Vampires in Space!

| Casey Wyatt

Hello my friends! I’m doing triple blogging duty today.

At the Scribes I talk about bad boys – Take a Walk on the Dark Side. If you’re an Avengers fan (or a Loki fan), this post is for you!

And over at the Soul Mate Blog – Let’s Hear it for the Doubt Monster.

If you have time, stop by and say hello!

Today’s post is short and sweet as I’m currently working on two books.

Or I’m trying to anyway. The idea is that I’m always working on one book or the other. At the moment, it’s working and I don’t want to mess with a good thing. And, much to my delight, I’ve even worked on Galen’s book too (but I don’t want to jinx it so I won’t say much more!).

Time is limited and I’d love to finish at least one draft by July, because . . . drum roll, please –

The Undead Space Initiative is coming out in July from Pink Petal Books.  Finally, the crazy book I crafted in July 2011, about vampires in space, will be available.

Here’s the story in a nutshell:

Cherry Cordial, vampire stripper extraordinaire, spectacularly messes up her life with a single act of kindness. How could she have known when she rescued gorgeous rogue Ian McDevitt that she would be implicated in the vampire queen’s murder? Soon, she faces the wrath of the entire vampire community. To escape retribution, she joins a settlement program to colonize Mars. Her choices are grim: hurtle through space to the red planet to face the unknown and possible death, or stay on Earth and face> certain annihilation. To make things even more complicated, a certain gorgeous rogue seems to be shadowing her every move…

I don’t have the cover art yet, but when I do, you’ll all be the first ones to see it.

And, in case you missed last week, I’m participating in Night Owl’s Summer Fun Web Hunt. I’m giving away a $15 Amazon gift card to one lucky winner. Check out the rules by clicking the image below:

Now, y’all have to pardon me because I need to get back to writing so I’ll have something new on my bookshelf for 2013 and beyond.

 What about everyone else? What are you all working on?

American Restoration, Pawn Stars and a Web Hunt!

| Casey Wyatt

Happy Friday everyone! Be sure to visit me over at the Scribes – My Fortress of Solitude.

I don’t normally watch a ton of television when I’m actively writing. And here’s why, over Memorial Day weekend, I made the mistake of checking out one of my favorite channels – History. I stumbled across the show American Restoration. After about five minutes, I was completely hooked. The show is about Rick Dale and his business – Rick’s Restoration in Las Vegas. I fell in love with the mix of history, nostalgia and the quirky cast of employees.

It didn’t take long for youngest son to be sucked in as well. Before we knew it, we were entrenched in an American Restoration marathon. For hours. When it was over, we were a bit bereft and bummed to have to wait until the following weekend to watch more.

Of course, I couldn’t leave well enough alone. Right after the American Restoration marathon ended, Pawn Stars began. Now, I know this show has been on for a few years, but I had ignored it. It wasn’t a “history” program, per se, so I lumped it in with the likes of Ancient Aliens, Ice Road Truckers, and Swamp People  – not for me.

Wrong. I couldn’t resist the old school toys, antique weapons, the haggling (which I’m terrible at), Americana, and the deluded people. Soon, I was talking to the screen  – “You want how much? Why are you even going to a pawn shop if you think it’s worth so much – try e-bay!”

 

And the History Channel was kind enough to run a marathon for two days! Like a black hole, the show latched on, not only to me, but my hubby and younger son. The only one able to resist – Older Son – his dislike of history battled Pawn Star’s gravitational pull.

At one point, I even told hubby – “The show is research. See, Devlin Ward, my satyr in Mystic Ink, he owns a pawn shop. And all this knowledge will come in handy when I write his book.”

I know. I know. I should hang my head in shame. Pathetic excuse.

Needless to say, I didn’t write very much.

I had resolved to mend my ways. Until younger son informed me – “Hey Mom! Did you see the commercial? Cajun Pawn Stars!”

NOOOOOOO! Curse you History Channel!

So in the spirit of Pawn Stars and American Restoration, consider a hunt of your own.

Today is the start of the Night Owl’s Summer Fun Web Hunt! So what’s a web hunt? Participating authors (like yours truly) have a clue hidden within the pages of their blog. The web hunt runs from June 1 – July 15th.

I’m giving away a $15 Amazon gift card! If you’d like to join the hunt, click on the picture below and follow the rules. Good hunting!

So, what television shows tickle your fancy? And if not television, what are your favorite distractions?

The True Meaning of Sacrifice

| Casey Wyatt

Happy Friday everyone!

Don’t forget to visit me at the Scribes. We have a guest today – RC Bonitz – A Blanket for Her Heart.

Since Memorial Day is around the corner, I’d like to share some facts about the holiday, a poem by Longfellow, and my thoughts on sacrifice.

  • Originally, the holiday was known as Decoration Day – a day to remember Civil War dead and decorate their graves with flowers. It was celebrated on different dates depending on the region of the country.
  • The first Decoration Day was held on May 30, 1868. An official ceremony was held at Arlington National Cemetery. Five thousand participants helped decorate the 20,000 graves of both Union and Confederate Army dead. The date was chosen because it was not a battle anniversary day.
  • After World War I, Memorial Day ceremonies were held to remember the dead from all wars. Although, the term Memorial Day was first used in 1882, it did not become the holiday’s common name until after World War II.
  • Memorial Day didn’t become an official Federal holiday until 1971. At the same time, the Uniform Holidays Bill went into effect moving several holidays, including Memorial day to specific Mondays.
  • Since Memorial Day was moved from May 30, there have been several bills introduced in Congress to return Memorial Day to it’s original date to restore significance back to the day.
As promised, a snippet of a poem by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow – The Arsenal at Springfield

This is the Arsenal. From floor to ceiling,
Like a huge organ, rise the burnished arms;
But front their silent pipes no anthem pealing
Startles the villages with strange alarms.

Ah! what a sound will rise, how wild and dreary,
When the death-angel touches those swift keys
What loud lament and dismal Miserere
Will mingle with their awful symphonies

I hear even now the infinite fierce chorus,
The cries of agony, the endless groan,
Which, through the ages that have gone before us,
In long reverberations reach our own.

To read the rest – click here

Published in 1845, after Longfellow visited the armory in Springfield, MA, many scholars consider this to be an effective example of an anti-war poem. Longfellow likened the guns to a pipe organ of death, destruction and misery.

And yet, as abhorrent as war is, sometimes, it’s necessary to stop evil.

Freedom is not free.

Historian Stephen Ambrose once said of his fallen brothers in arms- “they gave up all of their tomorrows, so we could have our today.”

I have never forgotten that quote. A stark and vivid reminder that all the freedoms that we take for granted come at a great cost.

So ask yourself – how can I honor their sacrifice?

  • Be informed citizens (yes, that means watching political debates, reading the newspaper, paying attention to the issues that matter to you).
  • Run for office or serve on local town committees, support military families, thank a solder next time you see one, and teach your children to respect democracy, and don’t try to get out of jury duty.
  • Learn and appreciate the history of the United States of America. Forget history class. There are hundreds of well-written interesting books out there! You’d be surprised to learn how many of the problems we face today have their roots in events from the past.
  • Vote in every election no matter how big or small.

From the bottom of my heart, I say – thank you – to all the fallen soldiers and veterans- knowing that no amount of gratitude can make up for the ultimate sacrifice made by the men and women in the Armed Forces. Past. Present. Future.

Have a safe and meaning filled holiday everyone!

Versatile Blogger Award

| Casey Wyatt

I must be doing something right because I’ve been awarded the Versatile Blogger Award by my Triberr mate – Larissa Reinhart.  Thank you Larissa!

With any blog award, there are rules. Rules which I will probably break, mostly because I’m running out of facts about myself.

But here they are for those of you that I pass this award onto.

Da Rules:

If you are nominated, you’ve been awarded the Versatile Blogger award.

  •  Thank the person who gave you this award. That’s common courtesy.
  •  Include a link to their blog. That’s also common courtesy — if you can figure out how to do it.
  •  Next, select 15 blogs/bloggers that you’ve recently discovered or follow regularly. ( I would add, pick blogs or bloggers that are excellent!)
  •  Nominate those 15 bloggers for the Versatile Blogger Award — you might include a link to this site.
  •  Finally, tell the person who nominated you 7 things about yourself.

The Facts:

1. I love comic books, sci-fi and fantasy. So needless to say, this is a great time to be a fan of superheroes. ‘Nuff said.

2. I’m designated pooch-sitter for my mother’s dog whenever she goes out of town. Isn’t Holly cute? I caught her nibbling on my owl throw rug.  I was not amused.

Everyone wants to be a writer….

3. I’m not afraid of spiders. I think they’re kind of cool. Of course, most spiders where I live are not venomous enough to kill you either.

This guy or gal lived on my deck one summer.

4. I love hot abs! *Sigh* So many luscious guys to ogle, so little time. Thank you to all my Facebook friends who provide such wonderful images on a daily basis.

 

 

 

5. Cupcakes are one of my favorite foods. For my Chocolate Cupcakes of Doom recipe – click here. I also enjoy watching Cupcake Wars. Until my younger son starts critiquing my cupcakes like Florian – “zee’s cupcake, eet’s very dense.”

Casey’s Chocolate Cupcakes of Doom!

6.  I love Old Sturbridge Village. If you have a living history museum in your area, please visit it. And visit often. There is always something new to learn.

7. I love intelligent guys. Smart is the new sexy! If you haven’t checked out Sherlock Holmes on Masterpiece Theater (or BBC), what are you waiting for?

The Versatile Blogger Award goes to:

YA Beyond – sound advice from my fellow Scribe PJ Sharon for teenagers and us adults who live with them.

Julia Rachel Barrett– I know, I just pegged you for another blog award. But it did say to choose excellent blogs, so there you are.

Penny Romance – Ditto for what I said about Julia. I visit you lovely ladies every day! Even if I don’t comment, be assured that I read your posts.

Shelly Bell – Always interesting interviews and reviews.

Rose Vanden Eynden – my kindred Soul Mate sister – enlightenment, wisdom and slices of life.

A.C. Cockerill – I learn something new every time Ashley posts a  blog.

Savannah Chase – Yummy photos, flash fiction and so much more!

Tam Linsey – Always educational and pertinent. Plus, Tam has the best website artwork!

Ann Montclair – loads of author interviews!

J.D. Revezzo – Dreaming in Ink – everything for the reader and author – reviews, interviews, advice!

Nights of Passion – my fellow CTRWAers. Lots of fun for both readers and writers.

Callie Hutton – Magic Monday! Don’t miss it!

Jamie Brazil – part of the beard lover’s club, never a boring blog post!

Meggan Connors – I want to be her when I grow up! The saucy wench always makes me laugh.

Writing Secrets of 7 Scribes – Sassy, classy, and informative. Not that I’m biased. Much!

Kitties for a Cause!

| Casey Wyatt

Happy Friday everyone! Today, I have a guest – J.D. Revezzo, here to share her latest project – Dark Things II: Cat Crimes. All proceeds for this book will go to various cat charities.

Don’t forget to visit me at the Scribes – where J.D. answers our interview questions.

____________________________________________________

Like any little girl, I was enamored of cats. I had several growing up, though all my furbabies are over the rainbow now. What I learned in those years, I could call into …

Top Four Traits of Cats….and some debunking:

1. Cats always land on their feet.

True. I’ve seen some jump from impossible heights, twist in the air and indeed, land on their feet.

2. Cats are graceful

Fact, I used to have cat that was so graceless, we called him a buffalo in a cat’s body. Case in point, cats are supposed to be lithe on their feet, right, able to leap tall counters in a single bound—and yawn at you while doing it? Not so our Baby Buffalo. He would leap up onto a counter, and knock every dish, container, and spoon to the floor as he slid along the surface. (He’d also jump up onto full dinner trays and knock them over. )

3. Cats are cautious of strangers.

Again, not so. See, I have allergies to cats. I kid you not, it seems whenever I am in a room with a cat—any cat—the animal will seek me out, and do its darndest to rub itself in my face. *searches for Claritin*

4. Cats are stealthy. I had one that not only snuck its way into my house on a winter’s night without anyone seeing her, but she ended up in my bed with me.

These are just the ones I observed. Some of these tied into my story, “What Sekhmet Keeps” which you’ll find in Dark Things II: Cat Crimes. It is an anthology of dark and mischievous cat tales,

Dark Things II: Cat Crimes

A collection of tales featuring feline mayhem, murder and dastardly deeds. Vampire cats. Scoundrel cats. Daring cats. Killer cats. Cats you don’t want in your worst nightmares and cats you might want on your side against evil. Authors include Mary V. Welk, Patty G. Henderson, Patricia Harrington, Jim Silvestri, Ken Goldman, Shanna Germain, Anna Sykora and dozens more. Intro by Robert W. Walker. All proceeds from sales go to several cat sanctuaries across the USA. Enjoy over twenty-one “cat tales” and support a cat charity!

And for my story:

“What Sekhmet Keeps”

by J.D. Revezzo

Betrayed by a false lover, cat shifter priestess Onfalia Mau lost her lioness soul and freedom to her lover’s treachery and Sekhmet’s wrath. Now, after three thousand years, Donquar has returned with one thing in mind: to steal the goddess’s scepter. Onfalia knows that to do so means to unleash Sekhmet’s unholy, bloody Slaughter on the world and she’ll stop at nothing to foil Donquar’s plans.

I hope you’ll check it out, and enjoy these fabulous stories!

All proceeds from the sale of our anthology will go to Cat House on The Kings, a no-kill cat sanctuary in California.

Their URL

http://www.cathouseonthekings.com/

Buy links for the anthology:

In Kindle and paperback at Amazon

http://www.amazon.com/DARK-THINGS-II-Crimes-ebook/dp/B006O15YBE/ref=tmm_kin_title_0/185-0297248-1137456?ie=UTF8&m=AG56TWVU5XWC2

And in Epub at Lulu.

http://www.lulu.com/shop/compiled-by-patty-g-henderson/dark-things-ii-cat-crimes/ebook/product-18787458.html

About J.D. Revezzo:

J.D. Revezzo has long been in love with writing, a love built by devouring everything from the Arthurian legends, to the works of Michael Moorcock, and the classics. Her short fiction has been published in Dark Things II: Cat Crimes, The Scribing Ibis, Eternal Haunted Summer, Twisted Dreams Magazine and Luna Station Quarterly.

You can learn more about her works at:

Her site:

http://harshadpassion.wordpress.com/

or if you wish, follow her on Facebook:

http://www.facebook.com/pages/JD-Revezzo/233193150037011

Or on Twitter:

https://twitter.com/#!/juliannewrites/

Thanks for being my guest today, J.D.

Got your own cat myth to debunk? Or if you’ve got questions or comments for J.D. – fire away!

Castles and Guns -Two Great Things that Go Together!

| Casey Wyatt

I’m over at Castles and Guns today! Stop by and hear my thoughts about luck versus hard work.

Go forth and visit me over at Castles & Guns!

I Must be Crazy!

| Casey Wyatt

Happy Friday! Please remember to visit me over at the Scribes for Cal’s Double Chocolate Cherry Cookies. Yes, you did read that right. I did use double, chocolate, and cherry all in the same sentence.

It’s hard to believe that it was only a year ago that I started this blog (in April 2011). And last May, I was preparing to pitch to editors (see here). Well, CT Fiction Fest is back (tomorrow!!) and I will be pitching again. Only this year, I’ve decided to throw an agent or two into the mix.

Now that I’ve sold two books, I’d like to expand my horizons or maybe it’s more accurate to say broaden my reach. I’ve realized that in order to keep motivated, I need to update my goals. For so long, the goal was – sell a book!

Mission accomplished. Now it’s time to dream bigger which includes writing more stories. And believe me, I’ve got loads of them locked in my head, scribbled in notebooks, and even all over Post-It notes. Coming up with ideas is not a problem. Executing those ideas, while promoting Mystic Ink and preparing The Undead Space Initiative for release all while maintaining a full time job/life, is not so easy.

But, hey, I’m not complaining. No one is standing over me with a gun making me write. I could walk away at any time. Of course, I wouldn’t be happy with myself. I already know because I’ve walked away from writing before and it drove me nuts.

Don’t let life drive you cuckoo!

Since stopping isn’t an option, eventually something will have to give. At the moment, I’m focused on Mystic Storm and a totally different novel. That’s means not so much time spent on social media or other activities. The only way I can create time for writing is to take it from something else. That’s just how it is.

Buried deep in my mind is the fantasy that some day I can quit my day job. There is 8-9 hours, right there, plumb for writing. If I need to  acquire an agent to do that – I’ll consider it. If I need to stick to e-pubs for a while – yup, that works. If I need to Indie publish – that’s a viable option too.

So back to pitching, this year, the focus is on –  where can I go next? And what can I accomplish with the time I have?

To a non-writer I know this seems like crazy talk! But in reality, you have to really love what you’re doing to keep going. Selling a few books was exciting, but by no means the end of the story. Like anything writing is a journey, not a destination.

How about you? What are you trying to accomplish? What are you willing to give up to get there?

Bid on Me!

| Casey Wyatt

Happy Friday everyone! Please remember to stop by the Scribes and read my post – Pitch Perfect.

This  year, along with my other Soul Mate sisters, I’m participating in Brenda Novak’s Auction for Diabetes Research. So far, the auction has raised $1.3 million, with a goal of $2 million.

The auction runs from May 1, 2012 – May 31, 2012.

There is an impressive variety of items up for bid from autographed books, e-readers, jewelry, networking opportunities, and the grand prize is an iMac.

As a group, Soul Mate authors are auctioning off a Kindle, fully loaded with Soul Mate Books. Click here, to place a bid.

I’m giving away an e-book copy of Mystic Ink and a 15 page evaluation of a WIP in progress. If you’re interested, please click here, and it will take you directly to my bidding page.

And I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention that next weekend is Connecticut Fiction Fest – CTRWA’s annual writing conference.  

If you live in the area, this is a great event! We have agents and editors galore, a variety of valuable workshops, book signings and a raffle.

Check it out – Fiction Fest 2012.

Speaking of the conference, I’m pitching again this year, so it’s back to work for me!

Have a great weekend!

How Sweet it is!

| Casey Wyatt

I’m so excited – Guilty Indulgence Romance Review site awarded Mystic Ink their coveted Ultimate Indulgence Book award. Stop by and read the review!

Yay!  5 Chocolate-Dipped Strawberries