OK, so there’s this 5-person ‘band’ that do a lot of covers (and their own music!) who are absolutely AMAZING and I couldn’t resist devoting some blog space to them! I decided that after 24 hours and watching the YouTube video below at least {INSERT A HIGH NUMBER HERE SO I DON’T HAVE TO MAKE MYSELF LOOK BORDERLINE CRAZY} times, and my kids watching it over and over and over, that I just had to spread the WOTE love! And obviously I’m not the only spreader of love – the video below has had almost 19 million hits!

Really, not only is it awesome that five people are playing one frickin’ guitar, but their voices, each so individual and distinct, give me chill bumps! And admit it, even though the guy on the far right with the facial hair seems like he’d rather be doing something else, he’s awesome! LOL! His apathetic expressions actually give him personality. I read in the comments somewhere one commenter said, “Guy with the beard for president!” Hell yeah, I totally agree! :-D

This is a cover of a very talented Belgium musician/songwriter named Gotye and it would be in poor taste not to put up his video as well and give him some well-deserved love. But I’m also putting it up because I also love the original version. LOVE, LOVE, LOVE.

“Somebody That I Used To Know” is a great song. No doubt about it.

Both artists have definitely made a fan out of me.

Yesterday marks a huge day for me as I finally published my first novel on Amazon and I’m pretty much…terrified. I spent a week going over the book one last time, addressing Heather’s recommendations (from Red Adept Reviews)  and then sat staring at my computer screen for a tortuously long time on the night of the 6th, before taking the plunge. I decided to enroll in Amazon’s KDP program, which means the digital selling of my book is exclusive to Kindle for at least 6 months. If you are an Amazon Prime member and own a Kindle, you can read my book for FREE using the ‘Lending Library’! After that, I can start selling on Nook and other platforms. Paperback copies will be available at a later date all depending on how this eBook process unfolds.

Right now, I need reviews and ‘likes’ on Amazon and abroad!

On my book’s Amazon page, just to the right of the cover you’ll see a graphic like the one above. Be generous and ‘like’ it – I will be in your debt. If you happen to purchase ‘The Mayfair Moon’, I would love a good review! :-) I’m also looking for book reviewers out there who might be interested in delving into my story and telling their readers what they think of it. So, if you know any personally, please send then my way!

As with any new author, I’m both excited and scared out of my mind, but this step in my lifelong journey to become a published author is (it feels like) long overdue, and despite being afraid, I’m also happy. :-)

I really hope you all like it!

I got my official Red Adept ‘Alpha Read’ results back today on my novel, ‘The Mayfair Moon’ and I couldn’t be more pleased and excited. My Alpha Reader was ‘Heather’ and she did exactly what I hoped she would do: She pointed out and described in detail everything that she DID NOT like. Honestly, I was worried that whoever read my novel might feel in some way obligated to sugarcoat the truth, but that was not the case. Heather was blunt and to the point, which is now helping me to make this book the best it can be. She has opened my mind to a few things I was unaware of and even confirmed a couple of things I myself thought was a bit ‘off’. I cannot stress enough to every writer out there how important it is to get someone who doesn’t know you and who would be less inclined to bias, to read your book before you consider publishing (self-published, indie and even traditional).  I am now on to the next step in my publishing process: another brief edit to address all of Heather’s recommendations and then on to the step that both terrifies and excites me: publishing.

Despite the mentioned negative, I’m very happy to say that her positive opinions greatly outweighed the negative and that she “really enjoyed it!” and hopes to “…get to read the sequel some day!”.

What a way to start a new year! I’ve been sick with nervousness since I sent Red Adept my manuscript, unable to write or do much of anything for fear of my Alpha Reader absolutely hating it. And now, I’m looking at my road to publication in a whole new way. I’m still scared to death, but I’m going into it with a lot more confidence! :-)

I know this might sound like some kind of prompted publicity, but it’s purely my UNprompted opinion and a big Thank You to Red Adept, but I would recommend Red Adept services to any aspiring published author and I personally will be using them for my future projects.

As for ‘The Mayfair Moon’, I am hoping to publish this month! So, I guess I better get back to work.

Click the image for full view. It might not look like much in this photo, but I still can’t believe I saw it like this.

I also got to see the moon UP CLOSE and got an even more detailed shot of it:

I also saw two of the ‘M’ galaxies, though I can’t remember which he said! But they were among these. I just couldn’t believe I was actually looking into the sky at two GALAXIES. I didn’t attempt getting a photo of those because although I could see them through the telescope and clearly make them out, they were too faint to try getting a photo. I also caught a glimpse of Betelgeuse, Titan and several others. Then, to my surprise I watched as two satellites went across the sky around Earth. It was awesome.

Thanks to the CAAS (Central Arkansas Astronomical Society) for organizing the event and for being so welcoming and friendly. Come to find out, they have been doing this yearly for a long time and I never knew anything about it. My brother and I will be going to another one of their events next month. Can’t wait!

“The strange thing is that, as an author, there are places publishers never send you, and the American South (if you don’t count Atlanta) is one of those places. When I’d ask, I’d be told it was because people didn’t really buy books there, or there wasn’t a demand, or something.”

Of course, I’m not offended by Neil at all (don’t shoot the messenger?) but I’m a bit disgusted by ‘publishers’.

I can’t believe I’m going to say this, but that actually hurts my feelings! :-S

Well, speaking for the ‘American South’, who are quite intelligent despite the stereotype, WE LOVE BOOKS!

I have never gotten up at the crack of dawn to stand in line at a lame department store for anything and I never will. It’s ridiculous! Have you seen these crazy people trampling other human beings as they squeeze their way through packed doors and several hundred people for a few bucks off some stupid product? What, was it last year or the year before when a Walmart employee was KILLED by a stampede of frickin’ shoppers?

Heeeellll no!

Let me just let you in on a few secrets, which shouldn’t be secrets at all, really. #1…

(Hold on, I’m still watching this crazy shit. Geez! This store looks like the mosh pit at a Pantera concert! For a PS3! I love gaming, but this is stupid.)

Anyway, #1…you don’t really want to buy electronics from a department store (any electronic device I’ve ever purchased from a certain ‘ruler of the retail world’ has had something wrong with it), especially things like computers. A $200 laptop is guaranteed to be a piece of shit. Trust me. #2…

(Oh, now it’s the insane wedding dress shoppers. This is something I’ve never understood. I mean sure, a $6,000 wedding dress for $200 is a steal, but these women are nuts! They picked the racks clean in under a minute! Lame. You’re going to wear that dress once. Once! Is it really worth all that? No.)

#2…The amount of stress you put your body through during the shopping madness shortens your life by 2 years! Not to mention, why would anyone want to risk life and limb for a deal? Chances are you’ll end up spending the money you saved (and more) on the hospital bill later. #3…The price you pay for the stuff (sale or not) is triple compared to what the store actually pays for it. Can you imagine how crappy and cheap that $200 laptop really is? Do the math. You don’t see Alienware computers marked down to $200 and there’s a reason for that.

So that’s my rant for today. I will wait until the stores are clear of psychotic people and when I can take the time to shop for things the people in my life might really like and find good deals. And I can do this all without being trampled, or threatened to have my throat cut if I don’t give up the last Bratz doll. But before I go let me say to all of you people out there that do intend to shop in the morning: you can still be human if you stop when someone gets knocked over and help them up, rather than pretending you don’t see them and running over their head as you go about your merry, crazed way.

~steps off her soap box~

Today while out with my mom trolling flea markets, we stopped at New China for the buffet. And here’s what my fortune cookie said:

Ok, so a few minutes ago I was on my Yahoo! page and decided to check out my horoscope for today.

Is that not weird, or what?

Maybe I should use those numbers from my fortune cookie and buy a lottery ticket. Oh, wait…Arkansas doesn’t have such things as lotteries. :-S

P.S. Texas Chainsaw Massacre scares the crap out of me. To this day I can’t watch it.

—

Update 10/23/09 – Wow, talk about fitting titles and such. Less than 2 months ago I posted this blog and now…Arkansas has a lottery. Amazing.

Click on the images for a better view.

(Not my words below – from an anonymous email.)

ANTARES IS THE 15TH BRIGHTEST STAR IN THE SKY.

IT IS MORE THAN 1000 LIGHT YEARS AWAY.

Now how big are you?

—

NOW TRY TO WRAP YOUR MIND AROUND THIS………

THIS IS A HUBBLE TELESCOPE ULTRA DEEP FIELD INFRARED VIEW OF COUNTLESS

‘ENTIRE’ GALAXIES BILLIONS OF LIGHT-YEARS AWAY.

BELOW IS A CLOSE UP OF ONE OF THE DARKEST REGIONS.

So, (it’s me again) there you have it. Stuff like this always blows my mind. It makes me take a step back and realize that…well, all the things I said before.

Now I think I want to watch Contact.