Cake, E-books, and a Giveaway! Oh, My!

Readers, Writers, Thinkers, and Dreamers!

Hi!

In case you missed the last giveaway, enter for you chance to win an e-book, The Hunters and the Queen, and a $5.00 Starbucks gift card.

Here, I made you a cake for good luck.

                                       Not really, but here are the ingredients and recipe.


Nom.....Nom.....Nom....Delicious!

So, enter the giveaway here at Rafflecopter.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Cheers!

Thank you for your support.

Thank you!

Well, I did it. I liked the experience. It was like a nice refreshing dip in the water.

What you ask?

I completed a week long book blitz giveaway, and it was fantastic! (Note to self: Also post on own blog next time.)

Not only did I get to see what other authors and writers were doing and saying, but I also was introduced to some pretty informative blog sites for readers of all types of genre. So, a big THANK YOU to YA Reads for organizing the blog tour for The Hunters and the Queen. 

Also, if you have some time, check out these blogs:

Drunken Reads

Simplistic Reviews

Pieces of Whimsy

Curling up with a Good Book

Cassandra M's Place

Hope To Read

Thanks to all the blog writers and readers who took the time to tweet, read, and enter the giveaway!

This was a very good experience.

Cheers!

Emergence

Hi,

Well, my journey has started. My writing journey. I have penned the first few pages of the third book in the Hunters and the Queen series. The third book is titled Emergence. If you haven't checked out the first two books (Resurgence and Transcendence ), then they are available at Amazon for your reading pleasure. Transcendence is also available at Smashwords and Barnes & Noble. (Although, as I type this, Barnes & Noble still has the old title, The Gypsy Hunter, with the older book description on the book page. Amazon and Smashwords are updated; moreover, the book content has been updated on all sites and is consistent.

If you read Transcendence, then you were briefly introduced to Fire and you probably recognized hints of the Wind element. The third book will deal with Fire trying to find Wind, and Jolán finding Fire. The dark lords try to maintain their hold over certain parts of the realm, but they need Queen Madrit to kill for them; Queen Madrit carries the blood of the ancestral line that will help the dark lords secure their power on the planet.

Thank you for your support and encouragement. Cheers! In the meantime, I have pasted a couple paragraphs from the third book, Emergence.

Emergence

 

Slaine, England

Bones were broken. Swine were left half-dead waiting for their full demolishment. It was pathetic and unnecessary management of living creatures. Cruel and unusual treatment. Barbaric. Dreadful. Intolerable.

Many hated the local slaughterhouse, but others were not remotely bothered by the presence of the pig factory. Those who did mind, however, were beyond ready to act. Beyond ready to take a stand and fight for better treatment of the animals, but such kind people were outnumbered. They were outnumbered by the overwhelming amount of hunters who now occupied a large portion of the small town. The native townspeople were becoming outnumbered. Something had to happen, the town was dying.

Petra knew she held power. She had honed her skill at a very young age, privately while she was in her room. Her parents were loving people, but special power was not encouraged in the household; and Petra had special power. It was this power that made her the element of wind. It was this power that made her a threat to the hunters. Petra had awakened, and all of those years of practicing her skill would serve the mission well. Now, however, she rested. The last few days had been a flurry of emotional destruction. A devastating tornado created by the fury purported by her anger. She had never used her powers out of anger, and now the chaos and mayhem she created destroyed a town. Destruction so bad that she was committed to a hospital, a mental hospital.

Petra was tired, but she was not broken. She rested in the hospital bed, but she was confused about her medical treatment. She did everything she believed was necessary, but her worlds were blurred. She didn’t have a mental breakdown, but maybe she did; however, she was sure her place was not inside of the hospital strapped to a bed. She was the element of wind, and she knew she comprised the full force of the planet. She understood her responsibility in this realm, but she was disoriented. She didn’t know how to gain credibility for her cause and for the mission. The wind element had awakened, and she had to find the other elements of the natural planet.

As Petra rested in her bed, her medication clouded her mind. She remembered everything that led to her current stint in the hospital. It started when she confronted the cruel pig owners and set their pigs free; then, she released a whirlwind of destruction upon her town. A destruction so bad her violence and power killed her family, her hunter family. Petra was not one of them; however, she was the youngest child, and her parents converted to hunters after she was born. Her parents thought the hunters would help them save their farm; they thought the hunters would help them save their home. They did not realize the hunters only destroy.

Petra understood the reasons why those who doubted her power captured her and locked her inside a padded room; however, they were simple people unaware of her responsibilities in the realm. They were blissful people ignorant of the problems of the galaxy. Not everyone living in her town were hunters, just most of them. The non-hunter types were typically brainwashed by the dark lord dominance of Slaine city corruption; and they allowed dark energy to infiltrate their town as long as their own lifestyles were maintained; unaffected by the inner workings of the dark lords. These affluent townspeople were no less evil than the hunters; and such a symbiotic relationship of evil often led to the capture and destruction of once vibrant and egalitarian cities, towns, and communities. The dark lords wanted control of all the towns throughout the world. The dark lords appreciated their stronghold throughout certain parts of the realm, and they relied on such symbiotic relationships with the narcissistic townspeople who were willing to cultivate a relationship with them.

 As Petra lingered in her bed, she remembered a man. A tall, dark, and evil man. She did not want to see him, but she knew he would eventually seek her out and pay her a visit. He had already been to her hospital room once, and she made it clear she did not want to ever see him again. He was the one who put her in the hospital.

Petra began to fall asleep. Her heavy medication was prescribed for full sedation, but she was able to find moments of lucidity. She would eventually build tolerance to the drugs. Petra’s head started to bob around until it rested back on to her pillow. At that moment, two tiny birds flew towards the window. The birds lingered by the window as their eyes examined the inside of Petra’s room. The birds knew something special was inside, they knew they had a message to deliver to the forest.

                            ~~~~~~~ Check back soon. Thank you~~~~~~~~~~

Trotting with the Turkeys

Hello folks,

The holidays are here. As most of you do not know, I am an advocate for the annual Turkey Trot. Whether it is a 5K, a 10K, or whatever, getting in some exercise is always beneficial; especially when large consumptions of food are waiting to get eaten, enjoyed, and digested. The race is typically low-key and fun, but in some cities the race can grow quite large in the number of participants, so be prepared to maneuver around people along your path. It's great energy to participate in an event with people sharing a common interest and goal; running and walking is a great way to begin the holiday season.

Over this year's Thanksgiving holiday, I participated in my local Turkey Trot. Here in Long Beach, California, I ran a 10k race before I sat down to a lovely meal with family and friends. I had a great time. The path was a flat 3.1 miles out along the coastline, and then a turn-around with another 3.1 miles headed back along the same path. It was a gorgeous day, and there were well over 4,000 participants at the event. Afterwards, I felt accomplished and ready to restore all those lost calories! The holiday season may bring a lot of food, stress, emotion, and apprehension to our lives, and participating in a local run or walk for charity can greatly attribute to better health around the holiday season. Exercise can help keep things in balance; allowing you to spend some time working on you. So, if you see a local event in your area, I urge you to participate. If you don't see anything offered in your community, then maybe think about putting on your own event. Creating community involvement around better health is a positive force in the environment. Let's all work towards positivity, not just over the holidays, but over all the days. Take care, everyone! Cheers!

The Sequel is Here!

Readers, Writers, and Dreamers!

Hi :0)

Have you ever wondered why some families become members of the aristocracy? Does the universe choose them? Whatever happened to Constantinople? The Hunter and the Queen series welcomes these questions into its story.

I finished the II book in the Hunter and Queen series, Transcendence. Book II  is the sequel to Resurgence. Transcendence is not as long as the first book, but there is more action compared to the first book in the series. The first book provides a backstory for the journey.

In book II, you will learn more about Hadrian and the dark lords; and you will travel deeper into a world of fantasy, love, darkness, mystery, and history. Transcendence is a short novel that creates a bridge from the Order of the Hunters and the dark lords to the sky world and the sky beings. I will take a few weeks off before I begin writing the third book in the series. I do hope you enjoy the story, and please come back to learn more about the developments in the Hunter and the Queen series. To those people who have traveled with me during this process, thank you for your support, guidance, and information. Now, +Random House Books, +Simon & Schuster, and +HarperTeen, I am ready to submit, yet again, a work of fiction to your magnificent literary agents. I know I'm at the bottom of your slush piles. I know I need to secure a literary agent. I know I need to find a professional editor that doesn't charge a price equal to my monthly mortgage, but we all can dream! Time to celebrate with popcorn, extra butter! Cheers!

Honey, do you have some cinnamon and nutmeg?

Hey great people,

I have a confession. I like DIY face masks. Sure, I have purchased brand name masks, +Dermalogica gentle cream exfoliant, and I still do to this day; however, there is something special about a good DIY mask that perks up my lackluster skin.

Using natural ingredients to make a face mask is easy, efficient, and fun. I regularly alternate between store bought products and nature's choice, aka Virginia's batch, to save money. Honestly, this mask is one of my favorite facial masks of all time. I have tried oatmeal, avocado, clay, lemon and salt, but this mask reigns victorious compared to all those other natural masks. Honey has moisturizing properties that help aid sensitive skin. Honey also helps to remedy certain skin issues such as acne, enlarged pores, eczema, and rosacea. Cinnamon helps kill bacteria and prevent infections, so its antimicrobial properties can benefit your skin. Nutmeg is known to help achieve smoother and healthier skin; in addition, the spice can further help remove acne marks. The beauty mask can help your skin combat dryness, redness, enlarged pores, and acne.

Without further introduction, I introduce to you the Honey, Cinnamon and Nutmeg mask of beauty.

                                                          1 teaspoon Honey
                                                          1 teaspoon Cinnamon
                                                          1 teaspoon Nutmeg


I discovered this awesome little recipe via barefoot blonde, and I am eternally grateful for my find and for her post. Although this mask works great on my skin, it may not work for you; however, I urge you to try it yourself.

Mix all the ingredients together. You should have a chocolate colored paste. You do not want the paste to have too much honey, so make sure the mask is not too runny. If it is, then you want to add more cinnamon and nutmeg to firm up the paste. When the mask is firm, you are ready to smear the gooey mixture all over your face. Make sure your face and hands are clean before applying the mask. Smear the entire paste over your face. Do not put the mixture on your eyes or lips; the paste may aggravate these sensitive areas. Once you have covered your entire face with the mask, then leave on for at least 20-minutes. I typically leave my mask on for 30-minutes.

 





Some people have reported a tingly feeling. If the mask is uncomfortable for you, then rinse off immediately. I do feel a slight tingle when I use this mask, but I tell myself it's the cinnamon killing off all my face bacteria! So, I just suck it up and ride out the tingle. Once you have rinsed off the mask, then you will immediately see and feel the wonderful effects of the DIY facial. Your skin will feel smooth, refreshed, moisturized, and you will have a glow that lasts for days.

Right after rinsing the mask

The next morning

 

So, this is the recipe for the best DIY face mask. I use this mask at least once per month. I hope you like the recipe as much as I do; drop me a line and let me know your experience. I'd like to hear from you! Live, love, read, and laugh! Cheers!

 

 

 







My nasty, dirty little secret.......Cuticle chewing!!

Hello folks,

I have neglected my blog. I have developed a site that only highlights my books and my writing process. I didn't mean for this to happen, but it did, and I am making changes. So, as I begin to add diversity to my blog, I will continue to sprinkle my own book blurbs throughout the site (like here, Resurgence and Transcendence ). Now, let's talk about cuticle chewing! (When I make changes, I start huge!)  ;0)

 

A few people ask if I develop characters based upon people in my life. I have to say, no; however, I do compile a lot of different personality traits, quirks, and behaviors from the people I meet or have befriended. With that said, I have, however, provided the main character in my books, Jolán Vajnbirg, with a nasty little habit of chewing her cuticles (However, when she transforms she stops her habit, hehe). 

 

Her bad habit is a very real and habitual habit in my own life. I have managed to scale back my chewing, dare I say even close to kicking the habit, but I do have relapses. Yes, sometimes I chewed my cuticles until they bled, but not any more! I have successfully managed to minimize my chewing to the point where I go days, and sometimes even a week, without a single nibble! I will share what tricks I have used, but it takes persistence and willpower to stop cuticle chewing. It's a bad habit that often stems from nerves or even anxiety. I developed my habit at a very young age, and I am still trying to break the chewing cycle!! Often my cuticles get dry, and instead of grabbing cuticle clippers, lotion, or cuticle oil, well, I chew the dry skin. I know, sexy. I'll share something even a little more disgusting with you, I often laugh and tell people, 'My skin is so dry it tastes like jerky!' I tend to joke about the things that make me insecure.

 

Cuticle chewing is definitely not fashionable. I, however, am using fashion to curb my finger noshing. I have committed to painting my nails, and I usually use bright colors. When my cuticles feel dry, I typically would rip off the dead skin with my teeth. This is a very gross and sometimes painful process. However, when my nails are painted with bright colors, the colors often send a "don't chew" message to my brain. Instead of instantly putting my fingers into my mouth to chew, I will see the color on my fingernails, stop, think, and grab some cuticle oil. Once I add the oil, the jerky-like texture is gone and so is my desire to munch on my fingers. Keeping my nails and cuticles hydrated has really helped. Also, the extra care I take with my hands and fingers provides pause when I want to chew. Why would I want to chew on my skin when my nails look so pretty?

 

That's my remedy but, like I  said, I still have relapses. Some habits are harder to break than other habits, and some people have a worse time with their habit than other people. I would often chew until my cuticles needed Band-Aids, but I never got infections. Some people still chew despite the infections their habit brings to their life. I know fingernail painting seems like a superficial approach, but it has helped distract my attention away from chewing my cuticles. It may not work for you. If your cuticle chewing habit is causing sickness or other maladies, I urge you to seek the care of a medical professional. Cuticle chewing does have a psychological association; whether it's nerves, anxiety, anticipation, or boredom, you are the master of your own habit and you are able to quit all things terrible. We can do this! You have to want to quit, but let's go! Cuticle chewers of the world unite! :0)