A Sunny Day Sunshine Award, Mae Clair

Posted on April 24, 2013 by Mae Clair

It’s a sunny day when my friend, Calisa Rhose, nominates me for the Sunshine Award! This is a fun award that bloggers give to other bloggers “who positively and creatively inspire others in the blogosphere.” What a great thought, and how lovely to be included among the ranks. Thank you, Calisa, for thinking of me!

If you haven’t moseyed over to Calisa’s ranch, you’ll find it filled with sunshine and friendly chatter! Calisa is one of my sister authors at Lyrical Press and a wonderful writer. The welcome mat is always out at her ranch. She loves visitors, so be sure to drop by. You’ll see for yourself why she earned a Sunshine Award.

The rules of the Sunshine Award are as follows:

Thank the person who gave you the award in your blog post (thanks, Calisa!)
Answer the questions below
Pass the award to 10-12 deserving and inspiring bloggers, inform them and link to their blogs.

So, here are the questions:

Favorite color: This is always a toss-up between green and blue, the colors of earth, sea and sky. At the moment, I’m partial to blues and have to go with royal blue.

Favorite animal: Cat! I adore felines.

Favorite number: 12

Favorite non-alcoholic drink: Coffee in the morning, water any other time of day. I constantly have a glass of iced water beside me.

Facebook or Twitter: Twitter. Facebook and I do not play nicely together. I’ve been planning a blog post on that for a while, LOL.

Your passion: My hubby, of course! 🙂 Assuming, we’re not talking about that kind of passion then writing, reading and learning in general..

Giving or getting presents: Both. I’ve pulled off some pretty cool surprises in the giving department, like the time I surprised my husband with a John Deere tractor for his birthday.

Favorite flower: Roses, the flower of romance. Red is my favorite but I love them all—white, pink, yellow, blush orange and all varieties of colors.

And now I’d like to pass this award on to the following outstanding bloggers:

Sheri de Grom
Debbie Peterson
Cd Brennan
Jane Wakely
Jessi Gage
Lorraine Paton
Laura Lee Nutt
Stanalei Fletcher

Thanks for bringing a bit of sunshine with your blogs, ladies!

The Wonderful Team Member Readership Award, by Mae Clair

Posted on April 19, 2013 by Mae Clair

It’s blog award time, thanks to my wonderful friend and fellow blogger, Sheri de Grom!

Sheri recently honored me with the Wonderful Team Membership Reader Award. If you’re a regular follower of my blog, you’ve no doubt heard me mention Sheri before. We ventured into the blogosphere about the same time and quickly became friends and supporters of each other.

Sheri blogs about women’s fiction and government and medical issues, in addition to working on what is certain to be a compelling novel, NOT THE MAN I MARRIED. She’s super friendly and a great supporter of other bloggers so check her out corner of the world here, and linger a while under her bridge.

The Wonderful Team Membership Reader Award was one I was not previously familiar with, but it definitely deserves a round of fanfare. The title says it all. As bloggers, we rely on those who support our efforts with each post, taking their time to comment on the musings we toss into the virtual universe. I am so grateful for the friends I have made through blogging, and really do appreciate everyone who visits and comments on From the Pen of Mae Clair.

So to all my fantastic Pen Pals—I am grateful to each of you and wish to acknowledge you with this post. I am happy to nominate the following for the Wonderful Team Membership Reader Award:

L. J. Kentowski
Donna Cummings
Emma Meade
Jessi Gage
Cd Brennan
Calisa Rhose
Stanalei Fletcher
Debbie Peterson
Joanne Wadsworth
Laura Lee Nutt
Venice Kennedy
Susan Koenig

And, of course, a huge thanks to Sheri de Grom.

There are many other friends out there who support me through Twitter, Facebook, blogging and reviews, and I thank you all. This list is but a few. I am truly grateful for your friendship and support. You guys rock! 😀

Mae Clair: The Reality Award

Posted on February 20, 2013 by Mae Clair

A week or so ago, I was nominated for the Reality Award by my friend and fellow blogger, Sheri de Grom. Sheri and I ventured into the blogging world about the same time and undertook much of the social media learning curve together. If you’re looking for insightful reviews of women’s fiction, informative posts about our military and medical issues, you need to visit Sheris’ blog!

Thanks for nominating me, Sheri. This award is a bit different than those I’ve seen in the past, and requires some thought. The rules are as follows:

Visit the blog of the person who nominated you, thank them, and acknowledge them on your blog *waving to Sheri*

Answer the questions listed below and nominate up to 20 bloggers whom you feel deserve recognition. Visit their blog and let them know.

Cut and paste the award to your wall.

Now for the questions:

If you could change one thing, what would you change?
There are a lot of mind-boggling social, economic and health-related issues I would change, but I’m going to go with something basic here that irritates the heck out of me. If I could eliminate one thing, I’d do away with the annoying voice mail menus businesses force us to jump through and replace them with live telephone operators. Remember those days? When there was CUSTOMER service in customer service? When you didn’t have to sit through five voice mail loops only to realize none of the options work; pushing the pound sign gets you nowhere, and hitting ’0’ for operator results in the message “sorry you are having problems.”

Really? If you’re that sorry, how about having a living, breathing person answer the phone who can actually help me instead of a recorded message that tells me my wait time is ten minutes (after I’ve spent two minutes getting there!)?

‘Nuff said on that topic. I could rant for hours!

If you could repeat an age, what would it be?
Probably sometime in my 30s. Old enough to be wise, young enough not to be bogged down with anything too serious.

What is the one thing that really scares you?
Heights. I’m petrified of them. I remember needing to cross a creek one time and the only means across (a very short distance) was a hollowed out metal beam (about the width of a balance beam). It was raised approximately three feet in the air over the creek, forming a makeshift bridge to the other side. With nothing to close it in, I felt like I was walking in space. That short little drop into the water had my equilibrium out of whack, as if I was crossing a rope bridge suspended over a gaping canyon. Heights and I do not agree.

The weird part is I would love to be able to fly and soar above everything like Superman. I know it makes no sense, but that’s typical for me!

If you could be someone else for the day, who would it be?
A stormchaser. I’m fascinated by weather and always thought it would be cool to chase a storm. I’d probably freak if I had the opportunity, but it’s a nice thought to entertain.

And now for my nominations:

L.J. Kentowski
Loni Flowers
Donna Cummings
Calisa Rhose
Debbie Peterson
Emma Meade
Joanne Wadsworth
Stanalei Fletcher
Lorraine Paton
Christy Olesen
Alicia Coleman
Lynne Kensington

So what do you think, ladies? Do you feel like giving the Reality Award a try?

Mae Clair: Liking the Liebster

Posted on February 1, 2013 by Mae Clair

Last week, I had the pleasure of being nominated for the Liebster Award by the wonderful Jessi Gage. Jessi has recently released a fantasy romance called WISHING FOR A HIGHLANDER that I highly recommend. I’ve fallen in love with her hunky hero, Darcy, a 16^th Century Scot who comes to the aid of a 21^st Century pregnant museum worker when she’s transported to his era. Visit Jessi’s blog to learn more about her and her delightful novel. I promise you won’t be disappointed.

So how does the Liebster Award work? Here are the rules:
Thank the person who nominated you (thank you, Jessi!).
Post eleven random facts about yourself.
Answer eleven questions asked by the person who nominated you.
Think of a new set of eleven questions and nominate eleven others to answer them.

My eleven random facts:
1. I love gypsy-style clothing
2. My nickname in high school was “Starchild”
3. I have a bizarre fear of bears
4. I am madly in love with the character of Aloysius Pendergast, created by authors Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child

: From a party a few years ago (my hair was a lot shorter). That’s my aunt with me. I can always count on her to be a dancing partner!

5. Someday I would like to buy a Jaguar (the car, not the animal!)
6. I prefer small gatherings to large parties
7. I can’t whistle
8. I love to be outside when it’s warm and windy
9. I’ve always loved vegetables, even as a kid
10. I am an avowed ‘cat person’
11. I love, l-o-v-e, LOVE to dance!

Jessi’s eleven questions:
1. Who was your idol growing up?
I had several…Michael Landon, Paul McCartney, David Soul, David Hedison and David Cassidy. Hmm…guess I liked a lot of Davids! 🙂

2. Who motivates you to be the best you can be?
My husband. I’m good at motivating myself most of the time, but when I hit a wall, he’s the one who helps me over it.

3. What’s your favorite morning ritual?
Coffee! It used to be tea until hubby and I discovered Keurig.

My office. Decorated with balloons and bags of chips!

4. Fudge or salty snacks?
Salty. I’m addicted to chips. Several years ago on my birthday, my staff at work filled my office with small bags of Middleswarth chips. They were everywhere–on my desk, my file cabinet, the bookshelves, windowsills. Needless to say, my chip addiction is well known 🙂

5. Beer or wine?
Wine, but it has to be dry.

6. What’s the biggest challenge you face as a blogger?
Making time. I love to blog and rarely lack for content/ideas. It’s just squeezing the hours from a day that is usually overflowing to begin with.

7. What’s your favorite season?
It used to be spring, but I find myself leaning more toward summer these days.

8. Where do you go to get away from stress and regroup?
I don’t necessarily have a place as much as a mindset. I like to read or work on a WIP. In warm weather, I love relaxing on my back porch and deck.

9. If you’re a writer, how many books do you aim to write per year? Are you making your goal?
Two books per year. So far so good, but it’s hard with juggling a full-time job.

10. Who’s on your ereader right now?
WISHING FOR A HIGHLANDER by Jessi Gage! LOL!

11. If you look out the window right now, what do you see?
A large white cross. It’s on the church in a field behind my house.

My 11 questions for my nominees:
1. What was your favorite book as a child?
2. What famous person from history do you admire most?
3. If you could have a superpower, which would you choose?
4. Who is your favorite fairytale character and why?
5. When it comes to movies, what is your favorite genre?
6. Who was your teenage celebrity crush?
7. Would you describe yourself as an introvert, extrovert, or somewhere in between?
8. What was your favorite subject in school?
9. What is your favorite board game?
10. What is your favorite form of social media?
11. Would you rather spend a lazy day at a secluded beach soaking up the sun, or a day in a tourist town that offers numerous attractions?

From the ‘Starchild’…my senior year of high school, LOL!

And my nominees are:
1. Donna Cummings
2. L.J. Kentowski
3. Loni Flowers
4. Sheri de Grom
5. Lorraine Paton
6. Calisa Rhose
7. Susan Koenig
8. Emma Meade
9. Mackenzie Crowne
10. Debbie Peterson
11. Renita Pizzitola

I’m looking forward to seeing your facts and answers, ladies! Thanks again to Jessi Gage for the nomination. I enjoyed participating. This was a lot of fun! 😀

Mae Clair: Do You Collect Stars? BOTY Award 2012

Posted on January 11, 2013 by Mae Clair

Apparently I do. I didn’t expect it, but Calisa Rhose nominated me for my third 2012 Blog of the Year Award. I’d already been nominated previously by Kitt Crescendo and Sheri de Grom. All of these ladies are gems in the blogging universe.

Calisa, one of my sister authors at Lyrical Press, has an amazing ranch home blog that you just have to check out! It’s loaded with all manner of goodies from guest authors and cover reveals to visiting editors and friendly chit-cat. No matter what the topic or day there is always a warm ranch welcome to make you feel right at home. Many thanks to Calisa for the nominating me for this honor!

So how does it work? The rules are pretty straightforward:

1 Select the blog(s) you think deserve the ‘Blog of the Year 2012’ Award

2 Write a blog post and tell us about the blog(s) you have chosen – there’s no minimum or maximum number of blogs required – and ‘present’ them with their award.

3 Please include a link back to this page ‘Blog of the Year 2012’ Award –http://thethoughtpalette.co.uk/our-awards/blog-of-the-year-2012-award/and include these ‘rules’ in your post (please don’t alter the rules or the badges!)

4 Let the blog(s) you have chosen know that you have given them this award and share the ‘rules’ with them

5 You can now also join our Facebook page – click the link here ‘Blog of the Year 2012’ Award Facebook page- https://www.facebook.com/groups/BlogoftheYear/and then you can share your blog with an even wider audience

6 As a winner of the award – please add a link back to the blog that presented you with the award – and then proudly display the award on your blog and sidebar … and start collecting stars…

Yes – that’s right – there are stars to collect!

Unlike other awards which you can only add to your blog once – this award is different!

When you begin, you receive the ‘1 star’ award. Every time you are given the award by another blog you can add another star! There are a total of 6 stars to collect.

Which means that you can check out your favorite blogs – and even if they have already been given the award by someone else – you can still bestow it on them again and help them to reach the maximum 6 stars!

So here are my nominations for the 2012 Blog of the Year Award:

Renita Pizzitola
Renita is one of my sister authors at Lyrical Press. Her debut novel, GOSSAMER released on the same day as WEATHERING ROCK which put us both on the same learning curve (although I think Renita was far ahead of me, LOL). She’s a prolific writer with the 2^nd book in the GOSSAMER series of YA books already under contract and her adult urban fantasy romancel, DREAM ON, releasing in March. Her blog, Think Whimsy, is a great place to find info on new releases, Celtic folktales and writing whatnots. Drop by and treat yourself to some whimsy!

Deborah Palumbo
Deborah tells stories of vampires, romance and mystery among other genres. She’s the author of THE UNDEPARTED SERIES, wherein you’ll get your fix of sexy vamps. She has an active blog that enjoys a steady flow of guest authors, promos and book releases, plus a fun feature called Flip-Flop Friday. Friendly and outgoing, Deborah has been a delight to get to know.

Sheri de Grom
Sheri honored me with this award earlier but I really want to pay it forward again. She has been so supportive of me from day one, and such a delight to get to know. Even more so, her personal story is amazing and inspiring, a testament to the bond of soulmates and love. Visit Sheri’s blog for reviews on women’s fiction, thought-provoking posts on Medicare reform, mental health, and support for our military. The beautiful bridge that graces her header is a gateway to the myriad treasures you’ll discover within.

Thanks again to Calisa for my third star (makes me feel like a star collector…kind of cool since constellations play a role in my upcoming release, TWELFTH SUN). I hope you get a chance to visit the blogs I’ve highlighted. They’re all gems, worthy of some glittery starshine! 🙂

Mae Clair: 2012 Blog of the Year Award

Posted on December 29, 2012 by Mae Clair

Blog of the Year Award 2 star jpeg I’ve been fortunate enough to have been nominated twice for the 2012 Blog of the Year Award. Once by Kitt Crescendo and once by Sheri de Grom. Both of these ladies became wonderful blogging friends in the last year.

Kitt is an extremely prolific blogger, sometimes putting out multiple posts a day. If you like your topics eclectic with cutting-edge observations, humor and warmth, then you need to visit Ms. Crescendo’s blog. May I recommend a recent post she did on sexy older men? Kitt will charm you with her wit and friendliness.

Sheri de Grom is a blogging buddy from my earliest days of timidly venturing into the author realm. She’s remained a wonderful friend and has been an inspiration through the personal stories she shares on her blog, as well as her support of our troops and military. In addition, she’s an insightful reviewer of women’s fiction who always gives the books she reviews respectful and honest consideration. You can find Sheri here. Hang out under her bridge for a while.

I’m honored and pleased to have received this blogging award from my two friends and only regret I couldn’t acknowledge it sooner with a proper post. So . . . how does it work?

Unlike other awards which you can only add to your blog once, tthis award is different. When you begin, you will receive the ‘1’ star award. Every time you are given this award by another blog, you can add another star!

There are a total of ‘6’ stars to collect. Which means that you can check out your favorite blogs—and even if they have already been given the award by someone else—you can still make your opinion count and pass it on to them again and help them reach the maximum of ‘6’ stars.

The rules of this award are simple:

Select the blogs you think deserve the 2012 Blog of the Year Award.
Write a blog post and tell us about the blog(s) you have chosen – there’s no minimum or maximum number of blogs required – and ‘present’ them with this award.
Please include a link back to this page, Blog of the Year 2012 Award. http://thethoughtpalette.co.uk/our-awards/blog-of-the-year-2012-award/ – and include these ‘rules’ in your post. (Please don’t alter the rules or the badges!)
Let the blog(s) you have chosen know that you have given them this award and share the ‘rules’ with them.
You can now also join our Facebook page – click the link here ‘Blog of the Year 2012’ Award (https://www.facebook.com/groups/BlogoftheYear/) and then you can share your blog with an even wider audience.

And now I’m pleased to pay this honor forward by giving the award to the following bloggers:

L.J. Kentowski, who I originally ‘met’ through Triberr and who has become one of my favorite friends and authors. If you want to get lost in worlds of urban fantasy, hang out at L.J.’s blog which has only recently been minted over to a WordPress platform. Find out about Seekers, Guardians and — something new and interesting in the works — Descendants!

Donna Cummings, who never fails to astound me with how effortlessly she blends humor, happily-ever-after, and romance. Whether I’m reading one of her delightful novels or hanging out at her blog and experiencing slices of every-day-writer-life, Donna never fails to charm with her delivery and leave me chuckling. She’s a fab friend who loves Twitter and coffee in equal doses, and I’m happy to support her all the way! Er, although I probably can’t keep up with the coffee, LOL.

Calisa Rhose, whose ‘ranch’ is a stellar and freakishly fun hangout – – and I mean that in a good way, LOL. I never know what I’m going to find at the ranch – – book covers, guest bloggers, book trailers, reviews – – but I always know I’ve got a standing invitation and a warm welcome. I’m so thankful to have met Calisa, who is also one of my sister authors at Lyrical Press. Mosey over to Calisa’s Ranch for a gander at what you’ve been missing.

Joanne Wadsworth, another Lyrical Press sister is a superb blogger who shares informative writer advice and whose debut novel PROTECTOR is releasing on January 9^th. This busy New Zealander has a second book already under contract and a third close to submission. Joanne and I came in as ‘newbies’ together about the same time with Lyrical Press and I’m so thankful to have met her. She’s been positively delightful!

Christina McKnight who does an outstanding job on her blog of promoting other authors, upcoming/new releases and available books. If you’re looking for a good read, you’re bound to find it among the many Christina spotlights. She also writes urban fantasy/paranormal romance and is the author of the Oneiroi Series with book one, ONLY IN HER DREAMS available now and book two, ONLY IN HER NIGHTMARES coming in August 2013.

Thanks again to Kitt and Sheri for nominating me for the 2012 Blog of the Year Award. As this is my first year of blogging, it’s definitely a lovely recognition to receive. To all of my many blogging friends who have made 2012 so special, you’re all award winners to me! 😀

Mae Clair: The Booker Award ~ Five Fab Reads

Posted on August 31, 2012 by Mae Clair

I’ve been nominated by the talented Kate Meader to participate in the Booker Award. Kate is one of my Six Sentence Sunday buddies whose excerpts always amaze me. Be sure to check out her blog for lively and engaging writing!

So exactly how does the Booker Award work? It targets literary and book-centered blogs.
The rules are simple:

Post your five favorite books of all time
Post the booker award icon
Nominate other bloggers to do the same

Here are mine:

CHECKMATE by Dorothy Dunnett
This is the last novel in THE LYMOND CHRONICLES a six book series detailing the life of Sir Francis Crawford of Lymond from 1547 through 1558. Lymond is undoubtedly the most aggravating yet mesmerizing character I’ve encountered in literature. I was never certain if I wanted to hit the man, applaud him or marry him!

The historical detail of the series is amazing. I’m singling out CHECKMATE because it’s the culmination of a massive read. I also love THE RINGED CASTLE, (second to last book) which takes place in the court of Russian Tsar, Ivan the Terrible. The only book I didn’t particularly care for was the second in the series, QUEEN’S PLAY, and that’s because I was so incredibly ticked by Lymond’s actions. Despite the gargantuan size of the series (each book is in the 600-700 page range) I’ve read it several times and am gearing up to read it again.

How to put this in highbrow literary prose? IT ROCKS! 😀

THE ONCE AND FUTURE KING
by T.H. White
I’ve been in love with King Arthur since I was a teen, completely enamored of Camelot’s king. I first read THE ONCE AND FUTURE KING in junior high and have gone back several times since. Not only was it a compelling and lyrical read, but it left me with an amazing impression of chivalry, justice and ‘might vs. right.’ Although I’ve never been a Lancelot fan it was an adjustment getting used to him in this adaption as he is portrayed as ugly, even hideous. I can still vividly recall sitting in the library in eighth grade and giggling over the Questing Beast. Hmm…there might be a Mythical Monday post in that! 😀

THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE RING by J.R.R. Tolkien
My tenth grade English teacher introduced me to Frodo, Gandalf and the group. Up until that point I was reading mainly science-fiction. I had no idea the world of fantasy existed. Unlike most readers who started with THE HOBBIT and went on to read THE LORD OF THE RINGS, I read them in reverse. That’s probably why the FELLOWSHIP resonates so strongly with me. It was my first exposure to the fantasy genre and it was pure magic. I’ve lost track of how many times I’ve read it.

A TALE OF TWO CITIES by Charles Dickens
This was a book I was assigned to read in junior high. Ugh! Remember those? Despite the fact I’ve always been an avid reader, most of the have-to-read-books I was assigned in school made my eyes glaze over. That included a lot of classics (although I loved anything by Jack London and Mark Twain). Keep in mind, my reading of choice revolved around space creatures, monsters and anything ‘weird.’ Shockingly, I fell in love with this novel. Maybe it was the budding romantic in me. From the first page, I was sucked into the story and still love it today–not only for the emotional element but the historical detail as well.

THE ALIENIST by Caleb Carr
I loved the setting of this novel (1896 New York) and its blend of history, psychology and Sherlock Holmes-like detective work. It’s an historical crime novel but richly layered on multiple levels. There’s also an amazing sequel, THE ANGEL OF DARKNESS, which is every bit as compelling. I’m only sorry the author didn’t write a third with the same set of characters, particularly Dr. Laszlo Kreizler.

Another book I have to mention is THE TERROR by Dan Simmons. If you’re a frequent visitor to my blog, you’ve probably heard me talk about it before. The only reason it’s not at the top of my list is that I’m not sure it qualifies as a ‘literary’ read. The book is a richly detailed fictional account of Sir John Franklin’s ill-fated expedition to find the Northwest Passage in 1845. It combines elements of history, myth, horror and the supernatural and is by turns beautiful, lyrical, brutal and terrifying. The HMS Terror was one of two ships Franklin led into the artic, the other, the HMS Erebus. The ships became trapped in the ice and the crews were never seen again. Simmons novel is a fictional accounting of what may have happened to the men after their vessels became trapped. If I had to name a single book as my favorite read of all time, it’s unquestionably this one.

And now, I’m pleased to nominate the following bloggers:

Sheri de Grom
Stephanie Ingram
L.J. Kentowski
Loni Flowers
Christina McKnight

What are your five faves?

The Liebster Award

Posted on August 1, 2012 by Mae Clair

Happy Wednesday, fellow bloggers and readers. The wonderful Sheri de Grom recently nominated me for the Liebster Award. I was thrilled to receive this nomination from Sheri as she’s someone I greatly admire. You can find her at Sheri de Grom where she reviews women’s fiction and blogs about issues related to our military and mental health care reform. Thanks for nominating me, Sheri!

The rules for the Liebster Award are:

1. Link back to the person who gave it to you and thank them.

2. Post the award to your blog.

3. Give the award to 5 bloggers with less than 200 followers that you appreciate and value.

4. Leave a comment on the 5 blogs to let them know that they have received this award.

And my nominees are:

L.J. Kentowski
Blog: L.J. Writes
L.J. is an urban fantasy author who hooked me with her debut release GUARDIAN
OF FATE, book #1 of the Fate Series. Right now she’s engaged in a blog tour and will be offering several giveaways, so be sure to check the list of blog dates on her
site. And while you’re there, try your hand at L.J.’s wonderful “What’s Your Take
Wednesday.” It’s one of my favorite mid-week pastimes, a quick little writing
exercise that is always a treat and a lot of fun! L.J. is also gearing up for
the release of Book #2 in the Fate Series, SEEKER OF FATE, and I’m waiting for
it to hit my radar.

Loni Flowers
Blog: Loni Flowers
I needed Kleenex handy when I read Loni’s debut novel, TAKING CHANCES, a book that expertly tugs at the heart strings. Loni is also one of my Six Sentence Sunday friends where she frequently posts excerpts from TAKING CHANCES or her latest WIP, PAINTED MEMORIES — which I will eagerly snatch up the moment it’s released. Getting to know Loni has been a pleasure and I’m sure you’ll find her blog and writing as entertaining as I do.

Stephanie Ingram
Blog: The Beginning of the End
I ‘happened’ across Stephanie’s blog one day and was immediately hooked. She’s an active blogger and always has something interesting to share. Her posts often resonate with my own interests, passion for writing, and even some childhood memories. Her debut novel, THE BETWEEN WORLD is a lyrical tale of star-crossed lovers that had me turning pages well into the night. I’m looking forward to her upcoming release GHOSTS DON’T WEAR SILK STOCKINGS which has an expected publication date of September 5th.

Christina M. McKnight
Blog: Life – Love, Family and Passion
I originally met Christina through Twitter where she invited me to join her tribe on Triberr. Since then I’ve come to frequent her blog where she posts numerous author interviews, writing news and book reviews among other musings. She’s been helpful and supportive and I’ve loved sharing with her back and forth. Look for Christina’s release, ONLY IN HER DREAMS (book #1 of the Oneiroi series) scheduled for September 30th. It’s certain to be a great read!

Stanalei Fletcher
Blog: Stanalei Fletcher
When I timidly ventured into the realm of social media, Stanalei was one of the first friends I made among an ever-growing and fantastic group of writers. She has a great blog that I love to frequent, has been helpful and supportive, and is a kick-butt martial artist to boot! 😀 I loved her blog post comparing a writers’ conference to an Aikido competition. I am eagerly anticipating the release of Stanlei’s novel LIGHTNING ONLY STRIKES TWICE, coming soon from the Wild Rose Press.

So to L.J., Loni, Stephanie, Christina and Stanalei, thanks for being such great writer friends and creating blogs I love to visit. It’s been a pleasure sharing with all of you, and I look forward to our continued friendships!