Happy Easter, ya'll!

"Even the losers get lucky sometimes"

 

That's from the fabulous Tom Petty, of course. I didn't win the big mega lottery this week, despite buying an extra batch of tickets. Isn't it a little bit fun to buy that ticket hoping against all hope that we could win even a share of that mega millions jackpot and what we would do with the money? I'm a pretty simple gal. Probably because I've never had a lot to spend, so I'm careful with it.  Getting a large sum of money, though...I might just splurge and buy myself something nice. I know...I read all of the odds of other things it would be more likely to have happen, but still...it's fun to dream, and you never know.  Somebody is going to win, and my ticket has just as much chance as the next person.  Since I didn't win this time, I'll continue toiling away as a starving artist writing more books, submitting to more agents, publishers and meantime, self-publish to get some satisfaction for my efforts and to share with you all.  Which brings me to my next topic...

***

"Back Track" editing is coming along nicely. Grace Turner is a forty-something widow merely existing on a sprawling ranch in southwestern Colorado. In the two years since her beloved husband passed away from a quickly progressing form of cancer, she's let the ranch go. The depression of grieving left her lost and alone. Emerging from the dark days of grief, Grace awakens to the realization that it's time to get on with her life and start living again. Hiring someone to help with upkeep and maintenance around the ranch would be the first step to moving forward. Arranging her surroundings conducive to making a new life is a healthy beginning. The cattle needed to be driven to market. That isn't a job a woman can do on her own.  Not even a seasoned rancher like Grace. She needs a ranch hand experienced with horses and cattle drives. 

Juan-Carlos Martinez is a nomad ranch hand running from a gang lifestyle former past. That lifestyle took his best friend in a bloody gunfire, and he realized it wasn't a life he wanted to be a part of anymore. He wanders into Grace's neck of the woods in search of refuge as a ranch hand so he can camouflage himself from his past, and the people who were a part of it. He's been running...hoping to stay ahead of that past and the people he knows are tracking him. Grace hires him to help around the ranch and get the cattle driven to market. Working together to bring the ranch back to a respectable status, Grace and Juan-Carlos grow closer, and he knows he must deal with his past in order to hope for a future with Grace. Together, they travel back to Juan-Carlos' gangland territory just outside of Tucson to confront the kingpin and end the running so they can have a peaceful life. That's when the bullets fly - literally! They meet up with Juan-Carlos' old buddies and walk right into the middle of what appears to be a gangland ambush. The twists and turns their lives take from there is just the beginning of outrunning the past Juan-Carlos is so determined to escape. An edgy escape dotted with gunfire, helicopter surveillance and an illusion that proves things aren't always as they seem.

That's a little teaser of what "Back Track" is about. Originally written in 2006, I've been pondering self-publishing it for a while now.  I've had some setbacks health wise and haven't been able to sit here at this computer as much as I've wanted to the last couple of weeks, so it's not quite ready to print a proof copy as was my original goal.  I am, however, optimistic it will be very soon, hopefully in the next two weeks if arthur will give my hands a break and a little more free movement.  I've had folks ask me, why don't I just get someone else to type it on the keyboard for me? Well...I suppose that would be an option if I absolutely could not type anymore, but my writing brain doesn't work that way. If you've met me, you know I'm not so verbal. I'm much more chatty in writing. My verbal communication isn't nearly as articulate as my written form.  It's just the way my twisted brain works with sending the words to my hands, not my mouth. Anyone else out there with that eccentricity?

***

Mean time, I'm still including a bonus of "LifeLoveLust"  at my website when you buy "Random Encounters" or "Bright Lights, Money & Show Biz, Honey" , or both.  I repeat this regularly as sales from Amazon for "LifeLoveLust" have been brisk of late and I want to be sure everybody knows it's free, when you buy one or both of my other books from my website. E-reader versions are available at Amazon, just use the links with the book covers to the left of the page here and it'll take you right to them. At .99 each, it's a pretty good bargain to give you an escape for a little while.  If you're a KDP Select member, they are free.  Enjoy! :)

***

"This ain't no joke, you gotta know how to bend if you don't wanna get broke, to keep your piece in the big bad game, you know you gotta go a little loco...to stay sane" ~ Roger Clyne

Happy April Fool's Day! I'm not one for practical jokes, but I do get a kick out of hearing others experiences with them.  Give me a holler here and tell me about yours. I could use a chuckle or two. 

In true peace and love hippie-esque fashion...big hugs to everybody! I hope your first day of April brings promise of a spring filled with sunshine, love, and much peace in your world, wherever it be. 

Determinedly yours, 

 *Hugs* ~ K

Once more, with feeling

 Ok, so...last week I offered "Bright Lights, Money & Show Biz, Honey"  free on Amazon .  The day before that momentous event, I had e-mailed Amazon regarding my Kindle version and paperback versions not being linked on the site.  About mid-way through the free day, they corrected it, and the link changed! So, some of you got it and some of you got a broken link. For those of you who may have tried and failed, I'm offering it again, free, today :)  It doesn't cost me anything to do it, Amazon offers the advertising free to me.  I wanted to make up for the change in the middle of the day for those of you who didn't get to download it.  I hope you enjoy and I would very much appreciate your "like" and a review would be welcome as well.  Paperback sales from my site have been brisk of late and I'm always happy to autograph a copy and of course, include "LifeLoveLust" for your reading pleasure.

***  

As for "Random Encounters"  I mentioned previously it was sitting on a publishers desk for consideration.  I'm always thrilled when a complete manuscript is requested after my query and sample chapters.  To date, I've not received any offers past that, only rejections, so I was both saddened by another rejection, but pleased there was a complete manuscript requested. I shall persevere! Meantime, it is available at Amazon in Kindle or paperback, or order from my website and get my ramblings as a bonus. Enjoy!

***

On a rare far too serious note...

Two weeks ago, on a cold dark North Idaho wintry night an unarmed wanted fugitive was shot dead after eluding police on a chase that involved an Idaho state patrol officer, two local city officers, and a county sheriff's deputy. One man in a car cornered on a cul-de-sac who was blocked in by all of these law enforcement vehicles. I won't take space here to go into all of the particulars, but the end of the story leaves me with too many unanswered questions. Four law enforcement officers with batons, tazers, and their vehicles were blocking the fugitive from leaving the scene.  Seems a no brainer that some commands and if necessary the use of tazers would have him being taken into custody without the ultimate result of death.  Four law enforcement officers who should have been trained well enough that death would have been the absolute last resort, but what did they do? As soon as the fugitive was cornered, they opened fire. I'm not even sure if to date anyone knows which bullets or all, killed the cornered fugitive.  This appears to be a case of fueled adrenaline by four men who probably had never seen this type of incident in their training. They were angry the fugitive took them on such a long chase and that they were not able to stop him before now, and he had several outstanding warrants and was a known drug user, so in their snap judgment in the heat of the moment they decided for him, that his life wasn't worth living anymore.

With that picture, my question is...where is the outrage? He was a white man killed by white officers in a situation that handled by cool heads and not by macho men who believe they are the only ones who are always right and just, might have lived.  Battered by the attempts of physical assault while being taken into custody, but alive and worth at least attempting to help him with his drug addiction.

Another scene much publicized this week, a black man was killed under questionable circumstances in Florida and the entire country is outraged and has decided in the heat of the moment, that it must be a hate crime. The race card is immediately played and there are riots and protests everywhere in support of the dead black man.  I don't know who was in the right or wrong, but my point is it was immediately turned into a race issue.

There are no protests or outrage in North Idaho for a white man killed under questionable circumstances.  Where is the outrage?  Who is being racist in this comparison? Because he was a white man killed by white officers, everyone just walks away and says, well...that's how it is.  That doesn't happen in black communities.  Why is that? That's what I'd like answers to today.  

My heart goes out to the families of both of these victims.  In each case, it appears that cool, clear heads with not so trigger happy fingers would have ended much differently and less violent. 

***

It's a nice sunny spring-like day in North Idaho and I'm determined to do something productive and will get outdoors to invigorate and clear the darkness of winter from my foggy brain. There will be hugs all around, so hug everybody today!  Things aren't always as they seem and when you meet up with someone, you don't know the struggles they face. They could be in need of compassion and hugs, so don't be stingy! 

Affectionately yours,

~ K

Don't forget...

Good day, my friends!  I hope your Monday has started on a high note.  In an effort to put some spring into the beginning of your week, don't forget that "Bright Lights, Money & Show Biz, Honey"  is free at Amazon today.  Also, when you go there to download your free copy, please remember to click the "Like" button just underneath the title.  I would appreciate it, I need all the help I can get to move up in the maze of Amazon rankings!  Thanks for reading and please do let me know how you like the book :)

*Hugs* ~ K

Author smack down, March madness, noisy house!....Oh my! Read all about it

Standing out in a VERY large crowd

We've had much conversation this past week on the internets :) about how authors, specifically independent authors, gain readers and fan followers.  With no BBNY (Big Boy New York) publishers name backing us, we have a gigantic challenge in getting our name and writing out there in the big world.  For writers, the objective is to first, of course, finish our stories and then we must turn our attention to promoting. Ugh...the most difficult part for moi.  Writing is the easy part.  The characters live in my head for a long time, possibly years, weaving their tale through tribulation and triumph. Then, we graciously share it all with the world with high hopes that readers will love our story and characters at least a fraction as much as we do.  That's like being an ant in an ant pile as big as, say...Texas!  There are so many artists trying to get noticed, it would take hours to go through the many screens of books and e-books available on the market.  Working to have our one or two to stand out from the crowd of Grishams, Kings, Koontz, and other highly acclaimed authors who have BBNY backing and a loyal following, is like that little ant traveling through that gigantic pile of ants and getting to the top in victory. I'm not saying it doesn't happen, it's just that the odds are so high.  So, what to do then?  That has been the discussion this week.  Many of us have banded together to support each other and help further our books by reading and reviewing, giving likes and tags on Amazon, and the like.  Some upper crust stuffy stiff-upper-lip authors who are holding out for the BBNY publisher to notice them and make them one of the greats on the first page of the new releases, have chastised those of us who are doing everything we can to get noticed.  I take exception to that in a most offended way.  If supporting other authors is beneath you, then get out. But don't scold us and talk down to us in our quest to do what we can to further our own writing. There are many gems among us and no one is ever going to know unless we help each other out.  I'm so grateful for all of my author friends and I'm blessed to become acquainted with you all, well...most of you.  The upper crust stuffy stiff-upper-lip ones can take a hike.  Quietly, please :) 

/end rant/

***

Speaking of promoting...nice segue, huh?  If you haven't had the opportunity to read "Bright Lights, Money & Show Biz, Honey" it is FREE tomorrow, Monday March 19.  Just click on the link and you can download it anywhere you want.  If you don't own a Kindle, just download Kindle for PC.  I'll have a promotion in the near future for "Random Encounters" , however it is currently sitting on a publishers desk for consideration, so I'm waiting to see how that turns out :)  For an indie writer like me to have a publisher ask for a complete manuscript after the query, then sample chapters, is a pretty BIG deal! I don't want to jinx it, but I'm very excited!  If you would please, click on those links above for both of my books and on the Amazon page, click the "Like" button on each.  When an author gets to 50 "Likes", it moves them up in the Amazon rankings and makes it easier to find my books in the gigantic ant pile.  I would appreciate it. Moving forward book wise, I'm still editing "Back Track" for it's debut and am hopeful to meet my April 1st deadline.  I'll keep you posted.  

***

March madness is in full swing and my bracket got whacked in the very first round.  Wichita St., UNLV, and Colorado were my spoilers.  Ah, the tense anticipation! Every year, I study the stats, check each top 25 teams last games of the season to gauge their aptitude for the playoffs to the big game...alas, there are always a few who upset and surprise.  However, I was more than surprised, I was shocked to see the top 50 brackets on ESPN after the first were all PERFECT! I think they cheat...however, I had picked Indiana to go on to the second round and that put me up in the stats.  Apparently, they were a long shot. Let's move on...

***

Do you ever just sit and take in all that goes on around you? As an observer.  This is a sample of what went on in my house yesterday over a period of time, of course:

"Stanley....shush"

"What's that on the ceiling?"

Stanley...SHUSH!"

"Woof!" "You wanna go outside?" "Woof!"

"What are you burning?"  "Lloyd's dinner"

"Do we really need 8 boxes of k-cups???" "YES!"

"Stanleeeee...SHUT UP!"

"Woof!" "You wanna go outside?" "Woof!"

"I wub you" :)

The Lhasa is mouthy.  He talks and/or barks a lot.  The other two, the black labs, will quickly follow suit and then a three dog harmony of barking ensues.  It would be difficult to get a nap around here, if there were time for one. 

Maybe you'll have time for a nap today.  Please take time to hug everybody! My doggies get hugs from me several times a day and that's me telling them "I wub you" with a smile and a treat. 

Affectionately yours,

 ~ K

"Here's yer suckerpunch"

Much rumblings afoot in the e-reader world this past week.  Seems the justice dept. is suing Apple and five of the BBNY publishers over price fixing of e-books.  Simply put, the article states: "Antitrust rules forbid price-fixing agreements designed to shut out competitors or drive up what consumers pay".  I don't understand what they are grumbling about.  .99 for an electronic version seems a fair price to me, which both of my selections  "Random Encounters" and "Bright Lights, Money & Show Biz, Honey" exclusively at Amazon are currently priced at.  Free is even better!  So, in honor of this little drama with the justice dept. and the BBNY publishers getting in a simmer over e-reader prices, I'm offering "Bright Lights, Money & Show Biz,Honey"  for free.  For one day, anyway.  Next Sunday 3/19, it will be free at Amazon.  How's that for price fixing? Happy reading! :)

Everyone I know is getting into the e-reader world.  Paper books really are slowly becoming a thing of the past.  My kids have even gotten hooked on reading that way. The teacher got herself a Kindle Fire and reads on it in between unruly high school kids in class and coaching the primpy dance team.  Ok, ok...she plays angry birds a lot, too, but...it's mainly for reading.  My son the electronic geek does it on his computer like I do, and my youngest the vet-tech-to-be (hasn't finished college yet) has a Sony reader that gets quite the workout.  I was shocked this week when she brought me a hard cover paper book and demanded I read it! "The Hunger Games" is sitting here beside me waiting for me to open it and start reading.  That's a project for another time as once I open a book, it rarely closes until I'm finished and this one is going to have to wait until I finish my next project for self-publication.  Formerly known as "If I Weren't So..." I've settled on the title "Back Track" and it is going to be epic! I know, I know...that word is over-used these days, but I truly love the story and the characters and I'm getting all just right to get into print and on e-reader.

"It's been a good year for bad days, or a bad year for good days"  

It's that time of year when we haven't quite escaped winter, but spring isn't here yet.  We had a high temp of 63 on Friday here in North Idaho (we will secede eventually!) and it was sublime! I walked around outside in shirt sleeves. Oh happy day! It's an odd feeling because there are still some winter blahs hanging around, seems the darkness isn't completely gone but the bright sunshine we crave and desperately need to regain sanity won't wholly appear.  The 63 and sunny was a teaser. I think our maker knew we needed a little something to keep us going until that blinding sun makes a grand entrance for good through the summer. It's drizzling rain here this morning and the Lhasa isn't even up out of bed yet. He hates going outside in the rain. Must have an iron clad bladder. 

The other definitive sign of spring, baseball has started in some form. Chicago televised a pre-season game Saturday and that was a welcome smile :) 

"The best that we can hope for is to be laughin' when we finally hit the ground"

Many of you who know me know I've really struggled with my health this winter. Been sick with that awful crud since before Thanksgiving, had several rounds of antibiotics and my crappy crippled immune system, which is non-existent, just won't kick it.  I appreciate all of your well wishes and am optimistic I'm on the upside, so my sassy self should be back in action real soon! When I get that depleted, I have to concentrate on the things I must do (like work for a living) and everything else gets kicked aside until I have the energy to tackle it. When our physical being suffers, it's really hard to concentrate and be creative so working on my next project has been really slow, but I'm confident I'll make my deadline.  I'll keep you in the loop on that and I’m so grateful so many of you care. It truly warms my heart *hugs*

"So just how far down do you wanna go?"

This blog titles has been brought to you courtesy of "The Refreshments".  The band existed 16 years ago and released two albums together.  Even though they went their separate ways after the second release, there's a whole fan base who still lives by that music.  We've been lamenting the anniversary of their first and award winning release "Fizzy, Fuzzy, Big & Buzzy".  Hard to believe that band together for such a short time still has so much success on the music they made so long ago.  If you haven't checked them out, you can here.  Roger Clyne and PH Naffah went on to form "Roger Clyne & The Peacemakers", Art Edwards is a successful self-published author with his first book being made into film now, Brian Blush is still playing that mean guitar that we all got soooo hooked on with a band called "The Toluenes".  Check them all out, I know you'll be glad you did.  I'm grateful to all of them for the music they made that helped shape a generation and gives so much insight into human nature and how normal we all really are in our abnormal state. There was something magical about those four guys together at that time. That kind of musical simpatico can't be duplicated.

Give random hugs today! I did and it brought smiles :-D 

Now playing: "Birds Sing" ~ "The Refreshments" ~ "The Bottle & Fresh Horses"

Nostalgically yours,

*Hugs* ~ K

Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes...

Do you love when life throws you a curve ball and you were expecting a fast ball, high and inside? It means you have to adjust your stance. Hold your elbow in a little closer to your body, bring your hips in, and aim a completely different direction. And, you have to do it all in the blink of an eye! That pitch comes so quickly there's little time to adjust all of those mechanicals that go along with being an ardent hitter.  Life is like baseball.  Sometimes we win, sometimes we lose, sometimes the game is really in the tank and there's nothing you can do about it but accept it and get up again the next day and make a clean start, with a fresh new attitude. I've had some sudden changes lately that have me switching directions in things I didn't anticipate, so I've had to shift my stance a little and adjust.

                                                                                              

The thing for me is, as I get older I find it more difficult to accept those changes and adapt. Age is supposed to bring us wisdom. Learning from past mistakes, not repeating them and all that jazz. Patience. The ability to sit, nod, agree or quietly disagree and watch others as they stumble through the maze of life.  Hogwash! I want to be stumbling, too.  I'm not ready for a rocking chair and cup of tea.  Ok, I'll take the cup of tea from the Keurig anytime, but even with my physical limitations I'm just not one to sit, accept, and be placid. One thing my illnesses has taught me vividly...life really is shorter than we think. I try to prioritize my time. Do the things I really want to do, but always get bogged down in the things I have to do. It's a juggling match I never seem to win. The Lhasa isn't much help either. His training to retrieve the Keurig cups isn't going as planned. He's as obstinate as I am.

How do you do it? What's your priority in life? I try not to get too overwhelmed by looking too far into the future. One day at a time, do what I can, don't worry about the rest. But, I'm anal about getting things done so I do end up worrying. It's a cruel circle I can't seem to escape. So, what do I do? I write. I work on short stories, sporadically; poetry is a really good outlet for stress and confusion that surrounds me. I'm still putting together my next novel to come out...and it is a novel, not a novella.  It's a finished story; I'm in the editing stage which is an exasperating step of creation. I'm hopeful it will be ready for an audience by April 1st. I must give myself a deadline or I'll keep revising and editing forever. For me, I can always find more or better ways to tell the story so I have to force myself to let it go as it is. I think I've even settled on the perfect title.  More about that when I see the proof copy and it gets closer to unveiling.

***

There is much conversation in the blogosphere about Amazon and the first ever quarter of the KDP Select program. It was Amazons first attempt at exclusive e-books from self published authors like me. Readership was certainly up, by the hundreds for me, but most of that happened during the free advertising periods that Amazon offered.  I haven't worked very hard at promoting lately either, it's been a tough winter with all the crud I've been trying to recover from. I'm going to renew for the next 90 days again, so you'll still be able to get "Random Encounters" and "Bright Lights, Money & Show Biz, Honey" as a KDP Select member for free and there will be a free download day for everybody in the near future.  I'll announce that in about a week, so if you haven't had the opportunity to read either, you will very soon for free.  I'd very much appreciate if you could go to my Amazon listing pages for both and click on the "like" button.  What that does is put my books up in the Amazon rankings to get mention on the main pages of selections.  All help for a struggling self pubbed writer is much appreciated. If you prefer the paper back version(s) or just want an autograph, order at my website and as always you get "LifeLoveLust" as a bonus. More for the rambling.

***

What's changing in your world? Are you writing about it? You should be. Write it all down, everything. Keep track of your life, your ideas, your fantasies. It's a labor of love I couldn't live without.  It's time to refill from the Keurig and the Lhasa is snoring, so looks like I'll have to get it myself.  Hug everybody today! Those curves life throws you just might take someone out of your life and no more opportunities for hugs.  Get 'em while you can  :-)

Adjustingly yours,

~ K