively. “The Galloping Ghoul of Hockomock Swamp” in “Once Upon A Twisted Tale” anthology. “Raynia’s Magic” coming out Valentines, 2012 in “Tempting Cupid”.

I was also honored to be part of their “Paw Prints” Rebel writers for a cause. Twenty-five of us collaborated in a round robin manner to create a contemporary romance. The proceeds will go to support animal rescue. All three are available through Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Book Strand, and All Romance.

I am setting writing goals and making my writing career move forward. Yes, these are difficult times in publishing. The doors are wide open and as an author it is very difficult to get readers to see you and take notice. All I can do is dedicate myself to writing the best story I can, promote it the best that I can and leaving the rest in the hands of the powers that be.

My hopes to heal, find myself, and move forward are worthy of my dedicated focus for now. Will I try love again after failing miserably so many times?

Hearts endure.

I am a romance writer after all, am I not.

Paw Prints You-tube Video 2011 Rebel Ink Press, proceeds to benefit animal welfare. I was honored to be selected as a contributing author to work on this project.

What happens when twenty- five writers get together with a story idea geared toward helping better one small corner of the world? Meet Kylie Wright and Buster and find out this December in Paw Prints, a brand new story created by Rebel Writers with a Cause.

Buster was a bait dog, the kind used to teach others like him to fight to the death. Left for dead on the side of an empty country road, Kylie Wright finds him and sets into motion a whirlwind of events that offer both she and Buster a second chance at life. With his new master and a handsome vet tech, Jason, at his side, Buster might have just found his very own Shangri-La. That is if the people who abused him, the very same people threatening both Kylie and Jason, can be brought to justice.

Will Buster finally have the life and family he deserves or will fate deliver each of them at the feet of the cruel men running the death pit?

Rebel Ink Press supports the mission of The Humane Society of the United States and a financial donation will be made to help support their cause. Your support of our project is greatly appreciated and it is our sincere hope you’ll help us spread the word regarding this worthwhile cause.

Visit the release party on Facebook.

My contribution In Honor of our Yellow Lab, “Dakota’s Sunny Delight” i.e. “Sunny” RIP dear friend.

and to our little kitty who “adopted” me in Florida one rainy night weighing only ounces and starved to death. She’s grown into a beauty, “Peyton”. She purrs louder than anyone cat should be able to while she sits behind me.

I’ve become an associate with a huge international shipping conglomerate. They ship virtually anything anywhere. I don’t want to say the name. I’m one of the worker bees. I’ve spent sixty hours packing boxes with those products and labeling them to go on their way being shipped to where ever.

I haven’t worked this hard since Chris Triche and I had to do barn work over Christmas vacation at school with 400 horses and cattle. I’m like the Donut man. Make the donuts, crash get up to make the donuts again. Lordie I’m tired and places hurt that I didn’t know were places.

I hope to do well on this job so that after the Christmas Holidays I get kept on as an Associate. The schedule would calm down to 40 hours a week with Mon/ Tues and Thurs/Fri for a very manageable 40 hour week. I’ll have two classes on distance education at that point equally manageable and I can get back to more writing time again.

So I just wanted to check in to update you on the little twists life has taken lately. I’ll try to keep you all posted from time to time.

I’m happy to think about “Raynia’s Magic” coming out in the Valentine Anthology with Rebel Ink Press. I am working on another piece for them that is exciting and coming together well.

Ann McCaffrey has been my all time favorite science fiction writer. I devoured her books and loved the adventures she took me on. I remember reading her Dragon singer trilogy out loud to the kids during family reading.

I admired her spunk. Her bio made me laugh and filled me with dreams. She lived in Ireland. She loved horses, just like me. She loved dragons, just like me. You could her her laughter in her words. Her books inspired me to write. Her life inspired me to be a fun self determined woman.

2011 announced that the Dragon Riders of Pern series would be made into a movie with David Hayter of Xmen fame writing the screen play and Don Murphy of Transformers as executive producer. David’s wife is a big fan and the pressure is on to make the movie amazing.

I bought a first edition of one of her stories in big book format “A Diversity of Dragons”. The whole thing is illustrated by the amazing artist “John Howe“. I wrote to Anne McCaffrey and requested a signed book plate for the book as gift for my daughter. Yes, I wrote her fan mail but tried not to gush too much. She graciously sent me an autographed book plate.

On her website, Her son extends her regrets in April, 2011 for not being able to make it to Dragon Con this year. He tells fans that she said “Sorry that old age came up and bit me on the a**.”

I’m sorry too Anne, I really am.

I grew up with Saturday morning cartoons and in particular Tarzan movies. The real Tarzan. He is just as illusive as the real Santa Clause. Although I saw the real Santa last Friday night at Rock city. We went to see their Christmas light festival. I was thinking “He looks like the real Santa.” Santa looked over at me an winked. So, He is the real Santa

Anyway, back on track. Warped childhood, Tarzan. Yeah.

http://www.youtube.com. The real Tarzan. No other imitations need apply.

He was a jungle man of few words. “Me Tarzan, you Jane” “Yes Tarzan”

Man in a loin cloth who can find food, save you from crocs, and doesn’t talk much.

Also, went to midnight release of Breaking Dawn Part 1. It was pretty amazing. I pause, I muse, Humm I need some pretty amazing lines today for my weekend dirty dozen.

This week I am picking 12 more lines from my WIP that will be part of the “Tempting Cupid” anthology. Follow all the authors participating in the Weekend Dirty Dozen by following the link to the main website. There are some great free reads out there.

Raynia’s Magic
Blurb:

Raynia Castellano is drawn to purchase an amethyst pendant on an impulse buy. The clerk assures her the magic is in the woman, not the necklace that seems to call to her. She’s left an adulterous x-husband and settled into law practice with her oh so sexy and oh so apparently gay law partners Chase Thompson and Peter Thornton.

Her “bisexual” law partners come out of the closet and surprise her, celebrating the anniversary of her joining the practice with the seduction of her life. She runs from the intensity of her sensuous side and the fear of ruining their long friendship and business partnership.

She is preparing for the trial of her career with very little evidence for the defense. Something isn’t right about the scene of the accident. Her client’s brother makes an attempt on her life, to cover up her discovery that he was the drunk driver who committed the hit and run, not his brother.

The set up is: Raynia just returned from her lunch and the purchase of an interesting amethyst quartz necklace. Chase came into Peter’s office where they both watched her walk through the reception area. Their close proximity to her on a daily has them both hard and hungry for a deeper relationship. We are in Peter’s POV but this snippet is banter between them. Pulling it out of context is a fun challenge.

Chase starts off the conversation:

“You’re the one who had the bright idea to let her think we’re gay.”

“You know she was a wreck after her husband left her. She needed a place to stay where she felt safe. I didn’t exactly know how to broach the conversation of Chase and I are bi-sexual and have wanted to jump your bones since we were freshmen together. Chalk it up to, our timing sucks.”

Chase pushed away from the doorframe and crossed the room to lean over Peter’s chair. He punctuated his words with forefinger jabs. “Yes, well our little butterfly is emerging and if we don’t do something soon another bee is going to be dipping into that honey.”

Peter slapped Chase’s hand away. “Didn’t anyone ever brief you on the concept of metaphors and explain–what you do with them should be grounds for incarceration.”

Chase, shot his partner a quick, fuck-you gesture and grinned. “I manage to communicate.”