September 1999

I'm going to break from my usual blogging about books and writing. September 1999, my daughter was a Preschool student at Center Elementary. While she was adapting to schooling, little did I know I would meet a friend that would make such an impact on my life. I don't want to put down the few others that I have considered my Best Friend-they all are unique and special to me, but Chasity McKnight was the first person I ever encountered that was on the same wave length as me. We were more like sisters. We liked crafting, we loved the same types of movies(except I love horror movies and she hated them), most music we could compromise on(although she nearly killed me with the Toby Keith), we both were raised by grandparents, raised in church, and were ready for whatever adventure struck us! We were two ADD peas in a pod! Actually it was why we gave eachother the nicknames "Peas" and "Carrots". I was the red head so of course you can figure which one of us was "Carrots". We talked about the future alot. When our girls were old enough, we wanted to go on one of those Mother/Daughter road trips and when our kids were out of school and grown, we had planned on celebrating our "independence", however she never would go for seeing Chippendales with me in Vegas, but I often brought the idea up. When she moved to Bluffton, my biggest regret is that I never did go to see her. I had a bad car that kept over heating and the one time I did manage to try to get up there, my car overheated and my dad had to help me get it back home. I got preggers in 2004 and had a baby boy in 2005, and she was all into being "Aunt Chassie" to him. My grandpa died before my son was a year old, and I won't go into the grief that hit me with his loss, but she was right there with me! She never let a day pass where she didn't call me 100 times and at the funeral she was there with those loving arms. September 19th, it was a morning like any other. I was up trying to get Olivia off to school plus changing diapers and giving my son his morning feeding. He didn't sleep well since he had refux.Like clockwork, the phone rang, and it was Chasity-for our every day morning chats. She was having a tree in their yard removed and I was trying to keep from yawning-not from boredom but from lack of sleep. Olivia went off to meet the bus and I was still on the phone. We talked a little bit longer and had made plans to meet that weekend. I had recently taken up being an assistant troop leader, and she had some things to give me plus we hadn't seen eachother in awhile. She could hear the weariness in my voice and I promised her I would call her later. Later never came. She went out to her back porch to take pictures of the tree and the men cutting it down. At 3p.m. I got a call from her sister and I swear when she told me Chasity had been killed, I actually thought I was being pranked. I had to turn it on the news and there it was. My chest locked up-I couldn't breathe for the tears that were bursting forth and the immediate grief that was ripping from my chest. I called my husband at work, who still had an hour to go on the clock and I couldn't even speak-I was hysterical. He of course came home. For the next few days I couldn't stop crying and then the day came of her wake at a funeral home in Bluffton. I couldn't stop shaking. I felt dizzy and sick all at the same time. I entered and there was her family-her church all surrounding her husband and children with so much love and support. Her sister was one of the first people to grab me up and hug me. I couldn't stop from breaking down when Kena grabbed hold of me. I didn't want to break down-not in front of her children who had lost their mother. However, I couldn't help it. I just put my hand over my mouth to stop myself from wailing aloud. My husband got me to the refreshment room and got me sat down. It hadn't been but 8 months since I had lost my papow and now I had lost my best friend. Was I on God's bad side or something? I couldn't think of anything particular that I had done to offend him. People would tell me, "Well God only takes the good ones" or "It was God's plan, we don't always know the 'why', but it was his plan for her to rejoin him in heaven" and while that should have made me feel better it didn't. I kept thinking about her children-because Chasity was hung over the moon for her babies. They meant the world to her and nothing was as important as her relationships with them. There was not a day that went by when she didn't talk about what miracles they were and she was so very proud of them. Now, their lives were changed because of a freak accident. I kept thinking, "Why God, why? Why would you allow such a thing?" I still don't know if I've ever made my peace with God over that one but what I will tell you that lives are finite. They aren't meant to last forever, and you should never take anything in life for granted! Tell your loved ones how much you love them, let your friends know how much they mean to you, and don't forget to let your children know how much you love them throught he good, bad, and grape jelly stains on their shirts! Make time to visit your friends and loved ones-take the time to call them. If you've had something that has put a strain on your friendship-then fix it! Admit wrong, swallow pride-because once someone is gone-there is no second chance! Me and Chasity never did argue about anything. I don't remember ever being mad at her-ever! I have had tiff's with other dear friends-tiff's that seem so trivial and if I haven't made it up to them, then it's on my short list of things to do! Tomorrow, Chasity D. Mcknight will have been gone 5 years and more than ever I still miss her and grieve her passing! I also am grateful for the years we were friends and what she brought to my life! I hope I can be half the person she was in life to my own loved ones and friends! Well, without the Toby Keith.

UPDATES!!!!!! Exciting Things Around The Corner!!!!

I am so happy to announce some new and exciting things! First off, I along with Denyse Bridger, Kayden McLeod,Brigit Aine, and Sara Gonzales in November will have a collection of stories in a series called "Lost To The Night" published online by XOXO Publishing!

http://www.xoxopublishing.com

The second exciting bit of news is that on my website: www.thesupernaturalworldofnikkinoffsing/weebly.com I have part one of a haunting story-it's not a romance, but with Halloween coming up I intend on sharing some chills and thrills. Part 2 will be posted shortly! I also want to hear of your ghost stories and things that give you the chills on my webpage.

If you haven't already-Go to www.amazon.com or www.barnesandnoble.com and get The Zodiac Chronicles:The Gifts By Sasha D. Oliver available for E-book format. Coming soon will be it's sequel. Sooo can't wait and The Gifts is an awesome read! You can find Sasha as well as many others on Facebook and at

http://denysebridger.com/

http://www.brigitsworld.com/

http://www.nancybaker.ca/index.php

http://cindyjacks.com/default.aspx

http://www.trentkinsey.com/

http://www.kaydenmcleod.com/

http://www.lucymonroe.com/



And be sure to visit:

http://www.sensualtreats.webs.com/


For those of you out there that are writing-keep writing, keep dreaming, and keep telling those stories!

When the Heart Is Heavy With Hurt...the Story Gets Put On Hold

A few weeks ago, I was informed my uncle was diagnosed with terminal liver cancer. It was a kick to the gut for sure. Some say,"Well it's just an uncle and a great uncle at that", but to me he's not just another relative who has hit his senior years. To me, my uncle JC and Aunt Jean was every bit a huge part of my growing up and life. Many of you know, I was raised by my grandparents and since my Aunt Jean was my grandma's sister and my Uncle JC was my papow's nephew-there were ALOT of functions we often did together. We all went to the same church, papow and uncle JC for many many years worked at the same GM plant here in Marion, there were dinners and summer evenings spent at their home or they at ours, and the list of memories goes on. My uncle JC taught Sunday School, played guitar and was musically inclined with many other musical instruments, sang, and was a true craftsman when it came to wood working after his stroke which left him unable to speak and his left side paralyzed. My uncle JC was not going to not walk, and little by little he got to where he could walk and often took leisurely walks. The greatest loss though was his speech. He's 83 now and has been given 3 months to live. My heart is breaking and the tears won't seem to stop! I know death comes to us all-our human lives are finite! No one lives forever, but it just seems as if 83 years is just not enough! I can't stop the "Why" and "How Come". Those are answers I will never know. My grief and sadness is nothing compared to what my Aunt Jean and their sons are going through-what their grandchildren must be going through. I guess another reason why it hits so hard is because he and my grandfather were more like brothers. They had grown up with eachother and both married sisters. When my papow was lying in that hospital bed, 6 years ago-it was my Uncle JC who stood beside me and held my hand with his right one. It was hurting him too. They were so much alike in their kindness and loving ways as well as being loving parents. I remember before he was unable to do his woodworking-he built my daughter a toy box for her 2nd birthday. I still have it and it holds my son's toys. So many memories and they're all precious to me and they'll be what we'll all have when he's no longer here but that doesn't lighten the heart and it doesn't take away the hurt. So right now everything is on hold. It's as if my creative juices with the stories I've been working on have frozen. So I guess what I can say-and I know it's cliche-If you have someone dear to you-make sure you go to them and tell them what they mean to you and hug them because once they're gone-that's it. Thanks for putting up with me today-and I hope to get back to posting about books, writing, movies, and other things soon.

To Share or Not To Share That is the Question

Who hasn't downloaded music? Who hasn't downloaded a movie or television show? We've all done it-well most of us have any how. Some argue that if it's on the information super highway-then it's free information since the internet is a compilation of freeware and shareware. I can see both sides of the argument. Our economy is crap, and we're all feeling the financial pinch especially when it comes to things that entertain us such as movies, music, books, etc., but knowing how bad the economy is should we still be downloading without paying?

As an author, it has put me in shock literally shock at all the book stores that are closing. This year alone, one of the nation's biggest book chains, Borders is closing its stores. Internet Shopping giant, Amazon.com,is having a negative impact to artists and authors. It's like taking a picturesque town where mom and pop shops have done buisness for years and provides it's citizens with shopping opportunities and a more personal experience and then bringing in Walmart. Soon you're driving down Main Street and all you see are "FOR LEASE", "SPACE FOR RENT", "GOING OUT OF BUISNESS" and nothing against Walmart but how did Walmart benefit these people? Sure it has provided jobs, but it also helped to deep sea six the very heart of the community that it came to. Amazon is doing the same thing to an extent. They moved in, and like Walmart-they're sucking up all the space because of what they can offer. Many of their products are high quality products, and they have a pretty good thing going on. I won't harsh on them for that-but sometimes you just have to support your local ya'know. For the greater good, you gotta shop local. I go to Walmart, but I also patron my mom and pop stores and places of buisness. Amazon and Walmart are not going to go out of buisness just because you limit your shopping there. Actually it will help the economy because that is less people that are going to have to drive their prices up for those who can't shop at these places, will help the community, and help you in general. That's at least how I see it. Again, I see the argument-I see all sides of it. The pro's the con's, and I get it! I GET IT, but please think before you download. Sure we've all seen artists that have been really successful and live in the big house and have the car collection-but half that has been from years and years of work. Some of that is from endorsements. Most musicians make their money from tours and concerts. Authors-we don't get world tours and concerts. A successful author such as Sherrilyn Kenyon, James Patterson, or even Stephen King might get a US tour maybe MAAAYBE if they're lucky their publishers will send them over seas to a few places-but there's no money-they're just promoting their book. I went to a Sherrilyn Kenyon signing last year, and Borders was selling her books of course but Mrs.Kenyon and Diana Love was GIVING stuff away in the line of t-shirts, posters, and other small things that were promoting their books. I don't recall the book store handing Mrs.Kenyon a check. I don't recall her sitting at a table with a tip jar. So what I am saying-it all has a trickle down effect. So just think before you download is all I am trying to say. No judgement here-because we've all done it. I believe the Internet is a wondeful thing-duh, but so was fire for early man and we have seen just how destructive it can be despite it's wonder. It has to be treated with care and respect or it can become a wildfire destorying everything in its path. I don't want to see an end to books or music. I don't want to have to think that the only way I could ever hear my favorite band is by hoping they'll come to my city or state and buying a concert ticket because they can't afford to put out anymore albums because there's no money to be made. I know many of you will disagree, and I accept your critisism, but remember we're all humans in this world and we all want survive here and enjoy what lives we've been given.

Books and Movies for August-September 2011

Sorry I've been a little lax here in my book and movie reviews. The summer has just flown by and I'm wondering where it went! I've been busy writing writing writing! So in what little spare time I have had, here are the movies and books to either watch for or pass on by!


Movies

There have been a lot of rentals and Netflix let me tell ya.


1.Inheritance-this was a Netflix movie and let me say-the 3 stars was a gross exaggeration! This movie sounded interesting but fell short of the glory of being called a great scary movie!I appreciated the African-American lore, but the effects and overall story just went from interesting to blah. Unless you are extremely bored-I recommend nixing this one.


2. Priest-This movie totally rawked! For all my comic-manga fans this movie was a great adaptation from the comic-manga series! It stars Matthew Betthany as Priest and has Billy Burke, who you might recognize as Bella's father in the Twilight Saga. I won't ruin the movie by telling you which side he plays for, but the movie visually and story wise is well worth the New Release price! Heck it was worth the movie ticket.

3.Madea's Big Happy Family-another great from Tyler Perry. This movie will make you laugh until you cry and has Tyler's flair for putting a message or two in there. Great movie even with it's pulling at the heart strings.

4.Beaver-This movie stars Jodie Foster(one of my all time faves) and Mel Gibson. Mel plays a man who is suffering from massive depression which has left him displaced and dispondent from his family until he finds a Beaver hand puppet in a dumpster. In the beginning, you will chuckle and rejoice as with Beaver he is getting himself together, but when it's time to choose real life and his family over Beaver-it's not so easy. I really can't say as I really liked this movie. It made me chuckle in places, and it did bring light to the plight of depression-but all in all this movie just made me want to throw the DVD player out the window and listen to complaint rock. Unless you are a huuuge Mel or Jodi fan and you can't live unless you have seen every movie either have done-pass this one by.


Books

1.Dragonfire Whisper Kiss by Deborah Cooke is an excellent read especially if you have been following the Dragonfire books. Niall is a dragon shifter; a Pyr, and he's been given the task of training a way ward Pyr who has never really been taught to embrace his Pyr side. What Niall doesn't count on is his firestorm happening in the middle of chaos with a pretty chaotic woman named Rox. Rox is a true spit fire and is tough as nails, at least on the outside. Though Niall fights the draw of mating, he can't help but fall for Rox even with her tough exterior and secrets. In the mix you have an ancient battle with Slayers who are gunning for Niall and Rox as well as the other Pyr. This book was awesome! Totally loved it and recommend it!


2.Dragonfire: Dark Fire Kiss by Deborah Cooke

This is the dragon we've all been waiting to read about, Rafferty. Rafferty has issued a deadly challenge to his nemesis, Magnus. During a battle, a reporter, Melissa happens to get caught up in Rafferty's world. He's waited 11,000 years for his own firestorm, but what he doesn't count on is the Darkfire. Melissa lives in the real world and when she's thrust into the world of the Pyr and Slayer her world is shaken upside down along with the fabled Darkfire. It will either consume them both or bring them closer but Magnus is waiting in the wings for his final battle with Rafferty. The book was awesome and thrilling! I loved it and recommend it.

Publish America-yeah we're back to that again. Please Read!

We have established that Publish America LLC. of Franklin,Maryland is not only an author mill but a predator as well. Short of selling your soul to the devil or stealing your first born to give to Rumplestilskin, there aren't too many lows to which they will not go in order to suck the ever living life out of your hard work and dreams. I wonder how my favorite painters, Dali and Degas would have felt if the places where they pitched their paintings to would have said, "We'll only sell your artwork if you let us bastardize your reputation and rob what coin you have in your pockets." That is exactly what Publish America has done to all of us writers and authors. When I wrote my book and submitted it to them and signed their contract, I wasn't motivated by royalties, I was more motivated that I had written a book, a story that people would enjoy reading and be known for my accomplishments. It is no different than a person who becomes a doctor who studies and wants to have a reputation as a good doctor or surgeon. It's no different than anyone who wants to be successful at something-anything. I have begged for my contract to be closed and I have written and called Maryland's State Attorney General's office as well as the BBB of Maryland to no avail. They stay just on the edge of where they're within the law. Publish America is a very good example of "Let the Buyer Beware!" They are worse than a shoddy used car salesman! The latest farce is that they promised for just $49, that not only will your book be given to world famous author, J.K. Rowling, but you will also be represented in the Edinborough Book Fair. If you buy X amount of your books(and if you check http://www.publishamerica.com, you'll find out soft cover books are horribly over priced-mine in soft cover is $35.99) you can also be represented at the Frankfort Book Fair in Germany. For a nominal fee Costco, Wal-Mart, and Sam's Club's book buyers will be contacted to carry your book. For one, a publisher should want to get their writers as much exposure as possible and wouldn't ask writers to pay fees to get their books promoted. When you contact Publish America they send out condescending tone letters. I've had my fair share of them and I'm sick of them really. So I want each of you who see and read this to get the word out on your blogs,websites, Twitter, and other social networks to get the word out that Publish America LLC of Franklin, MD is a fraud and a parasite. Perhaps if no one feeds into their scams, someone's dream and pocket book won't be taken advantage of like so many others, including me. If we can stop people from signing contracts with Publish America then we can keep them from making money. If you are a Publish America author-save your E-mails. Any offer they make is false-no celebrity nor author who is already a well known published writer such as Nora Roberts, James Patterson, J.K. Rowling, Stephen King, or etc., is going to read or endorse your book! They are under agreements and contracts with their own publishing houses as well as they're busy-they don't have the time to read books when they have their writing and scores of fans. Why would a publishing house like Random or Little Brown want their authors like Stephanie Meyer and Dan Brown(Davinci Code series)want their authors reading for another lesser known publishing house like Publish America who hasn't had one author make it into the big time? I know on their site they have a woman whose book was made into a movie for the Hallmark Channel-which if you do a little digging-the Hallmark Channel and Lifetime Networks have never heard of the woman or her book. My advice is when you write something, go through the proper channels. All great authors had to pay their dues and had to face rejection and had to fine tune their books.Do your research and really really do your homework on a publisher. Join author blogs and ask questions. Visit places like:Author's Den, Absolute Write, and Writer's Beware. If you're on social networks, look up your favorite author and ask questions-you may not get a quick response but most of them will answer questions when they can. I wish I had done that but I was green and naieve. DO NOT SIGN WITH PUBLISH AMERICA AND IF YOU ALREADY HAVE AND ARE IN THE SPOT I AM IN, LET'S STAND UP TOGETHER-THERE IS STRENGH IN NUMBERS! DO NOT BUY INTO THEIR HYPE AND OFFERS!

Let's take it back to 1989

Last night I found out with the rest of the world that Jani Lane of Warrant had been found dead at 47. Been a teenager in '89 and '94 for me was really a musical awakening of sorts. I was really really really into the hard rock-metal scene*back then Glam Rock was something that was left in the seventies with Ziggy Stardust and the NY Dolls*. I can remember the first video I saw of Warrant, "Down Boys" and it was on Hard 30 hosted by Adam Curry(the guy who just tried waaay to hard to be hardcore and had chic hair). Yeah, I know it was back when MTV "used" to play music videos. Next it was their "Heaven" and "Sometimes She Cries" and I was hooked on Warrant! I bought every single and eventually got the albums, t-shirts, fan club memberships, Metal Edge Magazines so I could rip their pictures out and plaster them on my walls, concert videos(hey it was the closest I was going to come to seeing a concert), and anything else I could find with Warrant. I drooled over Jani Lane and Eric-Jerry was hot too, but for some reason the eyebrows were an issue. I finally understood why so many women worshipped Elvis because I totally worshipped Warrant. I dreamed about going to the concerts and had even pledged my virginity-yeah I was young and my hormones were out of whack-sue me. A few years back, Jani was on Celebrity Fit Club and then on Sober House. I know everyone gets old-we all are going to age but I just about died when I saw the shape he was in-mentally and physically. I was happy when I saw him on a later show where he seemed to be keeping his life in check and was being healthy. Then last year his name crossed my Twitter as being arrested for DUI. Now, I get that he's been found dead. It's sad-too many years of hard living and addictions had finally called in their due. I will always remember the hot blonde guy with eyes that were as blue as the sky and that voice of his making all us rocker chicks drool. I'll remember the voice and the talent that he had so much of. I'll also remember that he leaves behind 4 children that he should have been around for. I'll remember that addiction is every bit as a killer as cancer is and if we don't step it up and take notice, there's going to be more than just Jani Lane and Amy Winehouse that are going to end dead. Rest In Peace Jani Lane.

THE FIGHT FOR SUPREMACY AND FAROH WON!

I know I said that Dash from my book, Renegade Night was next in line and I had begun his story but a funny thing happened on the way to the French Quarter, Faroh-one of my other Gurdians decided he wanted to be the next in line. So, graciously with few whimpers-Dash has bowed out and gave up the spot to Faroh. What can you expect from Faroh, you might ask well here's the basic synopsis.


Faroh for centuries has been looking for the sword that was once belonged to his father. Faroh and his clan were attacked centuries ago by Vikings. Faroh had been enslaved by the Viking Queen and as he watched as his village burned and all that he had loved was slaughtered, he vowed his vengence. Fate would put that mission off for several centuries and as luck would have it Vikings are long gone. Putting his duties as a guardian aside, he has finally found in the heart of Scandanavia, his father's sword and it's his for the taking except for one problem: A woman who is bent on making his task next to impossible.

Mia Ohlson has one mission and that is to discover who the tall stranger is that she's found late one night roaming the halls of the museum she works in. There's something off about him and she's not buying that he's a new security personnel. She's not about to be intimidated by the handsome and feral looking stranger! Her ancestors was one of the most feared tribes of people and she was a descendant from one of the most powerful Queens to ever rule.

Faroh's desire for his father's sword is only equal to his desire for Mia, but when he finds out the truth about her, will he be able to put aside his bitterness and quest for vengence or will they both be consumed by the fires that seek to end the Bitter Winter.

Publish America: The True Story of American FRAUD

My PA peeps-you already know what I'm going to jump into here. The latest mailers from my publisher have been: YOU AND HARRY POTTER, YOUR BOOK HITTING TARGET STORES, and my favorite...YOUR BOOK FINALLY HITTING BOOKSTANDS IN GERMANY AND JAPAN.

Sounds gravy, doesn't it? Well if you read these mailers they basically all say they will do little of nothing to make good on their fraud-tastic mailers if we(the authors) pay a fee. If you want your book in Spanish,French, German...they'll do it for a fee. Now if this is a pay on demand(which means you pay and they get your book printed up and shipped out) why would we have to pay extra for a translation? Why would we have to pay extra for our books being made into E-formats? Why should WE HAVE TO PAY ANYTHING TO THESE PUBLISHERS? Why since none of us have been buying into these offers and no one is buying our books because of Publish America's overpriced cover price-then why wouldn't they want to let us out of our contracts since we're not making money? My guess is they feel we'll crack. We'll starve ourselves and our families just to buy into one of their offers that aren't going to yield any results at all. What I do wish is that I had the money myself to go to one of these book conventions just to see the "love" for Publish America. I mean they say they are there for us if we want to secure a space or buy x amount of copies of our own books to sell to vendors all over the world-I'm thinking that they must have one of the biggest booths at these events. Heck I even bet they got some politician kissing babies seeing as the State of Maryland can't seem to find anything wrong with the way they are conducting buisness. I bet they even have the sponsorship of the Slick Willy Attorney Services that hands out pencils and post it notes. They probably even go as far to have someone wearing a Nora Roberts Mask to wave at people as they walk on by. I mean didn't they promise that if we paid x amount of money that Nora Roberts as well as John Grisham would endorse our books? The mighty James Cameron's film company would be sent a manuscript of our books to make into movies? I mean what's Avatar compared to our books anyhow, for Publish America, I'm sure James Cameron would be willing to drop Avatar in a heartbeat! If you're buyin what they're sellin, then let me show you some swamp property.

CURSED AWAKENING BOOK TRAILER 1 IS UP!

Well after much anticipated wait-Cursed Awakening's book trailer has been made. This is only the first sneak peek so be sure you visit, rate, comment, and subscribe! Cursed Awakening is about a young woman who for years endured the hardships and horrors of growing up in a religious cult. I think I've said it more than once that a book I read about a woman who had fled Warren Jeff's LDS's clutches had inspired the character of Ivy or at least her story. I AM IN NO WAY PUTTING DOWN ANY RELIGION but I am against Cults. Nyx is my first ever shifter story. He and his family guard the Native American Reservation next to their home and have for decades. An ancient evil, The Chupacabra, which is not the rodent looking monster we've all seen in stories-but more like a 7ft tall hulking bunch of nasty scary mess that are the things that inspire nightmares. However, this ancient Evil that had been confined for so many years hasn't by chance just ended up in Nyx's neck of the woods-no they were summoned by someone-perhaps someone in town, the Res, or even in one of the many Wolf Clans-no one knows other than there is a traitor among them somewhere. Ivy isn't looking for love and it's dangerous for Nyx to get mixed up with with a woman that isn't like him-a shifter. They come from such opposite ends of the world and yet here they are! I didn't want Ivy to forever be the victim here, however throughout the story you'll be taking a journey with Ivy. That journey poses a question or two: Can you be so hurt and scarred that normalcy doesn't exist? Where does one find inner strength and confidence?

Ivy is one of my favorite heroines I have written so far just because she's had this really horrific past and she's not ready to give up. She doesn't just pop right out and say: "Okay I've found a man and now I'm perfect!" For Ivy, she's had to confront her own demons and has had to come this far on her own without solely depending on a miracle to fix it. Her close friend and Nyx both help her along the way but ultimately it's Ivy who has to find her backbone and stand on her own two feet!

Writing Cursed Awakening was a new adventure for me and I hope you will enjoy reading it as much as I had writing it! I will post a snippet here soon as well as a link when it's published!

So stay tuned! More to come!