February 11th, 2015 Challenge

Hi, it’s Christina –

WWIII still going on in my stomach today, so this blog will be short, and will be dedicated to my friend Ron Shaw.

http://amzn.to/17fKxnS

Over the past several months Ron and I have built a strong, bizarre, hysterical relationship which I wouldn’t change for the world. I am a firm believer that God puts people in your path, at particular times in your life, for a reason.

Ron is an ex Atlanta police captain turned author after a near death experience he had a little over a year ago. He chronicles this experience in his first book Seven Fish Tree.

http://amzn.to/1AXlZMC

Since the release of his first book, Ron has exploded on the writing scene. Seven Fish Tree was quickly followed by The Yellow Bus Boys. He brings you back to 1964, when he and thirty-three other 6^th grade inner-city boys went on a ten day trip. You’ll laugh out loud. You’ll cry. Buckle up, ‘cause you’ll be in for a wild ride. Oh wait, school buses didn’t have seatbelts in 1964.

http://amzn.to/1zLcGh5

On the heels of The Yellow Bus Boys came Transmutation – The life of a twisted cop. Unlike his previous two novels, this one is gritty and raw. No smoke and mirrors, he laid it all out for you to see.

http://amzn.to/1E0qqUK

His latest release, Cramped Quarters (I came up with the title, thank you very much), is back to his original – for lack of a better word – style. Cramped Quarters is the story of Mary, the ghost Ron and his wife Donna inherited when they purchased an old trunk at a yard sale. It is formatted like a snippet from a journal – entries of Mary’s antics and Ron’s reactions to what it is like living with a ghost.

http://bit.ly/1EXZHfa

When Ron’s not writing, he’s a Twitter fiend, and probably one of the most active Indie Author supporters I have ever met. He hosts a Monday night talk show on ArtistsFirst Radio Network. Actually, I have been interviewed twice. If you’re interested in listening to the two of us cut up, her are the links – Show1 – Show2.

Ron and I have LITERALLY spent hours on the phone – the man can talk – two months in a row I exceeded my allotted talk minutes on my wireless plan. It’s all good though. We have helped each other with our writing, computer issues, marketing issues. He has introduced me to several people I now consider my friends, and I have hooked him up with several talented authors to interview on his radio show. Ron and I are also two of the ten authors in the Spirited Tales anthology, published by AAPublishing, I told you about, which is going to be published soon. Yes, God definitely put Ron in my path, and I’m thankful.

I hope you have a fabulous day, and happy writing!

Your Next Challenge is:

It was like I stepped into a 70s sitcom…

You have ten minutes (be honest). There is no right or wrong, just write. Spelling and punctuation don’t count, and NO ONE is allowed to criticize what someone else has written. Go.

September 14th Challenge

Hi it’s Christina –

Good evening – first time I’ve said that to y’all. Sorry the blog is so late, I was playing today. A friend of mine has written a book, and since I absolutely hated the cover his publisher made for his last book (a cartoonish depiction for a serious story – think, Car 54, Where are You?), I made a mock-up cover for his newest book. I know, it was brassy of me, but I know what it’s like to be stuck with a cover your publisher forces on you.

Since he’s publishing this one himself, and only in Kindle format at first, he does not have to get publisher approval. And, since the cover has already received his wife’s approval, and he has already posted it on his page, I doubt he’ll mind if I give you a sneak peek.

So, what do you think? This is only the Kindle cover. I sent him the full paperback cover, with the blurb and author bio too. 

As if getting distracted by the cover wasn’t enough, I spent the last eight hours editing his book. I just sent it over to him, complete, but since we have not had time to discuss the edits yet, I will refrain from commenting.

Well, maybe just a little…

A number of years ago, Ron and his wife Donna purchased an old Victorian trunk at a yard sale. The trunk came with a tale and a resident, a ghost named Mary. The book he wrote is a short, less than 20K words, journal of his experiences living with a hundred plus year old ghost; a ghost who has now become part of the family, a friend, a confidant. Some accounts are hair raising, some are laugh out loud funny.

The book is short because it is only a snippet of time, from June through August, but there will be more installments in the future. Hopefully, like the cover received Donna’s approval, the book itself will receive Mary’s approval.

I’ll let you know as soon as it becomes available.

I wonder if Ron would consider bequeathing me Mary. I miss Larry, our resident ghost who has left us for greener pastures, so it would be nice having Mary around to fill his place. Wouldn’t Paulie just love that? LOL.

Okay, since it is getting late, I really should get going on making dinner. I hope you have a wonderful remainder of the day, and happy writing!

Your Next Challenge is -  a random quote, from a random page, of a random book I pulled off my shelf. Bonus points for using it as your first or last sentence:

“You can never know how much that glimpse of you made my day, reminding me of what life is all about.”

You have ten minutes (be honest). There is no right or wrong, just write. Spelling and punctuation don’t count, and NO ONE is allowed to criticize what someone else has written. Go.