Monday, January 29, 2018

Don't Listen

Don't listen with your ears
     for your ears
          will only hear the words

Don't listen with your ears
     those words
          could be filled with lies

     with hurt
          with anger
               with pain

Don't listen with your ears
     those words alone
          cannot convey the truth

Listen with your heart

Listen to the heartache
     the regrets
          the hopes

Listen to the cries
     for help
          and understanding

Listen to the scared
     the lonely
          and the lost

Don't listen with your ears
They'll only tell you words

Tuesday, January 16, 2018

The Fire that Inspired Flaming Crimes by Chrys Fey (Part 7)

Please welcome the lovely Chrys Fey to the blog today!!!

***
AUTHOR NOTE: Many scenes in Flaming Crimes (Disaster Crimes #4) came from real life. For this short blog tour, I am sharing my memories as a ten-part continuous story, so hop along for the entire experience.


Series: Disaster Crimes #4
Page Count: 304
Digital Price: 4.99
Print Price: 16.99
Rating: Spicy (PG13) 

BUY LINKS:


FLAMING GUEST POST PART SEVEN:
I returned home at dusk. When I walked in the house with my family, the first thing we saw was one of our cats lying right there in the walkway, as if nothing had happened. I remember thinking that if the house would have burned down, this cat would’ve died.

Before we went to bed, Monkey, the pregnant cat who had run out of my sister’s arms came back home. She was okay. But…another one of our cats had run out the door in the chaos and was still out there, somewhere.

When I went to bed, I had been afraid. The house stank like burned wood. A brush truck purred loudly in the woods next to my bedroom, making sure the fire was out and no hotspots would flare up. I woke up several times in the middle of the night, thinking the house was on fire, because smoke was imprinted on my sight. I could see it in the darkness, filling my bedroom. It wasn’t real, but it was to me. 

TO BE CONTINUED…

FLAMING CRIMES EXCERPT:
Trying to walk quickly, but not too fast to frighten the cat, was tricky. Beth made shooshing noises, as if she were comforting a baby, and fluffed the fur on Misty’s chest with her fingers, hoping the contact would soothe her. At Mrs. Caraway’s car, she slowly lowered her right hand to open the back door. Her plan was to gently toss the cat inside and shut the door before she could escape. She pulled on the door handle and had the door cracked open when Misty panicked. The cat fought her. Claws pierced through her T-shirt and sliced the skin on her stomach. Beth attempted to keep her hold on the lashing cat, but Misty let out a yowl and ran her nails up Beth’s arm. She let out a startled cry and instinctively released Misty, who darted across the lawn and into the woods. In her fear, Misty ran right to the thing she should’ve been running from—the fire.


The story will continue on these blogs:

1/8Circle of Friends Books - Part 1
1/9Sandra CoxPart 2
1/10Elements of EmaginettePart 3
1/11Julie FlandersPart 4
1/12I Think; Therefore, I YamPart 5
1/15Alex J. CavanaughPart 6
1/16Just JemiPart 7
1/17Sandra DaileyPart 8
1/18FundinmentalPart 9
1/19Elizabeth SeckmanPart 10


About the Author: Chrys Fey is the author of the Disaster Crimes Series, a unique concept blending romance, crimes, and disasters. She’s partnered with the Insecure Writer’s Support Group and runs their Goodreads book club. She’s also an editor for Dancing Lemur Press.

Author Links:


Thank you for reading this post! Don’t forget to hop along to the other posts on their designated days for the full fiery story.


SHARE: Your fire story with me.


***
Thanks Chrys! What a fascinating story. Looking forward to the next few posts to see the whole story!

We've luckily been untouched by fire (with one close call). How about you? Any fire stories to share?

Monday, January 15, 2018

Cover Reveal for Tick Tock!

I am thrilled to be able to share the cover of Tick Tock, the upcoming IWSG anthology. Release date is scheduled for May 1, 2018 and I can't wait for this to be out and about in the world!




The clock is ticking...

Can a dead child’s cross-stitch pendant find a missing nun? Is revenge possible in just 48 minutes? Can a killer be stopped before the rescuers are engulfed by a city ablaze? Who killed what the tide brought in? Can a soliloquizing gumshoe stay out of jail?

Exploring the facets of time, eleven authors delve into mysteries and crimes that linger in both dark corners and plain sight. Featuring the talents of Gwen Gardner, Rebecca M. Douglass, Tara Tyler, S. R. Betler, C.D. Gallant-King, Jemi Fraser, J. R. Ferguson, Yolanda RenĂ©e, C. Lee McKenzie, Christine Clemetson, and Mary Aalgaard.

Hand-picked by a panel of agents and authors, these eleven tales will take you on a thrilling ride into jeopardy and secrecy. Trail along, find the clues, and stay out of danger. Time is wasting...

Release date - May 1, 2018
Mystery & Detective/Crime/Thrillers
Print ISBN 9781939844545 eBook ISBN 9781939844552

Isn't it great? I love it!!

(And apparently I didn't press Publish for this to go live this morning... #sigh #oops)

Wednesday, January 3, 2018

IWSG & Schedules & SQUEEE!!!

The Insecure Writer's Support Group is the brainchild of Alex J. Cavanaugh. He, his clones, minions, friends, and fellow authors make it an amazing event every month.




Purpose: To share and encourage. Writers can express doubts and concerns without fear of appearing foolish or weak. Those who have been through the fire can offer assistance and guidance. It’s a safe haven for insecure writers of all kinds!

And we’re revving up IWSG Day to make it more fun and interactive! Every month, we'll announce a question that members can answer in their IWSG Day post. These questions may prompt you to share advice, insight, a personal experience or story. Include your answer to the question in your IWSG post or let it inspire your post if you are struggling with something to say.


January 3rd QuestionWhat steps have you taken to put a schedule in place for your writing and publishing?

Am I allowed to cry here? Or laugh ... hysterically?

Yeah, my life is more than a little wacky at the moment and things like schedules for anything other than the day job are more than a little loosey-goosey.

That said, I do tend to write during the weeknights - after the rest of my Real Life has been dealt with. I can usually get in thirty minutes to an hour a night, which isn't bad. Because of family commitments, the weekends tend to be a write-off (yep, pun intended). The whole attempt-at-publishing thing has been put on hold for the past 6 years due to Real Life and its many demands. Instead, I've been working on improving my craft and learning (there's always SO MUCH to learn!).

I'm hoping to one day have an actual schedule and be able to push my way into that publishing world!

EDITED TO ADD:
SQUEEE!!!!! 
Some of you may remember a while back when I said I wanted to try my hand at writing a short story. It was outside of my regular genre, but the prompt from the IWSG anthology had my brain ticking. Fast forward to today and my story was chosen as one to be included in the anthology. I'm thrilled and looking so forward to working with Diane & her team at Dancing Lemur Press. Thank you so much!

How about you? Do you thrive on schedules or do they make your soul quiver?