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(crack Knuckles)

Check out this lady:

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She was Daisy Washburn Lovell, my great grandmother. I’m not the first author in my family. She published two books, “Glimpses of Early Wareham” and “Glad Tidings.” My Bible (Yes, I have one. No, it doesn’t burn my hand when I hold it) was a gift from her, personalized and inscribed with a poem she wrote. This is her author photo.
(by the way, I grabbed the picture from Sarah Sheppard’s (my cousin) Facebook timeline. Credit where it’s due)

Grandma achieved a goal I’m shooting for: books in the Library of Congress. Not too difficult, really. Just fill out an application and pay a fee.

That’s on the to do list this year.

Also on the list: use my knowledge of dealing with debt collectors to make an e-book and presentation to teach people what their rights are and how to deal with bad actors in the business.

2 signing events (REALLY sore about missing Deep in the Heart this past weekend. Looks like they had an excellent time). I AM signing at the LA Times Festival of Books in April. And working on getting back to Long Beach in June. On the list.

New laptop. On the list.

Complete at least a first draft of the next Liz Gardner (which, I found out today was Grandma Lovell s father’s first name. I probably used to know it, but I named Liz after the Massachusetts city of that name. There’s a giant chair there. I remember seeing it when we went from Vermont down to the Plymouth area)

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This is the sort of thing that makes an impression on a little kid. From Vermont. (I still get stars truck seeing the Hollywood sign)

Speaking of Liz and Ty…

This year, they’re going to break through and find a much bigger audience. There is talk of some cross-promotional marketing groups out of the DITH event and I have been accepted to be included. Reach beyond the local group. It is time that all the sweat and energy I. Invested in creating them actually started paying off.

Things go well enough, I may talk to some of the authors in my age bracket and see if we can put together a “Hen Lit” (The more mature form of Chick Lit) signing. Maybe.

That’s just the first half of the year. Stay tuned.

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I’d Like to Thank…

 

As much as I would use my corner of the Internet to bitch about what a shitty year 2014 has been for me, I won’t. I ascribe to the “you create your reality through your thoughts” theory and I’d like for things to get a lot better ASAP (vite, Mach schnell, presto, stat, PDQ, you get the idea). With that thought in mind, I am going to get highly personal here and “thank in advance” for things I’d like to see manifest in my life:

book sales in the hundreds and thousands of units. I’ll post links to all the e-reader platforms in a separate post, but they’re on sale throughout the whole month. 99 cents. I can’t make the price any lower without making it free. Maybe for Breast Cancer Awareness month in October, but right now, I’ve got the e-books as low as they’ll go.maybe it’s my inner 6 year old, but I believe I have created a great love story that will stand up over time.

Just 99 Cents during September

Just 99 Cents during September

A win from Publishers Clearing House. I’ve been doing the little contest entries all year. I’m told that the planets are aligned for me to have fabulous luck. Why not? I could use $25,000 right now (What the hell; let’s say $250,000). And I’ve done the little entries and played the games to win it. Winning is fun.image
A new home of my own. I have been house-sitting since May in a place that I would choose for myself. I am grateful for knowing it exists and (in advance) for the means to have my own version.
New computer. Yes, I am working with this iPad, but it has a lot of limitations for the kinds of things I do on a computer (none of it downloading porn). A new PC to replace Mario also opens up work from home possibilities. I like a commute that goes from bed to coffee maker to desk.
Big Fat Waddling Juicy El Niño for the next 3-4 years. I like sunny weather as much as the next person, but dammit, this is a drought and that’s not good. Sure, a day in the 70s in January is nice, but it ain’t normal.we not only need the rain, we we need the cooler temperatures. Who wants to make a big pot of chili when it’s in the 80s? I have sweaters and socks that I love to wear, especially on a rainy, cool Sunday watching a football game and eating homemade turkey chili. The Byrds were right when they sang that there is a time to every season. “A time for flip flops and a time for fluffy socks.” Besides, cool, gray weather during the winter means I get my favorite beach mostly to myself, my coffee, and the migrating whales. I don’t resent other people out there, but the lack of human-made noise is soothing to the soul.

(No more pictures. iPad has officially taken its marbles and gone home when it comes to inserting graphics)

I am always thankful for my friends. (Stealing a line here, but that’s what comedians do) “There’s the logical family and the biological family.” A good chunk of my logical family was playing Cards Against Humanity on Saturday night. I would move bodies for these people. They have done nearly as much for me.
Good timely luck. In my life, it has manifested as “just in time” needs being met when necessary, or happy accidents that benefitted me. Frankly, I’d be happy with a large lotto win, say ending up with a $250 million (US) net worth (I read “Scruples” when I was in my teens and decided that that’s the amount of money I wanted. And authors of erotica: get a copy and read the sex scenes. That’s how it’s done.

That’s just the most immediate list of gratitude into manifesting. We shall see how things unfold.

Got a Nook, Kobo, Sony Reader or iBooks? Have I got a Deal for You

deal

Pssst! Hey, Buddy…

Okay, Readers, let’s you and me do some business here.

Now, I’m not going to take it personally that my book sales are not moving as I envisioned (Frankly, I think they are going to be a HUGE deal and all y’all are passing up the chance to be early adopters and hipsters who say, “Yeah, I knew about that before it was cool. And I was one of the first ones to spread the word about it.” (sips soy half-caff no foam latte)). I plan for renewed interest in John Donne’s poetry to come from these books. And for people to go traipsing around Boston looking for sites from the books – even the ones that don’t exist. I want to someone to license stuffed animals to be made from this guy:

Toulouse

Toulouse aka Beanie

We need to spark the fire to get this going. I will be working on a book trailer (I have an iPad and I might be able to do that).

But for now….

All of you with Nooks or Kobos, raise your hand. (23, 24, 37….) Okay (and Kindle folk, don’t get your noses out of joint. You’ve had PLENTY of free/discount opportunities).

tftbookcover

This is a good book. I can say that because I have the reviews (most unsolicited) to back that up. It’s about real love and making it work. It’s about surviving and working to be  a better person for yourself and for someone you  love.

Here’s the deal:

coupon

Smashwords link

Go order a copy of  These Foolish Things through that link and use this coupon code:

HN42X

Until Feb 7. 2014, that there code is good for 50% off the $5.99 list price.  50 EFFING PERCENT!!!!! That’s a deal. Half the price – pfft – gone!

And the beauty part? Go ahead and share it with your friends! I don’t mind!

So, your mission (and you DO choose to accept it) is to go to Smashwords on that link, enter that code, download the book, read, review and talk your friends into doing the same.

Enjoy.

Virtual Vision Board

First things first:

2013-07-25 15.05.41

These Foolish Things e-book is on sale for another 27 hours for $.99.

January 1? Back up to $5.99 (despite the bitch – and yes, she was – who told me it wasn’t worth that much and should be $3.99. It SOLD at the higher prices. Rosalind, if you’re reading this, your free and unsolicited advice is worth exactly what it costs: nothing. Feel free to mind your own damned business in the future). At Last will remain at $2.99

AtLast131022_bookcoverCVR6

The covers are spectacular.

2013 has been a decided mixed bag: good things, bad things, new ventures, and stress, stress, stress. Many people I know would like to give it a swift kick in the ass on the way out the door.

bye bye 2013

2014? To be better that 2013 (except for the Red Sox win), the bar is set pretty low. However, the bar IS set and we do expect you to rise above it. There are always more years where you came from.

I am a Spiritual Pyromaniac. I will burn things (in a socially acceptable manner) to bring about a change in energy. I will light candles and build bonfires (extinguishers standing by) and burn little pieces of paper with my wishes on them to put it out to the Universe what I want and need. 

candles burning

I have candles going as I write this (around Exhibit A’s fuzzy butt).

You’ve just got to have this much faith that it’ll work.

faith the size of a mustard seed

And even Mr. Spock says nothing is impossible. He’s very logical.

Some people make vision boards to keep in front of their desks so they see their goals all day. This will be a vision board for me for 2014.

book sales

I want my book sales to sky rocket.

ellen

Hey, Ellen. May I come on your show?

katy_perry_roar

I want you to hear me roar.

paid_bills

Sick and tired of financial stress. I am ready and I am grateful for it to be behind me forever.

 

Power to change story

And I am saying that the story continues on my terms.