Friday, May 31, 2013

End-of-School Year Freebie

So here it is the end of the month and summer is upon us, although everyone is saying the beginning of Summer was last weekend.  If you haven't picked up your copy of Finally Home for you Kindle yet and would like a copy, this weekend (today, tomorrow and Sunday) you can download a copy for free.  If you like Nancy Drew mysteries and would like to try a new story on the lines of a Nancy Drew mystery or know a middle grade/young adult reader who is into mysteries and Nancy Drew, please direct them here for their free copy.  Hope you all will get your copy and enjoy the read.

The audio book should be up on amazon, audible,com and through itunes within a week or so.  See you all in the postings - E :)

Wednesday, May 29, 2013

Carpe Diem (again)

The other night I was watching the Disney Channel (yeah, I know why are you watching the Disney  Channel?), and was inspired by a Phineas and Ferb video take.  It was about carpe diem.  I wish I could remember the words because it was very inspiring but then again that was a late night moment that has passed.

I did take the opportunity to contact National Geographic today and have been referred to several persons but I'm not sure I'm getting to the right person.  Time will tell.  So Phineas and Ferb, thanks for reminding me to "seize the day" again.  I needed it.  I can only move upward now that the ball is rolling.  See  you all in the postings -  E :)

UPDATE (05/29/2013):  So I was searching the net for the Phineas and Ferb video and found this one although I don't remember seeing  the chorus line of dancers at the beginning on the one I saw the other night or Kenny Ortega making an appearance near the end but this is pretty much the video I saw and apparently it is a couple of years old.  Hope you all enjoy it and remember to Carpe Diem -  seize the day -

Phineas & Ferb Carpe Diem Video

See you all in the postings - E :)

Friday, May 24, 2013

Just Call Me Slack

It has been 3 weeks since my last post and I have no excuse for it other than to say that I have been slack all around.  I got a new computer in April and about 2-1/2 weeks later had to return it due to the fact that the scroll on the touchpad didn't work and the system was slow, albeit faster than what is in my dinosaur of a computer now, and apparently had the wrong operating system as nothing really seemed to work like it was supposed to.  I did notice there were some Windows 7 files on what was supposed to be a Windows 8 based computer.  Even wor tech support guys said the system wasn't operating properly and that I should take it back.  Now I'm back on my old laptop again and can't take it with me anywhere due to the monitor being broken at the hinges and the slightest movement causes me to lose my ability to see anything on the screen other than a bunch of lines, meaning I have to hibernate the old thing and then turn it back on to get my screen back.

So slack days should be over and I hope to get back to posting on a more regular basis.

UPDATE ON AUDIO BOOKS:  Finally Home has had the once over listen through (and yes, I was very slack when it came to going through the narrations) and I've sent some suggested changes to the narrator.  Sienna did a great job for the most part and as stated previously, if I were to pick a person to play Kelly or how I pictured Kelly, she would be the perfect fit.

State of Successes has been completed and I'm waiting on Heather to get the final cover to me to  upload that so I can finalize the production of that book.  It looks like the state books will be published audio wise before Finally Home but that's okay - all in due time.

I will probably submit the contract to Francene in June to work on State of Wilderness  next.  August will be State of Heights and September or October will be State of Nature.  I'm also looking into a sponsor for the state series to hopefully get them back on track, but more on that when I find a sponsor and the money is flowing in to pay the bills (Heather, printing, et cetera), which will p robably be posted on the JGDS blog when I have updates.

FAMILY NEWS:  Youngest son, who is now living with my parents and my oldest son, got his GED and has finally gotten a job, working in the same plant oldest son is but on opposite days (when oldest is working, youngest is off and vice versa).  The last I heard was when they get established a bit more they plan on moving out on their own.  I don't think it is a good idea due to the fact that my parents' aren't in any condition to really be left taking care of themselves; more or less, my father would have to take care of my mother (she is pretty much in an Alzheimer state) and himself (he has back problems and is having to use a walker to get around and possibly heading to wheelchair or some sort of hoveround craft to get around among many other illnesses).  I would prefer that my parents have someone around to help out but who am I to say what the boys will do in the next few months.  I guess when I go up there for the High Country Festival of the book next month (June 21 at Watagua High School in Boone, NC) I'll find out everything.  Daughter who had moved to West Virginia in November and back home in February finally got a job. She starts next Thursday for training and then goes directly to work at the store she will be working (training is in one town and store she will be working is in our county seat town).  So that is the best news for her since she has been without a job since moving back home and has been driving me nuts - constantly on the go and begging her  father and me for money all the time; I just hope she will be saving her money and not be on the go as much (working second or third shift, she won't have time to go galavanting all the time). 

School is out in Utah and I've not had any classroom visits with them in over a month and I miss them.  Taught my POV sessions and then they had state testing and worked on a project for the town and then end of year reviews and studying.  I look forward to working with the next group of students in the fall.  Just to let teachers and librarians know, I am available for school visits as per my website and I will do virtual classroom visits as well. 

Bring on the Summer and hopefully lots of good news to report and more books being published.  See you all in the postings - E :)

Wednesday, May 01, 2013

Writing Tips for Young Writers

I subscribe to a homeschooling ezine called clickschooling.com (clickschooling offers links to varioius subjects Monday through Saturday, covering Math, Science, Language Arts, Music and Arts, Foreign Languages, and on Fridays they do a Virtual Field Trip - linking to various plants that show you how things are done or a behind the scenes look at various products and projects - they even had a tour of the Peeps Factory around Easter one time) and just happened to open today's email because the title caught my eye.  It says "Tips for Young Writers" and who could resist that, especially when working with kids during writing time in school as well as sharing my writing knowledge (what little I do have - lol) during book events with young persons.  So I clicked on the link and it took me to The Blue Zoo Writers website, which is a pretty cool site.  There are tips for young writers but other information as well, like how to get published and brainstorming ideas to motivation on writing. 

If you are a homeschooler teaching students writing or even a teacher who needs some writing advice, please check out the link and see what wonderful advice you can garner to help in your teaching endeavors.  If you are a writer, there is plenty of information there for you as well.  I would also suggest signing up for the Blue Zoo Writers' newsletter which can be found on the page as well. 

Hope you all can use the information.  See you all in the postings - Mrs. E :)