Fun Stuff Coming Up!

Guys! I feel like I have so much to tell you. It’s not that I’ve been keeping secrets, or taken a break from posting, but suddenly I have a list of THINGS to share.

When I was writing my posts for the week, I looked at my calendar and realized that June is over and July is upon us. And HolyCrapSummersHalfwayOver, and there are some FreakishlyCoolBeyondAwesome things coming up fast.

Like a really fun Birthday Bash promotion, in honor of my birthday, and also DESCENDANT being published, and in which you can buy my book and get free stuff, be entered to win free stuff, and then get more free stuff for participating. It runs July 1-9^th, and there are lots and lots of ways to participate, and did I mention free stuff and prizes? Yeah.  Maybe keep that in mind and if you’re planning to buy or gift a copy of DESCENDANT, you may want to wait until July 1st, and check back here for the details on how to get your free stuff. (I mentioned free stuff, right?)

Party. Balloons. Party favors. YAHOO!

A few weeks after that, I will be doing a little traveling, some of which *might* involve research for a manuscript which *might* be a sequel to DESCENDANT. This trip will also involve a few days in Utah, during which time I may set up a signing if I have time. (I’ll let you know!)

Also, have you ever attended WorldCON? If you’re at all into science fiction / fantasy of any kind (Star wars anyone? No? Star Trek maybe? Game of Thrones?) it’s pretty much a week of unbridled awesome. And this year, it’s called LoneStarCON, because it’s in San Antonio, which is only two hours away from me, which means I WILL SO BE THERE! So far, I am not planning on being on any panels or participating at all because I hesitated too long, but I don’t even care. I have my reservations and have paid my fee and at the end of August, I AM GOING. (So if you’ve ever considered attending, you should come this year and find me and say hi.)

What else? Oh yes! My friend Tova (the one who made my awesome DESCENDANT lip balms and body sprays) at The Way of the Witch has recently launched an Ailment app, which will is geared toward helping people find holistic, natural remedies to whatever ails you, kind of like Abby in DESCENDANT. Cool, right? I recommend checking that out if you’re at all into natural healing.

Okay, last thing. I have some seriously big goals for the next few months, and lots of important tasks vying for my attention, so aside from a few extra promotional posts, I’m going to cut back to one post a week until September.  And because it seems like a good time to experiment, I’m going to try posting that once-a-week post on Tuesdays. (Obviously, I’m feeling rebellious.)  

Thanks so much for reading and for understanding and for just being awesome. That’s all for now!

*Don’t forget to check back on July 1^st for an opportunity to participate in the Birthday Bash Promotion and get lots of free stuff!

Little Things That Make a Big Difference

Last week during my travels, I was able to experience both kindness and it’s jaded opposite in a single day.

The very nice man from the hotel staff—who not only brought me a cart, but hauled my copious amount of luggage (6 pieces total) to the garage and loaded it in my car—refused any tip, insisting that it was Mother’s Day and his pleasure. (Though, I assure you—those bags were freakishly heavy. Just ask Delta airlines.) Because of him, and other kind and helpful hotel staff, I will stay at the Marriott whenever I can in my travels. The people there are incredibly respectful.

On the other hand, a rental car employee stood and watched me unload this same luggage, without assistance (and sporting the slightest smirk) as I wrestled all six ridiculously heavy bags onto the ground and went in search of a cart—AND THEN informed me that he was charging me yet one more astronomical fee. Another rental employee also watched, amused, as I wrestled my cart toward the BROKEN automatic door, then stood aside, waiting for ME TO OPEN IT FOR HIM.  There was more, but I won’t bore you with the details. Needless to say, I will never rent from Hertz again. (They may have a policy against helping customers with luggage—I don’t know. But the door thing? Yeah, I can think of nothing to justify that.)

The thing is, it’s not always about company policy. Sometimes it’s about human beings treating each other with value and respect. Sometimes it’s about helping each other when it’s obvious that we need help. Much like the hotel gentleman--by the way, he was not a bell boy—who jumped to assist me because he could tell I was struggling. Unfortunately, that type of behavior is becoming more and more rare.

This is what is wrong with our society. Somewhere along the way, we’ve lost sight of the basic important things, the little things that very often make a big difference. I think it’s up to each of us to be that person who makes a change, regardless of where we work or what we do for a living. Some things are about being human, and WE—not our jobs or companies or any other outside force—are the ones who choose how we act, and how we react, and what we stand for.

Will you be the person eager to jump in and help or the one who stands on the curb and smirks? It’s your call. But remember—one day you may also be the one struggling with the baggage. Which one would you want to encounter?

That is all.

*end rant*

"When the Butterflies Came" by Kimberly Griffiths Little

It’s been way too long since I posted about books I love. Also, it’s been way too long since I read a middle grade book. Because middle grade is just so much fun! I sort of miss having middle grade children, because when mine were a few years younger, I tended to read the same books as them. Now I feel like I’ve been missing out on so many wonderful treasures.

Like When the Butterflies Came, by Kimberly Griffiths Little. What a delightful, beautifully written mystery, full of grief, wonder, and discovery. Middle grade readers should love following Tara as she finds each key to the next clue as she fits together an elaborately created puzzle left behind by her beloved Grammy Claire. I loved getting to know Tara and Riley, and the friends they made throughout their travels, and I especially loved the settings. From the manor near the bayou in Louisiana, to the tree house on the island of Chuuk, the setting came alive for me. As did the butterflies.

And I am a fan of butterflies. Speaking of butterflies, check out this beautiful cover!

Here’s the description:

Everybody thinks Tara Doucet has the perfect life. But in reality, Tara’s life is anything but perfect: Her dear Grammy Claire has just passed away, her mother is depressed and distant, and she and her sister Riley can’t seem to agree on anything. But when mysterious and dazzling butterflies begin to follow her around after Grammy Claire’s funeral, Tara just knows in her heart that her grandmother has left her one final mystery to solve.

A strange butler brings Tara and Riley to Grammy Claire’s house, where Tara finds a stack of keys and detailed letters from Grammy Claire herself. Note by note, Tara learns unexpected truths about her grandmother’s life. As the letters grow more ominous and the clues more difficult to decipher, Tara realizes that the secrets she must uncover could lead to mortal danger. And when Tara and Riley are swept away to the beautiful islands of Chuuk to hear their grandmother’s will, Tara discovers the most shocking truth of all — one that will change her life forever.

From Kimberley Griffiths Little comes a magical, breathtaking mystery full of loss and love, family and faith.

Read more about Kimberly Griffiths Little and her other books or buy When the Butterflies Came on Amazon or Barnes andNoble.  

I'm Back!

Dudes. I just got back from WorldCON in Reno. Sorry about the lack of blogs for the last week and a half, but even though my friends warned me, I had NO IDEA how busy I’d be. I’m talking like, never turned on the hotel TV busy. Didn’t read a single page except while traveling busy. Never opened my computer busy. And I might as well admit that I was sleep-three-hours-a-night busy, too.

It. Was. So. FUN.

And I know you’re dying to hear all the highlights because it might help you decide if attending a WorldCON should be in your future. And I will give a rundown this week. Just not today. My brain is still fuzzy, and I have so much to catch up on that I’m a bit overwhelmed. But I will say this.

Pay the fee. Reserve the room. Buy the ticket.

You will NOT be sorry. I’m already making plans to attend next year. I have somewhere around 371 days to save up and prepare. That’s plenty of time.

ChiCON, here I come! (Translation for ChiCON=WorldCON in Chicago.)

A Story that Changed Commerce

Okay, I’m totally not braggin. Seriously. I just have to share this story. And because it’s long, I’m going to do it in two parts. So please bear with me. I do actually have a point.


Part I


During my recent trip to Mazatlan, Mexico, some friends and I stayed in a remote condo complex sandwiched between a lush golf course and a private beach. The place was gorgeous, with tall palm trees, miles of light sand and blue water, and plenty of wildlife. (Hey, I'm talking animals here, what were you thinking? *winks*) (Yeah, it was posh, and no I'm not trying to rub it in, I promise.) (Also, none of us are golfers, but that's a whole other story.)



Given that it's now April, this should be a pretty busy season for them. But this year, other than resort employees, the place was practically a ghost town. We stayed in phase 2 of 3, and in our section, there were around 12 other people there, total, in a place which could realistically have held 300 or more.

This surprised my friends and I, but given that we arrived on a Monday at the end of March, we chalked it up to an off day of the week, or an off week of the season, and went about our merry way, endlessly entertaining the staff with our antics (of which there were many, I assure you). A few days into our trip, we took a shuttle (again, we were the only passengers) for the 40 minute drive into town to do a little shopping.


Because, let's face it. Five women in Mexico might very possibly explode without at least one shopping trip. Just sayin.


We had the driver drop us off in an area near the cruise port, because we knew there would be a lot of fun places to see there, and because we only had a few hours. Again, we took notice that there were very, very few tourists in this area that should have been bustling with cruise passengers, as well as vacationers. It's a popular place to visit, you know? So we asked one of the shop owners if it was an off day for the port area.

Got an interesting answer. Turned out, not long ago, a couple of stupid cruisers left the safe areas of town and headed for the not-so-safe hills, by themselves, with no map and no guide and apparently no clue. They happened upon members of a hidden drug cartel, and got themselves killed. (Yikes, right?) Sad, sad situation, for sure. But even sadder? Because of this incident, which isn't necessarily isolated, but also not a regular occurrence in the area, the press had a heyday with the story.


People were up in arms, arguments were had within governments and private contractors and cruise companies and resorts. In the end, the cruise companies canceled all scheduled ports in Mazatlan until 2012. Airlines cut flight options going to Mazatlan in half (meaning the prices skyrocketed, FYI). And now, a few months later, respectable, hard-working merchants whose livelihoods depended on tourist support, are in danger of sinking like the Titanic.


So sad. Cuz those little shops have great stuff. And it's such a fun city. But this is the cliff hanger point where I make you wait til Friday to read the rest. (Sorry! I warned you.)

I'm Back! (And a Few Things I Learned in Mexico.)

Well, sort of back. I'm  home, but not at all caught up on everything I've missed. I haven't even written my blogs for the rest of this week yet.


*Gasps*

 I even thought I did today's blog in advance, but when I checked, there wasn't one. So. Yeah. My bad.

But I did learn some stuff while I was gone, and I think I'll share them with you.

1. The current exchange rate between the Mexican Pesos and the American dollar is 12.5-$1

2. Wicker furniture is much heavier than it looks, and probably not meant to be taken outside for sleep-outs under the stars. Probably.

3. When five women go anywhere together, people take notice. It doesn't matter if you forewarned them or were accidentally way-laid due to airline misahps. They see. They remember. They take note. As in, "Oh yeah, you're the five." (Everywhere we went.)

4. Factor 15 sunscreen is not nearly strong enough, even if you reapply twice in a day. And red is not a very becoming color on me.

5. Sand dollars are extremely hard to find, but dead blow fish are everywhere. At least, in Mazatlan.

6. Just when you think you'll never see these people again, someone who knows someone you know shows up and shatters that thought to bits. As in, "I saw your wife and some other women booking it through the Houston airport, pulling pink suitcases, and wearing sandals. Very entertaining. Quite comical. Did they actually make it?" (Missed it by eight minutes, dude. Doh!)

7. Telling a Mexican merchant you're not going to buy something sparkly is like issuing a challenge, which might result in a standoff that ends in the use of a credit card or the rest of your cash.

8. Even in Mexico, when you tell people you're from Utah, they have to ask, "So, is this a sister-wives trip?" or "Do you all have the same husband?" And man, they're serious. (REALLY? We're really good friends, but not that kind of good.)

9. Just because the cell phone company offers you an international plan doesn't mean you'll actually get a signal where you're going.

10. When you end up stranded overnight in a city you didn't plan on visiting, with no luggage, Continental airlines gives you a little bag with a toothbrush, comb, and deodorant. "Thanks for flying with us. Please accept this valuable gift in lieu of a missed day at the beach. We hope you'll fly again soon!"

Yeah, I'm sure there's more. But it's way past my bed time. Hopefully, I'll be back on track by Wednesday. Good to see you all, my friends!