Monday, January 26, 2009

Magic Monday



Not much to say today, other then have a Magic Monday. It is very cold, but sunny with blue skies. Very rare for the Pacific Northwest this time of year. I enjoyed working out in the barn today, just hanging out with the boys. One stallion and three geldings. Lots of love, warmth and fun to be had no matter what the tempreature is. The stallion, Lad was galloping, bucking and kicking his heels up out in the field. Just enjoying the day. :) What a great way to spend an afternoon.

Now, I get to relax with a nice hot cuppa and settle in with my writing. I've pushed through a little wall and I'm off and running.

Hope you have a Magic Monday! :)

C~

Wednesday, January 21, 2009

Absolute XPress contest

CONTEST!!!! CONTEST!!!!CONTEST! !!!

Absolute XPress invites you to enter our "New Year, New Contest" Contest. Simply go to the website, http://www.absolute -x-press. com, find the names of the romance authors and their current book title (hint: there are 6) and then e-mail us with what you find. (heatherg@absolute- x-press.com) Please put "New Year, New Contest" in the subject of your e-mail.

Contest runs January 9th – January 31st.

WINNERS will be announced on February 2nd and will receive a 10% off coupon for their next Romance purchase from Absolute XPress.

http://www.myspace. com/absolute_ x_press

http://absolute- x-press.blogspot .com

Tuesday, January 20, 2009

Annual Scott Firefighter Stair climb

Dear friends and family,

On Sunday March 8th, I will once again be participating in the Annual Scott Firefighter Stair climb event at the Columbia Center In Seattle. This is the 18th annual event (my 11th in a row). I will be joining over 1,500 firefighter from 180 different departments across Washington, Oregon and across the United states in racing up 69-flights of stairs in full fire gear and SCBA. This event is to help raise money for the Leukemia & lymphoma Society.

Every five minutes, someone in this country is diagnosed with a blood cancer

Leukemia is the #1 disease killer of young adults under the age of 20

More than 617,000 Americans live with blood cancers

Every nine minutes, someone dies from a blood cancer

Ten times as many adults as children are stricken with leukemia

I am writing to each of you to ask for your support. This year I have set a goal to raise $2000.00. This money will go to The Society for research, patient services, advocacy and education. NO DONATION IS TOO GREAT OR TOO SMALL....EVERY BIT HELPS!! If you would like to contribute please make your check payable to Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS), or you can donate online at:

http://www.llswa.org/site/TR/Events/General?px=1065523&pg=personal&fr_id=1060

This site is very quick, simple and secure. I would appreciate it if you send your tax-deductible contribution by no later than March 5, 2009.

For all who helped me reach my goal last year I send a huge THANK YOU. I thank all of you in advance for supporting me in my efforts and for your generosity in supporting the mission of The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. I look forward to hearing from you soon. Please feel free to forward this to friends and family who you think might like to donate also.

Side note: I figured out with all the support from my family and friends in the last 11 years in this event we have raised over $15,000. Once again I THANK YOU!!

Sincerely,

Mike Bollinger
16814 McElroy Rd
Arlington, Wa. 98223
360-435-8993 hm 425-238-5889 cell

Thursday, January 15, 2009

Blood's Price

Great news!! Blood's Price has been accpeted by Absolute X-Press! Here is an unedited blurb and excerpt.
Though this is NOT my cover, who can resist a photo of Jay Tavare?? HMM?? Not I!!



Blurb:
Two cultures, two lives, one path.
Rendered helpless, captured and stripped, Elizabeth Smythe is taken away from her privileged life and everything she knows. Her captor, Spirit Walker, treats her with gentle compassion, winning her trust and love. Elizabeth discovers Spirit Walker is so much more then just a strong man and beautiful Earth Spirit.
When Spirit Walker receives word a woman he admires has been given to a neighboring tribe to dispose of, he rescues her. Despite not knowing who or what he is, she shows neither fear nor weakness toward him or her fate. Her strength earns his respect and more important, his heart. Opposition from both of their cultures tries to separate them. Can their love withstand the heat?


Excerpt:
Thick darkness shrouded the world in a stifling and sticky blanket. The ink of night replaced the sweltering heat of the sun, offering little respite. The temperature seemed unaffected by any shift in the earth’s cycles this time of year and not a breath of air stirred the heavy atmosphere. Despite the humid night, a small fire snapped and hissed, struggling to burn the damp, moss-covered logs in the center of a large copse of thick trees. The dancing firelight within a small circle of stones cast it’s eerie flicker, warding off the darkness in it’s small space. Acrid smoke hung in the air, held down by the heavy canopy of leaves and evergreen boughs far above.
Elizabeth Smythe struggled to raise her head, but the agony of it made everything spin and her belly knot in a painful clench. A primal sense prickled over her, foretelling of danger. Despite the pain, she remained quiet and still, listening to the sharp voices around her with clouded confusion. With her chin low, touching her bare, sweat-slicked chest, she dared only to take shallow breaths. Fear kept her motionless, too afraid to move lest she be discovered awake. Foggy awareness slid through her mind as her senses began to awaken and her heavy, grainy lids fluttered to moisten her eyes. She moved her lips in an effort to moisten her mouth and found her thick tongue as dry as her cracked lips.
Foreign and angry sounding words bickered around her. Moving her head as little as possible, she craned her eyes as far as she dared to see. Golden light flickered over naked torsos and faces, illuminating and distorting appearances that bright paint disguised even further. Her blood ran cold and she couldn’t help the fear squeezing the gasp from her lungs. Biting her lower lip to fight back the sob was all she could do without being noticed. Bare thighs crouched around the small circle of smoking flames, some stood in breechcloths behind, guarding their brethren from within the heavier shadows. Terrifying colors of war paint around hard, glittering eyes, marked their dangerous intent as each moved with lethal and lithe grace.
Elizabeth closed her eyes again, letting her head drop down further. She had heard stories, awful stories, of what could happen to a young woman. Her mind ached as she tried to recall how she had gotten here, and why. There was too much pain, too much confusion and all she could draw upon was a blank memory.
Blinking, she lifted her eyes again, this time a little further, to watch the preoccupied men. A pouch handed over to a large warrior with broad shoulders seemed to satisfy him enough to quiet the banter going on among them. He examined the contents, drew the pouch closed and tied it to his breechcloth’s belt. He stood and the others followed. Elizabeth quickly diverted her eyes and dropped her chin. The voices began to die down quickly, along with the fire, and the men began dwindling away, one by one. Uncertainty was the only thing left for her. What were they going to do with her? Would they kill her? How? Why?

Sunday, January 11, 2009

I'm still here!!


What a whirlwind this year is starting out to be. I've been a touch distracted from writing and my whole imaginary world! Reality had to make me check in and pay attention. I'm sure you have all heard of the Pacific Northwest flooding going on. Well, I am right in the middle of that mess!
This photo is a barn that is fairly close to my house! I pass it when we visit my brother and I think it is a bit disturbing. They were at 41 feet above flood stage, I believe. Kinda scary!
Lucky for us, we live on a hill, but the Stillaguamish and little creeks surround that hill at the bottom, so we just stayed home for those couple of days. Went out on Friday, late afternoon and though there was still LOTS of standing water, the roads were clear.
If you are interested in seeing any other footage of the flooding that was very wide spread, here is a great link to our Seattle news stations!

www.king5.com

In other life events...
My Father In Law had to have an emergent double bypass this last Wednesday. They caught it just in time and he didn't have a heart attack. He is getting back to his feisty, cantankerous self. Of course this is why I love him to death too! lol So, sometime this next week, he will get to come home! :) Yea!!

Well, I am going to get busy on some writing today. I am looking forward to the escape, immensely!!

Have a great Sunday!!

C~

Thursday, January 1, 2009

Happy New Year!



Hope your new year holds all the magic and true joy of achieving your desires.

C~