Winner, again!

Talk about it being a good week all around - I've won a second book - a signed galley of Marshall Karp's Cut, Paste, Kill. From the website, here is the original posting with my response. Don't know why I posted a response but it sounded like fun. I apparently was following M. J. Rose's sites stumbling on this contest. The solutions and ad man's answer can be found here, which I like much better than my puny little answer - but it was a starting point I guess. Of course they are advertising gurus, whereas I am not. I do what I can and have very little budget. Maybe I should see if he would do an advertising campaign for my series - lol.

WEEKLY WRAPUP OF GOOD THINGS:
1) I won a copy of Reading Magic by Mem Fox from the Indie-Debut 2010 site (see my posting on the other blog)
2) I've been sending out an email campaign to homeschool associations/groups and so far have hit 25 of the listed 53 states/territories in a total of 11 emails and some of the email addresses are bouncing back but some are bringing in results
a) I've been asked to advertise on The Link Magazine website but I can't afford advertising right now, so will have to wait for that
b) I've been asked to join the H.E.R.I. convention in Jacksonville, FL in July as a vendor (I had considered this one recently but because of the deadline being a couple of weeks ago and me not having the funds at the time, decided to forego this one this year) but they will take applications through the 1st of July, which helps me since I can probably swing the fees by then
c) I've been asked to consider attending another conference next year (this year's has already happeened) in Illinois as a vendor (this one being a 12+ hour drive, I really need to think about this; perhaps they will have an advertising campaign that I can participate in)
d) From the email campaign, received a response stating that she had passed info to other members in the group and that her daughter loves geography and history and that they would be using my books to study US History in the fall - I told her about the special deal I had going right now, and she placed an order (my first sale for Reservations) this morning - woohoo - go me!!! - (for more information on this, please see my other blog for a "Sweet Deal" - the deal has been extended to June 5, so order your copies in the next two weeks)
3) I won a copy Marshall Karp's book as listed above.

Hopefully the emails will pay off in the long run and Reservations will be in my hands by the 15th of June and Altitude will be available shortly after that. I'll keep you all posted (on the JGDS blog) when books are available. E :) - ((((((doing the happy dance, has won two books and things are looking up for the series))))))

Winning disappointment - :(

Remember back when I said I had won a copy of this book? Around the middle of March I believe. I inquired to Steve since he was the one who had the contact with Geoffrey and was informed that the book had come back to Geoffrey and he needed my address again. I sent it back to him on April 2. Well, as of yesterday, May 3, 2008, the book still has not arrived. I am a bit disappointed in Geoffrey's lack of commitment to getting this book out. I was so looking forward to reading something.

As it turns out, I had to go to the library and check something out since I ran out of things to read a week or two ago. I picked up Murder 101 and I'm about 1/3 of the way through and am enjoying it very much. The part I read last night gave me a weird dream but a good one. I just wasn't expecting my mind to be in that frame of mind. It must have been the "detective hot pants" comment made by the best friend. - lol.

Maybe one day I will get my book from Geoffrey but until then, I'll just keep entering other contests and try winning other books (as you can see from my previous posting, I won another book) and I'll keep writing my children's series. Maybe if I don't think about it, it will show up (but after a month of being given my address a second time, I am not holding my breath too long on that). Anyway - see you all in the postings.

Winner - again!!!!!!!!

Steve Prosapio over at No Bull is hosting a blog tour fest this month. Every Wednesday, he has an author interview posted and if you stop by and leave a message your name will go in the drawing for the guest author's book or whatever the author is giving away. This past Wednesday, he hosted Geoffrey Edwards, author of Fire Bell in the Night, a historical novel. It was a very fun interview in that Steve gave it an actual feel of being there with the person. Stop on over and check it out and for a copy of the book, you can check it out at amazon.com.

Next week, Steve is hosting Dana Fredsti, author of Murder For Hire: The Peruvian Pigeon. I have a copy of her book and it is an excellent fun read. So stop Steve's blog on Wednesday and leave a comment to go in the drawing for a copy of the book. I'll probably read the interview and may leave a comment but will ask that I don't go in the drawing for the prize since I've got a copy already (and Dana owes me a signed book plate to go in the front of mine). Anyway - see you all in the postings - E :)

Good News - I won (another book - yay!!!!)

A few weeks ago, I stopped by Helen Ginger's blog to leave a comment on Sylvia Dickey Smith's interview and had forgotten about it and this morning when I opened my email, there was a notice saying I had won Deadly Sins Deadly Secrets. I had totally forgotten about that drawing.

I had entered in another drawing but didn't win that one but hey, I love getting surprise emails saying I had won something. You can find Sylvia's books on amazon.com and here if interested in purchasing a copy. I love mysteries andthis sounds like so much fun. Check them out and see what piques your interest - see you all in the postings - E :)

some conference tidbits and - oh yeah, I won again!!!

I knew there was more to the conference than I had posted - here is a funny thing - we were at the beach and it rained all weekend - or it was cloudy and kind of cool but not cold. Sunday morning woke up and it was frigid but sunny. Finally got some heat from the sun on the way home and away from the beach. Apparently all the computers and clocks in the hotel were set to automatically change for daylight savings time this past weekend (my alarm was set for 6:30 and I heard my roommate in the shower thinking she was up pretty early and when I looked at the clock it said 6:10 and so I thought - I've got a bit of time, but then another of the roommate's cell phone was going off - so I went to get my cell phone to check on the time and it was really 7:10 - omg - I had overslept due to the clocks automatically setting back and no one who had an early wake up call received their call like they should have. Someone forgot to tell the Hiltons that daylight savings time didn't go into effect this past weekend. So we were all rushed but the day turned out pretty good for the most part.

We had to pay $10 a day for internet usage and then it wasn't even wireless (I was on the 19th floor of the Royale Palms which is a part of the Hilton but just condo like hotel of the same property) and we couldn't even pick up wireless connection - the only place you could pick up wireless was in the lobby and at best it was sketchy. Okay so no wireless in the rooms and we had to share the connection - which was ethernet and it was in the kitchen of all places - not very comfortable - if they are going to use ethernet connections - why not put in each bedroom and/or in the living area of the condo area - but I should have been able to pick up wireless with my built in wireless and I did but it was only one bar when someone else was connected on the ethernet cable and I was sitting in the dining room and she was right there at the kitchen counter hooked up. I think it was stupid but I never got my wireless to work. So goes life - one of the reasons I didn't really check in much this past weekend.

When I did get to check my emails and sort through the tons of things I found out I won another prize - I won a copy of Linas Alsenas' book Peanut on A Wrung Sponge's blog featuring Linas's snowflake last week. I seem to be on a winning streak lately - first the drawing of the goody basket - the mine, mine, mine one featured on Spider and Fly blog from Sheri Goad, and now the book Peanut just from leaving a comment on a blog. Guess you never know.

Next posting will be a small contest for the Fall Ya'll Blogging contest board and I'm still working on what to offer as a prize. So be on the look out for a small contest to come soon - E :)

State band competition

This is my third year involved in marching band stuff and this is the third year we have made it to state since I've become involved (I'm sure we have made it to state many years prior to that). We placed second at upper state last weekend (the weekend of the 20th) being edged out by Blue Ridge (who seems to always take first regardless of their performance). This is the first competition I've missed in the three years since starting to be a band parent. I couldn't help it since I had to be at the conference as a volunteer (see next posting for more details). I left my kids in good hands (not bear's for the most part - lol) and left instructions with the lady who looks like me kind of - we could be twins except I think I'm an inch taller than she is - lol which isn't saying much since I'm only 5'2" (or 5'1-1/2" depending on who measures me). Anyway, I was proctoring a class and it was getting near the end of the workshop and she called me - I stepped out onto the veranda which was ocean front and found out the good news.

No we didn't win first (that's Blue Ridge - they got first for the whole state), but we did take 3rd place (this is a big deal because third place is medal winners as well as the first and second place teams). My kids were so excited that they medaled that they have been wearing their medals constantly.

I think one of them even said this was the first time in the school's history of competing and making it to state that they have medaled - so go Bears - we love that band -

I hope to have pictures posted later this week of upper state competition and state competition. I just got the link yesterday for the upper state competition pictures - and he hopes to have the ones from Saturday posted soon. So be on the lookout for those later this week - E :)

Awesome authors contest - I won, I won, I won

If you scroll down Sheri's link http://www.spiderstale.blogspot.com/ and see the Mine! Mine! Mine! packet I won. I can't wait to get it.

It was pretty cool to come home this evening and see a Congratulations, you won email in my inbox. Thanks Sheri for running your Awesome Authors contest and hope everyone that won is as happy as I am - E :)

I entered and got selected

I don't know if I told you but South Carolina Writer's Workshop, SCWW, has a conference in October (for which I'm volunteering) and they put out an anthology to go with the conference. Every year before this year, the word limit had been 1750 for short stories. Well, they revamped this year and upped the ante, so to speak, and gave us 4000 word limits. So I entered my short story, Bride-and-Seek, which I had entered in Karen's contest for February (not selected or even remembered by her, according to her when I met her in February). So today, not more than half an hour ago, I received notice from the editor of the anthology to let me know my story had been selected. I will receive $5 payment and two copies of the anthology. I'm so excited. Doesn't pay a lot but hey - I'm okay with it - it gets me out there.

So be on the look out for Bride-and-Seek in the Petigru Review anthology in October. You can still register for the conference if interested - check out the website - http://www.myscww.org/2007_conference.htm - also see my blog posting called "Best Conference of 2007" and we really are looking to be great - E :)

More good news

It seems no matter what you do some days to try to work and keep your mind on your task at hand, there are many distractions in our lives.

Okay, I was taking a quick break from the computer (read as bathroom break) and the phone rang - when I got back I saw it was a local number (not a bill collector). We had stopped by a new insurance place in our little town a couple of weeks ago - they were giving lots of goodies away including lunch - free bbq plates and let us bring some home for the boys (son and bear) and all. Well they had a registration for a drawing and I didn't think anything about it until Hailie came down and said I should have answered the phone because it was for me and I needed to listen to the message. So I did my *98 and listened and I won a gift certificate (which I won't know exactly how much or for what merchant until tomorrow morning). -- soo woohooo more good news - E :)