I have had a busy year. This time last year I was working on a novel. I have finished it! "Lilly's Angel" is out on Amazon (ebook and paperback) and B&N, Smashwords, Kobo, iBooks, All Romance eBooks, and most places where books are sold online. It's a little paranormal story about a vampire, a horny angel and a vampire cat. It's doing well.

It IS a cliffhanger so if you read it, you're going to want to pick up Book 2 (series called Fangs & Halos). I'm working on it now and hope to have it available by March next year.

We have a new daughter in law, Amy and Big Mike married in April. That gave us 2 more grandchildren, for a new grand total of 9. Korigan graduated high school, Driian's a tuba player in middle school, Haven just started the same middle school, Ani is also just starting middle school. Lexi is growing and is reading a lot of books. Conner's learning how to read and growing so big. They have a new little brother, David, whose dad married Kimmi 2 years ago. David is from Willie's first marriage. The we now have Jacob, who is in elementary and the same age as Conner, and Abi, who is the same age as David.

Bruce and I are celebrating our 20th wedding anniversary today. Doesn't seem possible. My picture is our wedding pictures. Gawds we were young back then!

So, if I'm not answering your questions, ask me. I would love to hear from ya'll again.

Hi folks, You need to see this and get involved:

From the blog of Mandy M. Roth ()

If you’ve been following online media at all chances are you know who Amanda Todd is. She is the Canadian teen who committed suicide because of bullying. She posted a Youtube video that told her story. The comments on the video and the web have managed to both warm my heart and horrify me. Some commenters have made such hateful and vicious remarks about her taking her life that I won’t credit them with repeating them. It’s not just a few, but many disgusting negative things being said. I refuse to believe these people speak for the masses. I have to believe the majority of us don’t think “she deserved it”. And I’m guessing most of us are sickened of the stories we hear about bullying. Many of us have had our lives touched by bullying in some form. It changes you. You can often feel isolated, desperate and lose all hope. That’s a dangerous place to be.

Without hope.

I’m not the only author who feels this way. In fact, a group of us have gathered together to stand united against bullying. We want those who are victims of bullying to know they are not alone and there is hope. On Friday Oct 19^th Authors Against Bullying will be posting to our blogs, letting the world know we are not okay with bullying. We ask that you help us spread the word, that you join us on this day, read our posts, hear our stories and comment. Share your stories as well. Open lines of communication to help bring bullying to an end. October is National Bullying Awareness Month and we hope all of you join us in standing up against bullying.

Join us, Authors Against Bullying, on Friday Oct 19th. We will be blogging and taking a stand against bullying.

Want to know how you can help? Easy… help us spread the word about what we’re doing. Tell your friends. If you can, stop past each blog and try to comment, even if its just quick to show the world we are united against this. If you have a story about being bullied or bullying has touched your life in some way please do share it in the comment sections of the blogs this Friday Oct 19th, or even post to your own FB, blog, etc. We want people talking about this. We want those who are being bullied or who have been bullied to know they are NOT alone and they do MATTER. You are ALL welcome to use the Authors Against Bullying graphics to help spread the word about our cause. I’m adding a smaller one here. Thank you so much for helping us try to make a difference.

Mandy M. Roth
Yasmine Galenorn
Lauren Dane
Michelle M. Pillow
Kate Douglas
Shawntelle Madison
Leah Braemel
Aaron Crocco
NJ Walters
Jax Garren
Shelli Stevens
Melissa Schroeder
Jaycee Clark
Shawna Thomas
Ella Drake
E.J. Stevens
Ashley Shaw
Jeaniene Frost
Rachel Caine
Kate Rothwell
Jackie Morse Kessler
Jaye Wells
Kate Angell
Melissa Cutler
PT Michelle
Patrice Michelle
Julie Leto
Kaz Mahoney
Cynthia D’Alba
Jesse L. Cairns
TJ Michaels
Jess Haines
Phoebe Conn
Jessa Slade
Kate Davies
Lynne Silver
Taryn Blackthorne
Margaret Daley
Alyssa Day
Aaron Dries
Lisa Whitefern
Rhyannon Byrd
Carly Phillips
Leslie Kelly
Janelle Denison
Graylin Fox
Lee McKenzie
Barbara Winkes
Harmony Evans
Mary Eason
Ann Aguirre
Lucy Monroe
Nikki Duncan
Kerry Schafer
Ruth Frances Long
Julie Chicklitasaurus

Visit, help, comment, tweet, and spread the word. Help stop bullying.

Just to let folks know: Tigris Eden is doing a flash writing thing on Saturdays that I'm involved in. I'm going to do my posts here on LJ because it's easy to do. 100 words or less based on a sentence starter or a picture or something pitched in the group we are using on Facebook.

Here's this week's sentence: “Is there a reason you’re not going to finish your drink?” Kellen asked me as I pushed my chair back from the dinner table.

“You’re asking that after telling me that after spending the week with another woman?" I stood, he grabbed my wrist.

"Sit down, NOW" he whispered, the intent loud and clear. His irises changed from emerald green to a deep, blood red. "You’re not leaving until you listen to what I have to say."

I remained standing, closing my eyes allowing energy to cover to the edges of the room. Every glass exploded, including the one in Kellen’s hand. He released me in surprise. “You’re a jerk. I’m leaving.” I said loudly to cause everyone to look at him as I walked out.

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Ok, so shoot me, it's 126 words. I cut as much as I could, it started out as 200.

Long time no write up here. I've been on facebook way too much.

I'm working on my first novel and I'm doing it in New Orleans! Starts in Storyville in 1900 and then moves to 2005, Katrina and the Quarter. I've gotten a lot of research done from here, just pounding keys on the computer and now hitting the library.

I wish Interdictor's pictures were still up, I remember some incredible stuff that he did. That's where you and I met. Wow, six years ago now.  All of his reporting was so interesting back then and I can't remember all of it.

I keep thinking of you when I  wander the streets in my head. We wish we could come down and do some of the research and such (and see you!) but things are topsy turvey here for us. We have a convention in Dallas in September, I've managed to become a guest, I'm going to do two talks, one on researching for writers and one for writing book reviews. We're looking forward to that. That's really most of our time off for the rest of the year.

Anyway, I have NO idea where you left off in the insanity in our family, if you've seen the FB posts of Kimmi's wedding or any of the stuff. I need to catch up on you and Izzy and the life over there as well.

Padiwack poked me so I'll do a quick update. I've been doing a lot of them up on my facebook site so if you get bored looking for me, go there.

I am currently in the hospital in the Medical Center getting a week-long poke and prod about my epilepsy. Yesterday they put all sorts of glue and wires in my hair (oh yicky) and I have to wear it all week. Tethered to wires hooked into a computer. The insulation on the wires is so thin that they can't use them and keep my bed plugged in at the same time so I have to call when I want my bed adjusted.

Today I played nice with the neuro-psychologist, doing puzzles, answering questions, drawing pictures, Six hours worth. I'm tired now.

According to my doc, I am off all my depakote as of now. If I go back on a med, it will be a different one. He says that Depakote puts weight on, so I will be happy for it to go away.

Of course, not being able to shower makes it hard for me to quit hurting, along with the bed not being mine.

I have one good thing, they have WiFi here and I've watching True Blood on HBO-GO. Yeah, keeps me engaged and I'll be ready for the first episode of Season 4 on Sunday. Waiting Sucks.

I've wanted to get my hair cut for awhile now. While Bruce was in the hospital, there was no way I was going to do it. But today, I did it.

And, I got highlights put in. My silver/gray color now has PURPLE highlights!!!!! I'm a really cool grandma now, between the tattoos and the hair.

i love it!

Old times not forgotten: Civil War at 150

The Civil War was a time that the U.S. should not forget, the lessons learned should be taught. Not to celebrate but to remember.

My son-in-law Andy. This is the guy who, when I was first around him, managed to make me snort hot peach cobbler at lunch.

Any time we are around him, I have to watch what and when I eat and drink.

You are my sunshine, my only sunshine.
You make me happy, when skys are gray (or other line here)
You never know dear, how much I love you
Please don't take my sunshine away.

Bruce and I have sung this little song every day we've been together for almost 18 years, sometimes many times a day.

As he lays in the hospital now, just having had a new aortic valve put in that has literally saved his life today, I sing it to myself with his bright, green eyes in my imagination and thank the Gods and Goddesses that we were given the best doctors in the world, literally, that knew how to do this surgery.

When he comes around and sees me again, I will sing it to him.