Fridays R 4 Fun!

Usually I find interesting pictures or strange and different subject matter to post about on Fridays. But today I can’t think of anything more interesting than this.

I have two publications available and I’m dying to share them. The first is a short story that was published in the magazine, Beyond Centauri! The title of the story is As Long as You Clean Up After Him.

Here’s the cover!

You can get a copy from Sam’s Dot Publishing

The other publication is my debut novel, PRINCESS KANDAKE. It’s the first book in the Nubian Princess series!

 

You can get a print or electronic copy through the links on my website.

And here are the two covers together

I can’t wait until I have a whole string of covers to share!

Excited! Happy! Jazzed!

My book, PRINCESS KANDAKE, launches in less that two weeks! What a super moment in my life. The feeling is almost as good as getting a new grandchild – almost, but not quite!

I’ve been preparing for my book tour in CA. I’m putting together ‘touchables’ of things that I learned during the research for this book. Today I’m making kohl. that’s the heavy eyeliner you see in every movie where Egyptians are depicted. It’s main ingredient is frankincense.

Kohl was used for more than beauty and it was worn by men AND women. Kohl provided some protection from the suns glare, but mostly it prevented eye infection. Frankincense has an antibiotic quality and was used as the base for many of the ancient medicines and balms.

Tomorrow I’ll be making eye shadow. No medicinal attributions, the shadow’s sole purpose was beauty, but men wore that, too. The process is pretty cool. I get to grind actual gemstones!

Oh yeah, back to the book. It launches Feb 1st. But I’m letting all of you get a head-start. Just follow this link.

PS If you're in CA, I’ll be presenting at Cal-State Univ. San Bernardino on Feb 15 at noon in the Pfau Library and then on Feb16 at the Corona Library at 3:30pm. I hope I see you there.

Fridays R 4 Fun!

By the way - I am guest posting on Haley Whitehall's blog today. I'm talking about my debut novel, PRINCESS KANDAKE, and how it came to be. Take a look!

The Month After Christmas

Twas the month after Christmas, and all through the house
Nothing would fit me, not even a blouse.
The cookies I'd nibbled, the eggnog I'd taste
At the holiday parties had gone to my waist.
When I got on the scales there arose such a number!
When I walked to the store (less a walk than a lumber).
I'd remember the marvelous meals I'd prepared;
The gravies and sauces and beef nicely rared,
The cakes and the pies, the bread and the cheese
And the way I'd never said, "No thank you, please."
As I dressed myself in my husband's old shirt
And prepared once again to do battle with dirt
I said to myself, as I only can -
"You can't spend a winter disguised as a man!"
So, away with the last of the sour cream dip,
Get rid of the fruit cake, every cracker and chip
Every last bit of food that I like must be banished
Till all the additional ounces have vanished.
I won't have a cookie, not even a lick.
I'll only chew on a long celery stick.
I won't have hot biscuits, or corn bread, or pie,
I'll munch on a carrot and quietly cry.
I'm hungry, I'm lonesome, and life is a bore ...
But isn't that what January is for?
Unable to giggle, no longer a riot.
Happy New Year to all and to all a good diet!

I have no clue as to the author of this poem. If you do, I’ll gladly give him/her credit!

Getting Back to Work

It’s time to get back to work. I’ve been distracted with getting the book to print, then spending time with my grandchildren, recovering from the cold from the nether-regions, and now finally I’m ready to get back to work. I sat myself down and had quite a serious discussion about my recent work ethic. It was not pleasant, let me tell you.

One of the things I said was that I needed a list of goals for the year and that it needed to be divided into accomplishable segments. Then I instructed me to write out a schedule that must be followed every day. This schedule must include writing, reading, marketing ideas, research for new stories, and posts for my blog. I told me that there could me no shirking or laying about. Writing is a serious business and I need to handle it that way! Boy, I can be really stern. I got raked over the coals!

Have you have your talk with you about this year’s goals? What did you say? I hope you weren’t as mean as I was.