Nick Wilford A Change of Mind Cover Reveal & Christine Rains Of Blood and Sorrow Character Meet & Greet

Today I'm delighted to welcome both Nick Wilford and Christine Rains! First, we'll take a look at Christine's Of Blood and Sorrow, and have a quick meet and greet with one of her characters, Hessa, the villain.

I do love a good villain!

Then...voila...we'll see Nick's cover for A Change of Mind and Other Stories.

OF BLOOD AND SORROW

By Christine Rains

Blurb:

Erin Driscol works the perfect job consoling fellow demons by feeding off their grief at Putzkammer & Sons Funeral Home.

When fledgling vampire Nicolas Reese comes to Erin for help, she learns the truth behind the legends and hides him from his sire and the vampire hunters who seek him. But when the Putzkammers begin to die one by one, Erin is caught between her act of kindness and the need to save her adopted family. Only by facing her own personal demons can she stop the slaughter and still rescue Nicolas from his dark fate.

Add it to read on Goodreads.

About the author:

Christine Rains is a writer, blogger, and geek mom. She's married to her best friend and fellow geek living in south-central Indiana. They have one son who is too smart for his parents' own good and loves to pretend he's Batman. Christine has four degrees which help nothing with motherhood, but make her a great Jeopardy player. When she's not reading or writing, she's going on adventures with her son or watching cheesy movies on Syfy Channel. She's a member of Untethered Realms and S.C.I.F.I. (South Central Indiana Fiction Interface). She has several short stories and novellas published. Of Blood and Sorrow series is her first urban fantasy novel.

Available for purchase in the following places:

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Smashwords | Kobo

Please visit her website and blog.

You can also find Christine on Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, and Goodreads.

HESSA

“When choosing between two evils, I always like to try the one I've never tried before.” Mae West

Beautiful, clever, and alluring. Hessa Hadad is sophisticated evil.

Several centuries old, she's a vampire of great strength. Many might pass her off as being just a pretty face. But she is not to be underestimated. All that power she has comes with a lack of morals.

Hessa has sired many fledglings over the years, but never has one slipped through her fingers. Why has her new boy toy Nicolas not come back to her welcoming embrace? It couldn't be because of that pathetic demon girl. Demons are lowly creatures. Certainly not the perfection that is the vampire.

Nicolas will come back to Hessa. It's inevitable. She's his sire after all. And that demon girl, she'll suffer for her interference.

Favorite line from Hessa: “Move and I’ll string up your intestines for the world to see.”

Tidbit from the author: I do love a villain who has brains and class. The cherry on the sundae is that Hessa knows she's bad and revels in it. It makes my job as the writer that much more fun!

***

Now for Nick Wilford's A Change of Mind and Other Stories. This is his cover reveal!

Title: A Change of Mind and Other Stories

Author: Nick Wilford

Genre: Contemporary speculative fiction

Cover Design: Rebekah Romani

Release Date: May 25^th 2015

Preorder Links: Amazon US, Amazon UK

A Change of Mind and Other Stories consists of a novella, four short stories and one flash fiction piece. This collection puts the extremes of human behaviour under the microscope with the help of lashings of dark humour, and includes four pieces previously published in Writer’s Muse magazine.

In A Change of Mind, Reuben is an office worker so meek and mild he puts up with daily bullying from his boorish male colleagues as if it’s just a normal part of his day. But when a stranger points him in the direction of a surgeon offering a revolutionary new procedure, he can’t pass up the chance to turn his life around.

But this isn’t your average surgeon. For a start, he operates alone in a small room above a mechanic’s. And he promises to alter his patients’ personality so they can be anything they want to be…

In Marissa, a man who is determined to find evidence of his girlfriend’s infidelity ends up wondering if he should have left well alone.

The Dog God finds a chink in the armour of a man with a megalomaniacal desire to take over the world.

In The Insomniac, a man who leads an obsessively regimented lifestyle on one hour’s sleep a night finds a disruption to his routine doesn’t work for him.

Hole In One sees a dedicated golfer achieving a lifelong ambition.

The Loner ends the collection on a note of hope as two family members try to rebuild their lives after they are torn apart by jealousy.

Add it on Goodreads

Nick Wilford is a writer and stay-at-home dad. Once a journalist, he now makes use of those rare times when the house is quiet to explore the realms of fiction, with a little freelance editing and formatting thrown in. When not working, he can usually be found spending time with his family or cleaning something. Nick is also the editor of Overcoming Adversity: An Anthology for Andrew. You can find him hanging out on his blog or on Goodreads or Twitter.

Thank you to Nick and Christine for stopping by today! I hope you'll check out Of Blood and Sorrow, by Christine Rains, and A Change of Mind and Other Stories, by Nick Wilford. And don't forget to leave a review once you've read them! Though you'll have to wait until May 25 to grab Nick's book.

May you find your Muse.

Geeky Dice & Debauchery Tour & Links

Today is Christine Rains' day to stop by on her Geeky Dice & Debauchery Tour to celebrate the release of Loose Corset (D&D #1). Welcome, Christine!

Loose Corset (D&D #1)

Publisher: Ellora's Cave

Genre: erotic romance

Release date: January 9, 2015

Geek girl Morgan Reid has been to many conventions, but none that had her wishing it would never end.

Dressed as their characters from the online game Steampunk Quest, Morgan and her best friend meet the other players for the first time in real life. Morgan's attraction to the gorgeous Dean Bradley is immediate, making it difficult to breathe in her tight corset. Even after a few dice shattering orgasms, she doesn't believe this can be anything more than a con fling. But Dean is making her feel things she's only read about in books. Can Morgan let go of her cool-headed logic and allow herself to fall completely for the perfect geek guy?

Keep an eye out for her next two books in the D&D series: Layers of Lace and A Masked Kiss.

Purchase links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Ellora's Cave

Check out the excerpt below:

Geek girl problem #77: When things are going your way, you always suspect a boss fight around the next corner.

Stomping out of the bathroom, I froze upon seeing Russell standing in the alcove between the drinking fountains across from me. Dressed as Snidely Whiplash, he had the perfect sneer for the character.

“Come to kidnap me and tie me to the train tracks?” I folded my arms and stepped out of the way of a group of girls going into the bathroom.

“Don’t tempt me. It would save us all a lot of trouble.” Russell’s sharp and bitter tone carried a phantom slap.

I hesitated, weighing the situation. He obviously didn’t like me, but why? I hadn’t felt such hate when we first met, no matter that we were playing enemies. Did something so horrible happen between him and Emily, he was taking it out on me? But why did it feel more personal than that?

“Okay.” I took in a deep, slow breath and let it out. “Clearly you wanted to talk to me since you’re waiting here. What did you want to say?”

“End this thing between you and Dean now. Today at least. Don’t drag it out. You’ll only cause more damage if you do.”

Not what I expected in the least. What did he have against me and Dean? Did he not think I was good enough for his cousin?

“What’s between Dean and I is our own business.” There. A mature and reasonable reply. I wasn’t going to resort to growling back at him.

“And what is between you, hm?” Russell raised his comical eyebrows. It looked silly and somehow foreboding. “Girlfriend and boyfriend? Or just a con fling?”

About the Author: Christine Rains is a writer, blogger, and geek mom. She's married to her best friend and fellow geek living in south-central Indiana. They have one son who is too smart for his parents' own good and loves to pretend he's Batman. Christine has four degrees which help nothing with motherhood, but make her a great Jeopardy player. When she's not reading or writing, she's going on adventures with her son or watching cheesy movies on Syfy Channel. She's a member of Untethered Realms and S.C.I.F.I. (South Central Indiana Fiction Interface). She has several short stories and novellas published. The Dice & Debauchery series is her first contemporary erotic romance.

You can find her at:

Website
Blog

Facebook

Twitter

Goodreads

Christine is holding a giveaway! First prize: Zombie Dice and a Christine Rains die; second prize: (3 winners) Christine Rains die and swag. Enter using the Rafflectoper at the bottom of this post.

Now, since it's Wednesday, it's time for some links!

Accepting Submissions:

Children's Brains Are Yummy (or CBAY) Books is accepting submissions for the anthology A Thousand Words for War. These should be stories on "different kinds of conflict and how they impact us." Fantasy or science fiction, appropriate for 13-18 years. Flash fiction up to 1000 words, short stories up to 5000 words. $10-$20. Deadline March 18.

Timeless Tales Magazine is seeking fairy tale retellings. Current theme is Perseus and Medusa. Up to 2000 words. Should be PG-13. Pays a flat rate of $15. Deadline for this themed issue is March 23.

World Weaver Press is open for science fiction adventure stories for the anthology Far Orbit: Apogee. Up to 10,000 words. Pays $.01/word. Deadline March 31.

Another Dimension Magazine is looking for dark twisty stories like those found in Twilight Zone and Night Gallery. 1000-3000 words. Pays $.03/word. Deadline for the next issue is March 31.

Whortleberry Press is open for submissions of fantasy, sci-fi, and horror lite for the sixth issue of Strange Mysteries. They want strange, unusual, and mysterious. Up to 4000 words. Pays $10. Deadline March 31.

Kaleidotrope (write that three times fast) is accepting submissions of speculative fiction. Preferably between 250 and 10,000 words. Poetry, fiction, nonfiction, and artwork. Pays $.01/word. Deadline March 31.

Phantom Drift is open for submissions of fiction, poetry, nonfiction, and art. They want fabulist style. Pays $5/page, plus a contributor copy. Deadline March 31.

Science Fiction and Fantasy Publications wants sci-fi stories for their Unbound anthology. The theme is Lost Friends. 3000-20,000 words. Pays $.01/word. Deadline March 31.

Crushing Hearts and Black Butterfly is taking stories for Souls & Saints: A Day of the Dead Anthology. 2000-10,000 words. Also accept poetry. Pay unknown. Deadline March 31.

Ladylit Publishing is seeking submissions for Summer Love: Lesbian Stories of Holiday Romance. Romance should be the focus. 3000-6000 words. Pays $45, plus 1 copy of the paperback, 1 copy of the ebook. Deadline March 31.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Any of these of interest? Anything to share? How fun is a personalized die as swag? What do you think of the Loose Corset cover?

May you find your Muse.

Blog Awards ([M]WW) & Helpful Links

I was graced with some blog awards in the last month, so I figured I'd post them for [Mostly] Wordless Wednesday.

Jo Murphey, at The Murphey Saga, gave me the Shine On Award. Thank you, Jo! Jo is a wonderfully supportive person. Though she constantly faces her own battles, she is always there to comfort someone else or give them advice. She's always positive, never complaining.

Christine Rains gave me the Zombie Rabbit Award. I hear the one and only Jeremy, Retro-Zombie, created it! Thank you, Christine! Christine's latest novella in the 13th Floor series, The Oracle & The Vampire, is now out. Want a sample of her writing? Check out her A-to-Z posts in order. You won't regret it.

I also received the Liebster Award, which I think got mixed up somewhere along the way, because I recall it being for those with fewer than 200 followers. Still, I appreciate being thought of, so a big thank you out to Nikki Broadwell, at Author in Progress! I usually skip the blog award requirements, but because she went to the trouble of making up her own questions, I've answered them at the end of this post (after the links).

All of these bloggers are fantastic, so if you have a moment, I highly recommend you stop by, visit their blogs, and tell them I said "hi!"

Now for some links.

Accepting Submissions:

This first one's for A-to-Z'ers. Woven Tale Press is taking submissions of your best A-to-Z posts for publication in the next issue. See the bottom of the page for the letters they're still seeking.

Untreed Reads is accepting submissions for their Moon Shot Mystery Anthology. They're looking for short stories that combine mystery and sci-fi/fantasy. Deadline May 30. Pays in royalties.

Zero One Publishing is seeking submissions of flash fiction for their anthology Whispers From the Abyss. This anthology is H.P. Lovecraft themed, and pays 1 cent per word, plus a copy of the anthology. The deadline is May 30.

The open reading period for Wag's Revue ends May 31, and will not reopen until September. Pays $100 per piece for interviews, poems, essays, and short stories. Their Summer Writer's Contest opens June 1. $1000 first prize.

Contests:

The Fiction Desk Ghost Story Competition is open until May 31. Cash prize and publication in an anthology.

Blog Hops:

The 2nd Annual May Monster Madness Blog Hop is going on through the 17th. You can still sign up! The only rule is that it has to do with monsters. Hosted by Annie, Emma, and Ked.

Friday, May 17 is the Best and Worst Movie Remakes Blogfest, hosted by Alex J. Cavanaugh, Stephen Tremp, Livia Peterson, and Al Diaz. What will be on your list?

Hosted by D.L. Hammons and Elise Fallson, the WIP It Good Blogfest will be May 31. Tell us about your current WIP (Work In Progress)!

Of Interest:

Looking for an agent? Have one picked out? Check whether they're in the Association of Authors' Representatives first!

I like to pass this one along every little once in awhile. Preditors & Editors is a good site to vet editors you're considering to make sure they're legitimate and to see if others have complained about them.

1. Why did you start a blog?

Initially, I created it because I kept hearing I needed a platform. That did me no good, so it fell by the wayside, and then one day I said "forget platform" and started having fun with it, creating the blog I have now.

2. what TV shows do you watch?

Supernatural, Law & Order: SVU, Psych, Hemlock Grove, and more

3. fancy restaurant or hamburger joint?

Depends on the day. I love Craftwood Inn and Marigold's (fancy), but I also love Drifter's (burger joint).

4. favorite leisure activity?

Reading, going for a walk, watching a movie, bath

5. serious or light-hearted?

Moi? A little bit of both.

6. favorite genre in books you read

Horror and Urban Fantasy

7. coffee or tea?

Tea (coffee gives me migraines...sad sigh)

8. cats or dogs?

Cats!

9. introvert or extrovert?

Introvert, but I enjoy being around people sometimes, too. It just drains my energy.

10. favorite movie?

Ladyhawk

11. sweet or salty?

Depends again! If I HAD to choose, I'd always go with sweet. But I prefer not to choose, which is why chocolate covered pretzels are so tasty.

Anything to share? Want to answer these questions for yourself? Any of the links you're interested in?

May you find your Muse.

Giveaway Winners - The Marquis

Hi there!

I wanted to congratulate the winners of Christine Rains' giveaway in celebration of the release of The Marquis:

As the first place winner, Lynda has won a digital copy of The Marquis, an ARC of The Alpha, and a signed copy of Fearless.

As the second place winner, Rosemary has won a digital copy of The Marquis and an ARC of The Alpha.

Finally, as the third place winner, Trisha as won a digital copy of The Marquis.

Congratulations to all of you!  What cool prizes!  If you didn't win, you can always purchase Christine's ebooks.  Look at the sidebar of her blog: Christine Rains - Writer.  You won't regret it - she's a wonderful storyteller.

Thank you for the opportunity to help out with this, Christine!

May you find your Muse.

[Mostly] Wordless Wednesday - Over-Decorators! & A Couple Links

Today's post will be brief, due to so many being on holiday vacation.  If you read Christine's guest post the other day, you know about the Over-Decorators.  Well, as I told Christine, that's us.  Well, my hubby, rather.  I resist it as long as I can.  I refuse to let him decorate until after Thanksgiving.  Thus, he writes "PUT UP LIGHTS" on the calendar for the day after Thanksgiving...

He loves Christmas, and he changes the light arrangement each year.  And in his defense, the lights are all LED's (except Yoda...see him there in front of the door?  He will be re-wired for next year with LED's).  In other words, one less weapon I can use against the Light Brigade each year.

Now, just a couple links:

Blog Hop:

The My Favorite Martian Blog Hop will be going down January 14, courtesy of The Geek Twins.  Just post about who your favorite martian/alien was, and why.  Easy!

Open for Submissions:

Tony Laplume's Mouldwarp Press is putting out an anthology of micro-fiction, 250 words or less.  Open for submissions through January.  Any topic of genre you want!

Free Books!  Today Only:

EJ Wesley's Blood Fugue, Moonsongs Book 1 is free today on Kindle.

Christine Rains' Fearless is free today on Kindle.

Andrew Leon has several books for free on Kindle today, including "Christmas on the Corner."  THIS LINK will take you to a listing of his books, rather than just a specific one.

I hope you're having a wonderful week, and that your Christmas was, indeed, merry.  We got snow here, which is rare for Christmas in these parts.  The photo above was taken on Christmas Eve, when the snow was just starting to fall.  It was a lovely white morning!

Anything to share?  Do you decorate?  Simple or over the top?

May you find your Muse.

Successful Apocalypse and Giveaway Ongoing

Hi there!  I'm keeping it brief today, as it's the holidays and a lot of people are taking a break.  This will serve as my Monday post since I'm going to be doing a WHOLE lotta' cooking on Monday.

First, if you survived the apocalypse and participated in the Choose Your Own Apocalypse Blogfest on Friday, the 21st, here's your survivor badge:

Congratulations!  You're still alive!

A great big thank you out to Chuck, my charming and positively apocalyptic co-host, and to each of you who participated.  I had such a good time reading everyone's posts on Friday.  Had the world ended, I would have been too distracted to notice.

Second, Christine Rains' giveaway is ongoing.  There are great prizes, and you can enter below.  Easy peasy!

Giveaway Prizes:
1st Prize - Digital copy of The Marquis, ARC of The Alpha, signed copy of Fearless
2nd Prize - Digital copy of The Marquis, ARC of The Alpha
3rd Prize - Digital copy of The Marquis


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Finally, have a Merry Christmas!  I'll see you back here for at least a brief post on Wednesday, as I do have some links to share and at least one of them is only good for a couple days.

May you find your Muse.

13th Floor Blog Tour - Wicked Neighbors

I'd like to welcome Christine Rains for the final day of her 13th Floor Blog Tour! Today, she's going to discuss 13 neighbors worse than those on the 13th floor. After you read her post and check out The Marquis, be sure to enter the big Final Day Giveaway at the end of this post!  The giveaway is open internationally, and you can win some great prizes.  It closes on the 27th.

Christine is a fellow mom and blogger, and someone I find to be inspiring to those of us in the writing world.  The fantasies she creates suck you in, seamlessly blending with the "real world" you and I know.  I can't wait to meet the characters of the 13th floor!

And now, without further ado, Christine Rains:

13 NEIGHBORS WORSE THAN THOSE ON THE 13th FLOOR

In my world, the neighbors are a little unusual. A retired demon will come fix your toilet if it breaks. A werewolf paces her apartment, howling with want to run free. A vampire stalks the halls waiting to find the young woman who haunts his every waking thought. And a banshee screams with the visions of death that plague her.

A little noisy. A bit frightening. But all in all, nowhere near as bad as some neighbors. Here are 13 neighbors worse than those on the 13th floor.

10    The nosy neighbor. She's always peering out the window and knows everything that's happening on the block. You open your mailbox and she's suddenly there, peering over your shoulder to see what's in your hand. You've caught her going through someone else's garbage and catch the glint of binoculars from her bedroom. This is a neighbor that takes away your privacy and you never know exactly how many of your secrets she knows.

20    The lazy slobs. These neighbors never clean their yard. It's overgrown and there's an old tire left baking in the sun. Maybe even a dented car with one wheel becomes a lawn ornament. Then there's the smell. Garbage? Dog droppings? More than that. You're never sure exactly what that stench is.

30    The zookeeper. A dozen dogs barking at all hours of the night and getting loose in the neighborhood. A houseful of cats and a chicken coop with a rooster that crows at dawn for every single time zone.

40    The negligent parents. Their children run wild and undisciplined. The brats are outside at all hours, stealing stuff from your yard, and tormenting the neighborhood pets.

50    The partying frat boys. Arrogant jerks playing loud music all night and pulling pranks. Call the cops on them once and they'll toilet paper your house.

60    The creepy quiet guy. Seemingly the perfect neighbor. He's clean, quiet, and polite, but there's just something about him that isn't right. No friends, but too much garbage for one man.

70    The nudists. Again, quiet and clean, but they walk around in broad daylight without a stitch of clothing. You want to look away, but it's like a train wreck. You can't help but stare.

80    The gaudy over-decorators. At Christmas, their house and yard looks like a reindeer threw up every Christmas past. Every holiday, they have inflatable giants and more lights than the Eiffel Tower.

90    The neighborhood association self-appointed representative. The one out there measuring the length of your grass to make sure it's regulation or following you around as you walk your dog to make sure you pick up any leavings.

100 The mad scientist. Strange explosions in the middle of the night and a rabid robot dog. It might seem like he'd be a cool neighbor, but unless you're Marty McFly, you're not getting a time machine.

110 The old lady the kids in the neighborhood call a witch that turns out to really be a witch. Not all witches are good. She isn't going to take kindly to all those brats tormenting her.

120 The hillbilly feuders. Somehow you're always caught in the middle as they take each other on, spray painting property, video taping each other, stealing each other's goats, screaming, fighting, and putting up nasty signs.  And those dueling banjos!  

130 The Homer Simpson. We'd all be Ned Flanderses in that situation.

Title: 1301 – The Marquis

Author: Christine Rains

Genre: paranormal romance

Release Date: December 13th, 2012

Blurb:

Life after Hell isn't more exciting than watching football and fixing a busted pipe. Once a powerful demon, Marc enjoys his quiet existence and a good cup of coffee. With big ambitions to gain his master's favor, a trickster demon named Vetis shatters Marc's peace and vows to deliver Marc's head to the fires of Hell. Not before he destroys everything Marc cares about, of course.

Marc's power has diminished over the years. Heaven will never grant him absolution, and he refuses to return to Hell. Running isn't an option. The city of Carmine is his territory. It's also home to his favorite cafe owner, Mae Hopkins. The dame has a lovely smile, but it's her heart and soul that shine bright.

While his city burns and his love is captured, Marc must decide to surrender or let hate and anger fuel him to become the fearsome beast he so loathes: The Marquis. If the Marquis rises, Vetis can be defeated and Mae saved, but Marc would be lost to his demon forever.

1301 – The Marquis on Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16148143-1301---the-marquis

You can get your copies of The Marquis at the following places (click on the store names and the link will open in a new window):

Amazon
Barnes & Noble
Kobo
Smashwords

Author Bio:

Christine Rains is a writer, blogger, and geek mom. She has four degrees which help nothing with motherhood, but make her a great Jeopardy player. When she's not writing or reading, she's having adventures with her son or watching cheesy movies on Syfy Channel. She's a member of S.C.I.F.I. The 13th Floor series is her first self-published series. She also has two novellas and sixteen short stories published.

Website: http://christinerains.net/

Blog: http://christinerains-writer.blogspot.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authorchristinerains

Twitter: https://twitter.com/@CRainsWriter

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4017568.Christine_Rains

Thank you for stopping by on your tour, Christine!  Sorry about all the giant candy canes and lights.  I should have warned you that we're the over-decorators.  Whoops!

Giveaway Prizes:
1st Prize - Digital copy of The Marquis, ARC of The Alpha, signed copy of Fearless
2nd Prize - Digital copy of The Marquis, ARC of The Alpha
3rd Prize - Digital copy of The Marquis

a Rafflecopter giveaway

[Mostly] Wordless Wednesday - Santa's Cog & Links

This weekend I took my kids and my nephew up the side of Pikes Peak on the Manitou Cog so they could visit Santa up on a really cold frozen mountain.  It's something we've pondered doing for years, so I finally sucked it up and forked out the big bucks.  Totally worth it!  They have a great crew working to insure the kids have a good time while they're up there, and a fabulous Santa and Mrs. Claus.

We got a nice snowfall the night before, which made it perfection.  Everything was frosted in white, and the elves had a snowball fight, which the boys loved watching.  It distracted my nephew from his frozen toes.

The cog station

The side of our train 

The front of the cog, wreath and all

Some festive decorations

Santa's place!

Some scrawny winter-bald aspens, surrounded by lush pines

More festive decorations.  Really, what's more fun that decorations in nature?

Before I go onto the links, I'd like to mention that I will be starting Friday posts, likely after the 1st of January.  After the last A-to-Z, in which I had tons of fun researching Wild West figures and outlaws, I had considered doing Friday historical posts, but I was so burned out that I ended up not doing it.  However, people seemed to enjoy them, and I know I enjoyed doing the research, so even if no one reads them, it will get me back doing something I love to do.  I may have to start it earlier just to make up for all the blog hops/fests I've been doing.

Also, Christine Rains will be visiting The Warrior Muse Thursday, December 20 for her 13th Floor Blog Tour, promoting her new book, The Marquis, the first in her 13th Floor series.  We've got a great giveaway and a little fun planned, so come visit next Thursday (and Monday and Wednesday, of course!).

Without further ado, the links!

Taking Submissions:

Electric Spec is taking submissions of speculative fiction.  They prefer science fiction, fantasy and the macabre.  Paying market.

Carina Press is accepting submissions in multiple arenas.  They pay 40-50% royalties, digital first, print maybe.

Sylvan Dell is open to submissions of creative and educational books for kids, primarily in earth and physical science.  Paying market.

Blog Hops/Fests/Contests/Events:

Brandon and Bryan of A Beer for the Shower are throwing the Party Like Slim Dyson Contest, wherein you describe a party their character Slim Dyson might like.  You can view Slim Dyson's story on their blog (Check the sidebar).  You can win a signed manuscript.  Make the party anything you want!  December 17.

The Gifts Aren't Only From Santa Event will occur on December 14 and 15.  You will find games, giveaways, free YA novels and discounted novels, which will benefit Children's Hospital.

Of Interest/Other:

Steve Rosenbaum posted about "How to De-Risk Book Publishing."  He talked about the changing publishing world and how to build a modern platform.

Random House is launching three new digital imprints.

Anything to share?  Ever heard of the cog?  Or similar?  Have you visited Santa this holiday season?  What would you ask for?

May you find your Muse.

Childhood Monster Blog Fest

Christine Rains is hosting the "What Was Your Childhood Monster?" Blog Fest.  Today is the last day for it.  It's been awhile since I participated in a blog fest, and this was a fun one to jump back in with.

My childhood monster was a super hero, actually.  The Incredible Hulk.  I was fascinated by Bixby's depiction of the green monster, and terrified that such a normal looking person could so easily turn into a raging beast.  I'd beg to watch the show, only to have nightmares and scream to my parents that the Hulk was in my closet.  I was all of 4 and 5 when watching the show, and would be devastated when my mom tried to deny my watching it to avoid those horrible nights.  I'd quietly sneak into the living room, turn the volume on low, and watch it until I got caught.

These days, my almost-five-year old daughter shares the same fascination and fear of the Hulk.  When we watch The Avengers, she screams "HULK SMASH" in victory when he's good, but she's so hurt and saddened during his bad times.  The same is true of the Avengers cartoon I found on Netflix for her.  I wonder what it is about him that captured both my imagination and hers?

I think you can still sign up if you missed out!  Just click on the link above.

What was your childhood monster?

May you find your Muse.

[Mostly] Wordless Wednesday: A to Z Video Challenge Winner & Helpful Links

For today's [Mostly] Wordless Wednesday, I'm doing something a bit different than usual and posting the winning video of the A-to-Z Video Challenge. Congratulations to Rachel Morgan!



You can find Rachel Morgan at her blog Rachel Morgan Writes, and check out the cover of her next book!

For the next two weeks, I will be trying out blogging only twice per week, Monday and Wednesday. I may tweak that after the A-to-Z Challenge, but we will see. For the time being, helpful links will be posted on Wednesdays with my [Mostly] Wordless Wednesday posts.

Mardibooks is running a writing competition that may lead to publication. However, there does appear to be a cost associated.

Wonderful Reads of the Month is looking for authors doing promotions in April. They will put you in their free magazine for FREE! Sounds like a good deal to me, so if you're promo'ing a book and offering a deal in April, let them know.

Daily Science Fiction is a paying market for sci-fi and fantasy, and they're also great if you enjoy reading sci-fi and fantasy. You can sign up to get a new story emailed to you each day...FREE! I heard about this on Christine Rains' blog.

Less than two weeks to the A-to-Z Challenge! We'd love to get to 1500 signups by April 1, so come along on this exciting journey with us!

Finally, don't forget the Flash Fiction Challenge I'm chairing. You can find information about it on the Flash Fiction tab, above. It's a fun theme: Are You Devious at Heart?

Anything to share? Have you tried writing flash fiction yet?

May you find your Muse.