My fantasy author, Sandy Lender, encourages you to help the Capuchin Soup Kitchen in Detroit by listening in to the PIVTR broadcast of authors reading short stories. Here are the details:
Date: Tuesday, Dec. 22, 2009
Times: 2 to 4 p.m., 5:30 to 7.30 p.m., 9 to 11 p.m. (all ET)
The authors involved include (alphabetically by first name):
Brenna Lyons, Cindy Spencer Pape, Cornelia Amiri, Jade Lee, Lillian Cauldwell, Linda LaRoque, Linda Nightingale, Loretta Wheeler, Mickey Flagg, Fantasy Author Sandy Lender, Victoria Houseman
To Listen Live
http://internetvoicesradio.com/
Enter
In the Black Box, click on "Listen Live"
Sign in (there's a box for that)
Listen and Enjoy
To enter chat room
http://internetvoicesradio.com/
Look on the lower right under "In The Spot Light"
Live Chat Room... click on that.
To set up an RSS feed (to listen on mobile)
RSS feeds. Click on middle box RSS/PODCAST. Put "Soup" into description. Pay $3.50. Your donation will be acknowledged.
To donate to the Capuchin Soup Kitchen with or without listening either:
PAYPAL
lsaracauldwell@gmail.com
Memo "Soup"
or:
visit http://www.cskdetroit.org
Click on Click_And_Pledge or Donate Online
to donate using a credit card (https ... secure site)
More details:
Cindy Spencer Pape will be reading Christmas at Mort's
available for free on Cindy's website, as a holiday gift to her readers.
http://www.cindyspencerpape.com/
Cindy is currently promoting her novel Mistletoe Magic, available in print from Ellora's Cave
Victoria Houseman will be reading Rachel’s Light from Holiday in the Heart published by The Highland Press.
http://www.victoriahouseman.com
Loretta Wheeler
http://www.lorettawheeler.com/
http://www.lreveaux.com/
http://www.myspace.com/southernnuances
Brenna Lyons
http://www.brennalyons.com http://www.myspace.com/brennalyons
"I found the world Ms. Lyons created to be realistic. Both main characters had humanistic characteristics but also the genetic makeup of their Xxanian ancestors as well. I blushed more than once, that’s for sure. CLOSE ENOUGH TO HUMAN was an exceptional read." Reviewed by Natasha Smith for Romance Junkies 4.5 Ribbons
Linda Nightingale
http://www.lindanightingale.comhttp//www.pinkfuzzyslipperwriters.blogspot.coma Black Rosette, Black Swan Available from The Wild Rose Press Best of Week at The Long & Short of It Reviews
Linda LaRoque will be reading Goat Heads and Yellow Roses - Childhood Memories of Visiting Grandma in the 1950s. Unpublished.
Website: http://www.lindalaroque.com
She is currently promoting her novel Time Travel Romances - My Heart Will Find Yours and Flames On The Sky available at Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble. com and The Wild Rose Press.
Mickey Flagg
http://www.mflagg-author.com/
Retribution! The Champion Chronicles: Book One
Available at www.thewildrosepress.com
Fantasy Author Sandy Lender
From 9:30 p.m. (Eastern time) to about 10:15 or so, Sandy will be reading her paranormal short story "A Legacy Protected," which was recently published in the Winter's Night Magazine, edited and published by Richard Bray.
You visitors all know that Sandy is the author of the 2007 fantasy novel Choices Meant for Gods.
ArcheBooks Publishing has released the intense sequel Choices Meant for Kings at http://tinyurl.com/CMFKamazon Also in Kindle format at http://tinyurl.com/CMFKkindle
Visit Sandy's Web site to read excerpts and testimonials about her work.
"Some days, you just want the dragon to win."
Cornelia Amiri
Long Swords, Hot Heroes & Warrior Women
http://www.myspace.com/CelticRomanceQueen.com
Lillian Cauldwell.
The Anna Mae Mysteries -- The Golden Treasure
JADE LEE
Jade Lee
http://www.jadeleeauthor.com/
USA TODAY BESTSELLING AUTHOR
Dragonbound April 09
Your host:
Rowena Cherry
http://www.rowenacherry.com/
Heroines get more hero than they bargain for....
We thank you for listening and for your generosity. Have a Merry Christmas!
From Nigel Taiman
Tags: Capuchin soup kitchen, authors, short stories, Rowena Cherry, PIVTR, Sandy Lender
Monday, December 21, 2009
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
She Welcomes Jamieson Wolf to The Blog
Today, I have the honor of hosting Author Jamieson Wolf at the site to discuss his newest book, Hard, and some writing process items. My fantasy author, Sandy Lender, was supposed to assist me in preparing this interview for Sunday, but she's so scattered these days that she failed to do so. That means you all must please join me in offering Mr. Wolf a warm welcome today.
Nigel: Good morning and welcome to the blog, Mr. Wolf. You'll have to forgive me for using caution with your name. I have personal reasons for it. Now, I know I've interviewed some lovely characters of yours before, but I don't think you've been a guest at this site before. Could you tell me a bit about where you're from?
Jamieson Wolf: Hello, Nigel! Don’t worry about the name thing, I know Lord Drake well, having read and loved Sandy’s two previous books. I’d be afraid of using my first name if I had known someone like the sorcerer!
I was born in Ottawa Ontario Canada and I live there today. Even though I frequently go away, I always come home.
Nigel: Sandy tells me it's cold there.
Jamieson Wolf: That would be an understatement. Just last week we had our first winter storm. We got roughly thirty centimetres of snow in one day and temperatures of minus fifteen degrees Celsius; and that’s nothing!
The worst we had last year was seventeen inches in one day and the coldest I can remember was minus sixty something degrees Celsius with the wind chill. Obviously on that day, I stayed home with a good book.
Nigel: Interesting. Maybe that's why she's avoided going there so far. Now, as I said, I've only interviewed your characters at this site before, but I get the impression, from what I've read of your new book, that there's quite a bit of yourself poured into one of the main characters. What can you tell me about this gentleman and how much he mirrors you?
Jamieson Wolf: Well, much like any writer, there’s a lot of me in what I write. The character of Owen Wolfe, for example, first started to appear in my short stories. Then he appeared in a novella I wrote for Cobblestone Press. Then he appeared in The Written Word series. Now he’s appeared in the Hard series.
But what most people don’t know is that Owen is me.
Whenever I was writing a short story that was based off of a true event, or writing a short story based around something that happened to me, I used Owen as my mouth piece. Later, as I got to know Owen, I realized that he was me and wasn’t me. As I continued to write, he continued to grow as a character.
Now he is more what I want to be, rather than what I was or what I could be. Usually, if you’re reading one of my novels or short stories and Owen appears, it means that the story is either based off of a true event, a dream I had or I’m saying something I’d like to say, but feel more comfortable saying it behind the guise of fiction.
Nigel: No kidding. So this story is based on true fact?
Jamieson Wolf: Hard is indeed based off of true events.
When I was a randy young lad, I did indeed look at pornography magazines with my male chums. Name one guy that doesn’t when he’s younger (never mind when he’s older). But I always found myself looking at the guys in porno magazines.
I knew at a fairly young age that I was gay. I was brought around to this realization with a little help from my best friend at the time, a young man I will call Jason (that’s not his real name, in case you were wondering).
As young men are wont to do, we did explore each others bodies. We even pressed our crotches together, much like Owen and Daniel in Hard. But the true-life story ended much more horribly than the novel I wrote.
One afternoon, while Jason and I engaged in what could loosely be called an extra curricular activity, I got hard. Even worse, I got hard while we were rubbing crotches together.
I remember the look on Jason’s face when he realized I was hard. And the way the look deepened when he realized it was not the pornography magazines that were making me hard; it was him.
“You're hard,” he said. There was a note of accusation in his voice.
”No I’m not.” But he knew that wasn’t true. So did I.
The damage was done. Jason and I kind of drifted apart. We no longer hung out after school, we no longer talked. But I would see him from time to time in the hallways of our high school. Each time I saw him, I got a feeling that made me warm inside and slightly sad at the same time.
Years later, I realized that I was more than likely in love with Jason at the time. But I didn’t really know what love was. Heck, I didn’t even know what being gay was, not really. I just knew I was different; I just didn’t know how different.
When I sat down to write Hard, I had only one thought in my mind: what would have happened if my own story had gotten a happy ending? What would have happened if things had gone differently?
And the story of Hard was born.
While I was writing it, it was impossible not to think of Jason. I think of him every now and again and wonder what ever happened to him. He was the first boy I ever loved but, thankfully, not the last.
I can only hope that he’s found happiness as I have; and that he thinks of me every once in a while not with shame, but with pleasure.
Nigel: What a tragic story! But you've found real happiness in your life now, haven't you? Are you willing to share a bit of what real life is like, a bit of your bio, for visitors?
Jamieson Wolf: I’ve been very fortunate. I’ll give you a bit of an informal bio. I live in Ottawa Ontario Canada with my cat Mave (who thinks she’s people) and my husband Robert.
Robert and I met when I had completely given up on men. I had decided to check out some personal ad’s on line and was in the mood to fool around. I don’t mean bodily, I just mean hurting someone as I had been hurt.
But there was something about Robert’s eyes in his picture. I answered his personal ad and we chatted online for about two weeks before talking on the phone. It turned out he had lived literally right down the street from me for years. We had been shopping at the same grocery store, going to the same 7 Eleven; but we had never met.
Well, when Robert opened his apartment door for our first date, all I remember is his eyes. I fell in love with him then, I think.
Nigel: I think that’s the story we were waiting to hear today. I’m pleased for you. Now I must ask you a few writing questions. For instance, how much of your time do you spend writing?
Jamieson Wolf: Not as much as I would like. I work full time Monday to Friday doing work I love, but it’s not writing. I usually write for about three hours every evening and more on the weekends.
Nigel: And how much of your time do you spend marketing what you've already written?
Jamieson Wolf: I would say double the time I spend on writing. In fact, during this book tour for Hard, I haven’t written at all. I’ve written blog posts, but they don’t count. I’m craving, needing to write. I haven’t written in a week! This is causing me to be crazier than normal.
Nigel: And do you find yourself irritated by the amount of time marketing and promotion takes away from your writing time?
Jamieson Wolf: Oh, I get irritated about it, sure, but I know that as an author promoting myself is as essential to my writing career as the act of writing is. Most people don’t realize that writing, and all the elements of it, is a job. You have to be dedicated and want to get your name out there.
So sure, I’d love to be writing all the time and leave the hard stuff to a PR company. But then I wouldn’t be challenged and I certainly wouldn’t be having any fun.
Nigel: Can you offer any advice to visitors concerning the balance between the creative writing time and the marketing/promotion time?
Jamieson Wolf: I would say try to find a balance.
Normally I promote for an hour a night and then spend the rest of it writing. Obviously during a virtual book tour, things are a bit different and the balance is thrown off, but on a normal day, just promote when you can and write for the rest of it.
Promoting can be simple too. If you don’t have time for a lot of promoting, make sure to use Twitter and Facebook; easy and simple to do.
Nigel: You realize I'll be sharing that insight with Sandy because I think she spends entirely too much time away from the creative writing. I have many tasks for her in that arena and I thank you for your advice there. Now, I must let you get back to your writing. Mr. Wolf, it's been a pleasure to share some time with you. Could you let our visitors know how to track down your newest book before you go?
Jamieson Wolf: It’s been an incredible pleasure talking to you Nigel! I can’t wait to read your third adventure, Choices Meant for All. When you’re talking to Sandy Lender, tell her that I was very upset at the cliff hanger ending of Choices Meant for Kings. I know you’re supposed to leave the book open ended but still!
Readers can buy a copy of Hard (and read reviews and excerpts) by clicking here:
http://www.breathlesspress.com/erotic/hard.html
Nigel: Wonderful. I encourage everyone to look up Breathless Press. Thank you for sharing your insight with us today.
Tags: Jamieson Wolf, Breathless Press, Hard, self awareness
Nigel: Good morning and welcome to the blog, Mr. Wolf. You'll have to forgive me for using caution with your name. I have personal reasons for it. Now, I know I've interviewed some lovely characters of yours before, but I don't think you've been a guest at this site before. Could you tell me a bit about where you're from?
Jamieson Wolf: Hello, Nigel! Don’t worry about the name thing, I know Lord Drake well, having read and loved Sandy’s two previous books. I’d be afraid of using my first name if I had known someone like the sorcerer!
I was born in Ottawa Ontario Canada and I live there today. Even though I frequently go away, I always come home.
Nigel: Sandy tells me it's cold there.
Jamieson Wolf: That would be an understatement. Just last week we had our first winter storm. We got roughly thirty centimetres of snow in one day and temperatures of minus fifteen degrees Celsius; and that’s nothing!
The worst we had last year was seventeen inches in one day and the coldest I can remember was minus sixty something degrees Celsius with the wind chill. Obviously on that day, I stayed home with a good book.
Nigel: Interesting. Maybe that's why she's avoided going there so far. Now, as I said, I've only interviewed your characters at this site before, but I get the impression, from what I've read of your new book, that there's quite a bit of yourself poured into one of the main characters. What can you tell me about this gentleman and how much he mirrors you?
Jamieson Wolf: Well, much like any writer, there’s a lot of me in what I write. The character of Owen Wolfe, for example, first started to appear in my short stories. Then he appeared in a novella I wrote for Cobblestone Press. Then he appeared in The Written Word series. Now he’s appeared in the Hard series.
But what most people don’t know is that Owen is me.
Whenever I was writing a short story that was based off of a true event, or writing a short story based around something that happened to me, I used Owen as my mouth piece. Later, as I got to know Owen, I realized that he was me and wasn’t me. As I continued to write, he continued to grow as a character.
Now he is more what I want to be, rather than what I was or what I could be. Usually, if you’re reading one of my novels or short stories and Owen appears, it means that the story is either based off of a true event, a dream I had or I’m saying something I’d like to say, but feel more comfortable saying it behind the guise of fiction.
Nigel: No kidding. So this story is based on true fact?
Jamieson Wolf: Hard is indeed based off of true events.
When I was a randy young lad, I did indeed look at pornography magazines with my male chums. Name one guy that doesn’t when he’s younger (never mind when he’s older). But I always found myself looking at the guys in porno magazines.
I knew at a fairly young age that I was gay. I was brought around to this realization with a little help from my best friend at the time, a young man I will call Jason (that’s not his real name, in case you were wondering).
As young men are wont to do, we did explore each others bodies. We even pressed our crotches together, much like Owen and Daniel in Hard. But the true-life story ended much more horribly than the novel I wrote.
One afternoon, while Jason and I engaged in what could loosely be called an extra curricular activity, I got hard. Even worse, I got hard while we were rubbing crotches together.
I remember the look on Jason’s face when he realized I was hard. And the way the look deepened when he realized it was not the pornography magazines that were making me hard; it was him.
“You're hard,” he said. There was a note of accusation in his voice.
”No I’m not.” But he knew that wasn’t true. So did I.
The damage was done. Jason and I kind of drifted apart. We no longer hung out after school, we no longer talked. But I would see him from time to time in the hallways of our high school. Each time I saw him, I got a feeling that made me warm inside and slightly sad at the same time.
Years later, I realized that I was more than likely in love with Jason at the time. But I didn’t really know what love was. Heck, I didn’t even know what being gay was, not really. I just knew I was different; I just didn’t know how different.
When I sat down to write Hard, I had only one thought in my mind: what would have happened if my own story had gotten a happy ending? What would have happened if things had gone differently?
And the story of Hard was born.
While I was writing it, it was impossible not to think of Jason. I think of him every now and again and wonder what ever happened to him. He was the first boy I ever loved but, thankfully, not the last.
I can only hope that he’s found happiness as I have; and that he thinks of me every once in a while not with shame, but with pleasure.
Nigel: What a tragic story! But you've found real happiness in your life now, haven't you? Are you willing to share a bit of what real life is like, a bit of your bio, for visitors?
Jamieson Wolf: I’ve been very fortunate. I’ll give you a bit of an informal bio. I live in Ottawa Ontario Canada with my cat Mave (who thinks she’s people) and my husband Robert.
Robert and I met when I had completely given up on men. I had decided to check out some personal ad’s on line and was in the mood to fool around. I don’t mean bodily, I just mean hurting someone as I had been hurt.
But there was something about Robert’s eyes in his picture. I answered his personal ad and we chatted online for about two weeks before talking on the phone. It turned out he had lived literally right down the street from me for years. We had been shopping at the same grocery store, going to the same 7 Eleven; but we had never met.
Well, when Robert opened his apartment door for our first date, all I remember is his eyes. I fell in love with him then, I think.
Nigel: I think that’s the story we were waiting to hear today. I’m pleased for you. Now I must ask you a few writing questions. For instance, how much of your time do you spend writing?
Jamieson Wolf: Not as much as I would like. I work full time Monday to Friday doing work I love, but it’s not writing. I usually write for about three hours every evening and more on the weekends.
Nigel: And how much of your time do you spend marketing what you've already written?
Jamieson Wolf: I would say double the time I spend on writing. In fact, during this book tour for Hard, I haven’t written at all. I’ve written blog posts, but they don’t count. I’m craving, needing to write. I haven’t written in a week! This is causing me to be crazier than normal.
Nigel: And do you find yourself irritated by the amount of time marketing and promotion takes away from your writing time?
Jamieson Wolf: Oh, I get irritated about it, sure, but I know that as an author promoting myself is as essential to my writing career as the act of writing is. Most people don’t realize that writing, and all the elements of it, is a job. You have to be dedicated and want to get your name out there.
So sure, I’d love to be writing all the time and leave the hard stuff to a PR company. But then I wouldn’t be challenged and I certainly wouldn’t be having any fun.
Nigel: Can you offer any advice to visitors concerning the balance between the creative writing time and the marketing/promotion time?
Jamieson Wolf: I would say try to find a balance.
Normally I promote for an hour a night and then spend the rest of it writing. Obviously during a virtual book tour, things are a bit different and the balance is thrown off, but on a normal day, just promote when you can and write for the rest of it.
Promoting can be simple too. If you don’t have time for a lot of promoting, make sure to use Twitter and Facebook; easy and simple to do.
Nigel: You realize I'll be sharing that insight with Sandy because I think she spends entirely too much time away from the creative writing. I have many tasks for her in that arena and I thank you for your advice there. Now, I must let you get back to your writing. Mr. Wolf, it's been a pleasure to share some time with you. Could you let our visitors know how to track down your newest book before you go?
Jamieson Wolf: It’s been an incredible pleasure talking to you Nigel! I can’t wait to read your third adventure, Choices Meant for All. When you’re talking to Sandy Lender, tell her that I was very upset at the cliff hanger ending of Choices Meant for Kings. I know you’re supposed to leave the book open ended but still!
Readers can buy a copy of Hard (and read reviews and excerpts) by clicking here:
http://www.breathlesspress.com/erotic/hard.html
Nigel: Wonderful. I encourage everyone to look up Breathless Press. Thank you for sharing your insight with us today.
Tags: Jamieson Wolf, Breathless Press, Hard, self awareness
Thursday, November 5, 2009
She's Solving Your Holiday Bonus Issues
I'm listening to Total Eclipse of the Heart by Bonnie Tyler.
My fantasy author, Sandy Lender, is doing something quite clever in her efforts to spread my lovely bride's story all over the world. She's offering human resources departments a way to solve their holiday bonus woes this 2009 season. After a difficult year for many companies around the globe, presidents, CEOs, chief financial officers, etc., might be telling human resource directors that holiday bonuses will have to be scrapped. Rather than giving up on gifts entirely, Fantasy Author Sandy Lender suggests you send all your employees on an all-expenses-paid Christmas vacation, courtesy of her publisher and her. Here's how:
NAPLES, FL--ArcheBooks Publishing Author Sandy Lender suggests giving your employees a paid vacation for Christmas. For less than $30 each, you can send them on a fantasy journey courtesy of ArcheBooks Publishing and Author Sandy Lender because high-quality, hard-cover, first-edition, copies of Choices Meant for Kings are currently available for delivery.
This family-friendly tale of heroism, good-versus-evil, sweet romance and hope offers an ideal action adventure now that the Harry Potter series is complete. Lender's stories offer enjoyment for older teens as well as adults so the children your employees are encouraging to read will also benefit from your well-thought-out gift. Order before Thanksgiving and the author can provide autographed book plates to personalize each gift for free.
Visit the author's Web site for more information about Choices Meant for Kings or visit Amazon to order. Contact the author directly at sandy_lender at yahoo.com to request autographed book plates.
Tags: holiday bonus, Christmas vacation, fantasy author, Sandy Lender
My fantasy author, Sandy Lender, is doing something quite clever in her efforts to spread my lovely bride's story all over the world. She's offering human resources departments a way to solve their holiday bonus woes this 2009 season. After a difficult year for many companies around the globe, presidents, CEOs, chief financial officers, etc., might be telling human resource directors that holiday bonuses will have to be scrapped. Rather than giving up on gifts entirely, Fantasy Author Sandy Lender suggests you send all your employees on an all-expenses-paid Christmas vacation, courtesy of her publisher and her. Here's how:
NAPLES, FL--ArcheBooks Publishing Author Sandy Lender suggests giving your employees a paid vacation for Christmas. For less than $30 each, you can send them on a fantasy journey courtesy of ArcheBooks Publishing and Author Sandy Lender because high-quality, hard-cover, first-edition, copies of Choices Meant for Kings are currently available for delivery.
This family-friendly tale of heroism, good-versus-evil, sweet romance and hope offers an ideal action adventure now that the Harry Potter series is complete. Lender's stories offer enjoyment for older teens as well as adults so the children your employees are encouraging to read will also benefit from your well-thought-out gift. Order before Thanksgiving and the author can provide autographed book plates to personalize each gift for free.
Visit the author's Web site for more information about Choices Meant for Kings or visit Amazon to order. Contact the author directly at sandy_lender at yahoo.com to request autographed book plates.
Tags: holiday bonus, Christmas vacation, fantasy author, Sandy Lender
Sunday, October 25, 2009
She's Very Busy
I'm listening to Slave to Love by Bryan Ferry.I'm surprised by all that my fantasy author, Sandy Lender, has going on right now. First, this strange picture of her is courtesy of her author friend Bob Bair. She was leading some workshop about blogging over the weekend (instead of writing) and he snapped this picture.
She's also been promoting the release of Choices Meant for Kings in Kindle format as well as hardcover. She's checking with her publisher to see how difficult it would be to go ahead and get it in nook format.
What else is she doing instead of writing? Well, let's see. She dropped off these postcard-like flyers at Barnes & Noble this afternoon to promote the book signing for next weekend. (If you're in Southwest Florida, be sure to stop in to see her sometime between 10 a.m. and noon Halloween morning at the B&N in Naples.) Then she's editing a novel for ArcheBooks Publishing that deals with reincarnation. I really need to get her to focus...
All my best to you,
Nigel
Tags: Choices Meant for Kings, Kindle, nook, Barnes & Noble, halloween, signing, blogging, fantasy author, Sandy Lender
Friday, October 9, 2009
She's in Some Magazine
I'm listening to Whenever I Say Your Name by Sting.
True to form, my fantasy author, Sandy Lender, has been penning things that have nothing to do with my lovely bride. You can catch her latest work in the innaugural issue of Winter's Night magazine, available now at Lulu.
Her short story A Legacy Protected was selected to be published alongside other fantasy authors such as Richard Bray, Todd Diel, Judith W. Huey, and many others. You can order a print version of this 84-page, family-friendly magazine, or download an electronic version of it at that Lulu site. Personally, I don't think we should encourage her in this maddening habit of writing things unrelated to the finale of the Choices series, but, apparently, there's nothing to be done for it. I shall continue to badger her. I promise.
All my best to you,
Nigel
Tags: Winter's Night, fantasy magazine, fantasy author, Sandy Lender
True to form, my fantasy author, Sandy Lender, has been penning things that have nothing to do with my lovely bride. You can catch her latest work in the innaugural issue of Winter's Night magazine, available now at Lulu.
Her short story A Legacy Protected was selected to be published alongside other fantasy authors such as Richard Bray, Todd Diel, Judith W. Huey, and many others. You can order a print version of this 84-page, family-friendly magazine, or download an electronic version of it at that Lulu site. Personally, I don't think we should encourage her in this maddening habit of writing things unrelated to the finale of the Choices series, but, apparently, there's nothing to be done for it. I shall continue to badger her. I promise.
All my best to you,
Nigel
Tags: Winter's Night, fantasy magazine, fantasy author, Sandy Lender
Thursday, October 1, 2009
She's "Nudged" Me to Market
I'm listening to Beautiful Thieves by AFI.
So my fantasy author, Sandy Lender, suggested I post something here to let everyone know I'm not ignoring her. Apparently, she's been talking about me (and this blog). She had a radio interview Tuesday, which aired again very early this morning. Then there's a guest blog post at LASR all day today that mentions me and this site. Last weekend she had an interview at Helen's Heroes that mentioned me ad nauseum. I keep telling her that her focus should be on Chariss...and, of course, finishing Chariss's story.
We're a bit sidetracked this week because Sandy's sitting around feeling sorry for herself. She had a couple of basal skin cell carcinomas removed from her shoulder and arm yesterday, and the pain set in during the night. (She can really be pathetic when she starts that moaning...oh...wait...sure enough...she's censoring this.)
As it turns out, she's not feeling sorry for herself; she's merely being cautious so as not to pull her stitches out. (Personally, I think she's sitting around feeling sorry for herself. I should probably fix her a piece of cake or something to be nice.)
Everyone have a lovely day and check out TodayTheDragonWins for some not-Chariss's-story contest she's holding. (Oh, more censorship: she says she can hold contests that aren't focused on the Choices trilogy and still work on the Choices trilogy.)
All my best,
Nigel Taiman
Tags: Choices, basal skin cell, contest
So my fantasy author, Sandy Lender, suggested I post something here to let everyone know I'm not ignoring her. Apparently, she's been talking about me (and this blog). She had a radio interview Tuesday, which aired again very early this morning. Then there's a guest blog post at LASR all day today that mentions me and this site. Last weekend she had an interview at Helen's Heroes that mentioned me ad nauseum. I keep telling her that her focus should be on Chariss...and, of course, finishing Chariss's story.
We're a bit sidetracked this week because Sandy's sitting around feeling sorry for herself. She had a couple of basal skin cell carcinomas removed from her shoulder and arm yesterday, and the pain set in during the night. (She can really be pathetic when she starts that moaning...oh...wait...sure enough...she's censoring this.)
As it turns out, she's not feeling sorry for herself; she's merely being cautious so as not to pull her stitches out. (Personally, I think she's sitting around feeling sorry for herself. I should probably fix her a piece of cake or something to be nice.)
Everyone have a lovely day and check out TodayTheDragonWins for some not-Chariss's-story contest she's holding. (Oh, more censorship: she says she can hold contests that aren't focused on the Choices trilogy and still work on the Choices trilogy.)
All my best,
Nigel Taiman
Tags: Choices, basal skin cell, contest
Friday, September 4, 2009
She's Writing Like a Fiend on the Wrong Book
I'm listening to nothing because she's watching Eureka on the SyFy channel.My fantasy author, Sandy Lender, is doing something quite upsetting to me this weekend. It's a holiday weekend in your society and she's planning to spend it writing. While this should make me happy, it doesn't. She's participating in the 3-Day Novel Contest, which forces her to write a whole book this weekend. Unfortunately, the book she's decided to write has NOTHING to do with my lovely bride Chariss from the Choices trilogy.
She has just informed me that I should relax. It turns out that the novels created during this contest have to be submitted and then "ignored" while the contest judges read them. In the event Sandy's work gets selected for something, it can't be previously marketed somewhere. So she really can't prepare something from the Choices series or the world of Onweald.
All right then. I'll "relax," as she puts it, and plan what I'll be feeding her this weekend...
Sunday, August 23, 2009
She Announces the Release of Choices Meant for Kings
I'm listening to Michael Buble...his entire catalogue, it would appear...
My fantasy author, Sandy Lender, announces the exciting release of her latest fantasy novel, Choices Meant for Kings. The latest installment in my lovely bride's story of adventure and intrigue is now available at the front page of the ArcheBooks Publishing site at a 25% publisher's discount. (This is if you're interested in having a first edition hardcover pressing.) If you're interested in saving trees, as my dear mother Kora Taiman is, you can get the electronic version for only $3.99 from that same link.
I'm pleased to provide you with this information about Choices Meant for Kings.
There’s no doubt: Chariss is in danger. Her geasa is hampered by the effects of a friend’s marriage. The dashing Nigel Taiman hides something from her, yet demands she stay at his family’s estate where he and her wizard guardian intend to keep her safe. But the sorcerer Lord Drake and Julette The Betrayer know she’s there, and their monstrous army marches that way.
When prophecies stack up to threaten an arrogant deity, Chariss must choose between the dragon that courts her and the ostracized kings of the Southlands for help. Evil stalks her at every turn and madness creeps over the goddess who guides her. Can an orphan-turned-Protector resist the dark side of her heritage? Or will she sacrifice all to keep her god-charge safe?
All my best,
Nigel Taiman
Tags: Choices Meant for Kings, Fantasy Author, Sandy Lender, fantasy novel
My fantasy author, Sandy Lender, announces the exciting release of her latest fantasy novel, Choices Meant for Kings. The latest installment in my lovely bride's story of adventure and intrigue is now available at the front page of the ArcheBooks Publishing site at a 25% publisher's discount. (This is if you're interested in having a first edition hardcover pressing.) If you're interested in saving trees, as my dear mother Kora Taiman is, you can get the electronic version for only $3.99 from that same link.
I'm pleased to provide you with this information about Choices Meant for Kings.
There’s no doubt: Chariss is in danger. Her geasa is hampered by the effects of a friend’s marriage. The dashing Nigel Taiman hides something from her, yet demands she stay at his family’s estate where he and her wizard guardian intend to keep her safe. But the sorcerer Lord Drake and Julette The Betrayer know she’s there, and their monstrous army marches that way.
When prophecies stack up to threaten an arrogant deity, Chariss must choose between the dragon that courts her and the ostracized kings of the Southlands for help. Evil stalks her at every turn and madness creeps over the goddess who guides her. Can an orphan-turned-Protector resist the dark side of her heritage? Or will she sacrifice all to keep her god-charge safe?
All my best,
Nigel Taiman
Tags: Choices Meant for Kings, Fantasy Author, Sandy Lender, fantasy novel
Thursday, July 30, 2009
She's Unveiling the Cover for Choices Meant for Kings
I'm listening to Don't Get Around Much Anymore by Harry Connick, Jr.I'm very pleased to announce that my fantasy author, Sandy Lender, is unveiling the cover for her new fantasy novel Choices Meant for Kings this evening. I was going to make you go over to Today The Dragon Wins to check it out, but why?
Notice the lovely and sun-tanned Amanda Chariss, my beautiful bride-to-be, is featured up front there. I think that's as it should be. Of course, no artist can capture Chariss's charm and beauty, so this rendition is as close as one could come. Pity. But it pleases me that Sandy let someone try. I'm hoping she'll let someone like Megan Kissinger (the talented, award-winning artist from Southwest Florida who produced the map of Onweald for the Choices series) prepare a proper portrait some day. And perhaps a miniature portrait that I can carry in my pocket when Chariss is off running around taking care of unworthy gods...
If you'd like more information about the upcoming Choices Meant for Kings fantasy novel, which is off to the printer now, please visit the Books page of Sandy's Web site. If you still need to get your copy of the first novel, Choices Meant for Gods, visit Amazon or ArcheBooks right away. You're going to love Chariss as much as I do as soon as you start reading about her. Just a beautiful young woman. Just beautiful.
All my best to you,
Nigel Taiman
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
She's Home Again
I'm not listening to music at the moment, so I can't report on the moment's iTunes selection. I'm watching The Transporter with my fantasy author. Quite the violent movie, I must say. She's transfixed by it, even though she's seen it before.
On to the blog post.
My fantasy author, Sandy Lender, is home from her crazed Duran Duran vacation in Orange County, California, where she and two of her girlfriends, Christine and Jennine, enjoyed all the chaos and mayhem that a Duran Duran vacation entails. Now that she's home, I've got her on a strict writing schedule in the evenings so we can complete Book III of the Choices Meant for Gods trilogy. Luckily, she can write while watching this Jason Statham person in The Transporter.
Tags: Choices Meant for Gods, fantasy author, Sandy Lender, Duran Duran
On to the blog post.
My fantasy author, Sandy Lender, is home from her crazed Duran Duran vacation in Orange County, California, where she and two of her girlfriends, Christine and Jennine, enjoyed all the chaos and mayhem that a Duran Duran vacation entails. Now that she's home, I've got her on a strict writing schedule in the evenings so we can complete Book III of the Choices Meant for Gods trilogy. Luckily, she can write while watching this Jason Statham person in The Transporter.
Tags: Choices Meant for Gods, fantasy author, Sandy Lender, Duran Duran
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
She's Being Unreasonable
I'm listening to No More Words by Berlin.
My fantasy author, Sandy Lender, will soon find herself chained to the writing desk in the den. I don't think I can stress just how irritated I am. She finished her online book tour July 3 and was to then focus her evening and weekend time on completing the editing of Book III of the Choices trilogy. Has she done this?
No.
Instead, she's made corrections to the galleys of Choices Meant for Kings. She's approved ads for magazines and Web sites. She's sent poems and first-chapter files to test readers for critique. She's fiddled around with Twitter and facebook so she'll have people to announce book release and signing dates to. She's even put together additional content for her Web site. But the thing that's really angered me is this sudden interest in some story about a young lady named Lace. By the gods! I've spent the past three years helping her promote and market my Amanda's story and here she is working on a story about some strumpet from some other world? I'll have no part of such nonsense while...wait.
I'm being censored now. Isn't that just dandy. Apparently, my fantasy author thinks she can work on multiple stories simultaneously.
We'll see about that. These chains that I have for the writing desk will keep her out of reach of the reference books she's using for the "Lace" story, I can tell you that much.
Tags: Twitter, facebook, fantasy author, Sandy Lender, Choices Meant for Kings
My fantasy author, Sandy Lender, will soon find herself chained to the writing desk in the den. I don't think I can stress just how irritated I am. She finished her online book tour July 3 and was to then focus her evening and weekend time on completing the editing of Book III of the Choices trilogy. Has she done this?
No.
Instead, she's made corrections to the galleys of Choices Meant for Kings. She's approved ads for magazines and Web sites. She's sent poems and first-chapter files to test readers for critique. She's fiddled around with Twitter and facebook so she'll have people to announce book release and signing dates to. She's even put together additional content for her Web site. But the thing that's really angered me is this sudden interest in some story about a young lady named Lace. By the gods! I've spent the past three years helping her promote and market my Amanda's story and here she is working on a story about some strumpet from some other world? I'll have no part of such nonsense while...wait.
I'm being censored now. Isn't that just dandy. Apparently, my fantasy author thinks she can work on multiple stories simultaneously.
We'll see about that. These chains that I have for the writing desk will keep her out of reach of the reference books she's using for the "Lace" story, I can tell you that much.
Tags: Twitter, facebook, fantasy author, Sandy Lender, Choices Meant for Kings
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
She's Being Demanding
I'm listening to Cuts You Up by Peter Murphy.
My fantasy author, Sandy Lender, called out to me this afternoon. Something in her voice made me think I was in trouble. You know how your mother would use your full name at a high level to indicate she knew you'd done something very wrong and intended to punish you for it? Sandy didn't use my full name, but she had that "tone." So I peeked into her den a little hesitantly. It seems I've been neglecting my "duties" in the marketing department.
For pity's sake. Do you visitors have any clue how much work I put into finding avenues for her to advertise in? Do you know how much information I had to gather and type for her new website? Do you know how much energy I expend "surfing" the blasted Internet to find social networks for her to join? Do you know how many of these blasted profiles I've put together for her? Or how many times I've typed her bio? I'm sick and tired of writing about her first story about mice picking berries, I can tell you that much...I've got her on FiledBy, GoodReads, Facebook, Amazon, Barnes&Noble, LinkedIn, SuspenseMagazine, BookHitch, Twitter, AuthorIsland, MySpace, BookTour, Gather, Technorati, RedRoom...
Oh, look, she's brought me cake.
She's quite charming when she wants to be...
Tags: fantasy author, Sandy Lender, twitter, social networks
My fantasy author, Sandy Lender, called out to me this afternoon. Something in her voice made me think I was in trouble. You know how your mother would use your full name at a high level to indicate she knew you'd done something very wrong and intended to punish you for it? Sandy didn't use my full name, but she had that "tone." So I peeked into her den a little hesitantly. It seems I've been neglecting my "duties" in the marketing department.
For pity's sake. Do you visitors have any clue how much work I put into finding avenues for her to advertise in? Do you know how much information I had to gather and type for her new website? Do you know how much energy I expend "surfing" the blasted Internet to find social networks for her to join? Do you know how many of these blasted profiles I've put together for her? Or how many times I've typed her bio? I'm sick and tired of writing about her first story about mice picking berries, I can tell you that much...I've got her on FiledBy, GoodReads, Facebook, Amazon, Barnes&Noble, LinkedIn, SuspenseMagazine, BookHitch, Twitter, AuthorIsland, MySpace, BookTour, Gather, Technorati, RedRoom...
Oh, look, she's brought me cake.
She's quite charming when she wants to be...
Tags: fantasy author, Sandy Lender, twitter, social networks
Monday, June 22, 2009
She's Got Some Duran Thing Going On
I'm listening to New Moon on Monday by Duran Duran.
Today is Monday. There's a new moon today. My fantasy author, Sandy Lender, tells me this is a fabulous thing and cause for celebration. It wasn't until she popped one of the versions of Seven and the Ragged Tiger by Duran Duran that she owns into the CD player that I realized just what she meant.
Happy "New Moon on Monday" to other Duranies. My sympathies to other Duranie family members.
Tags: Duran Duran, Sandy Lender, fantasy, new moon
Today is Monday. There's a new moon today. My fantasy author, Sandy Lender, tells me this is a fabulous thing and cause for celebration. It wasn't until she popped one of the versions of Seven and the Ragged Tiger by Duran Duran that she owns into the CD player that I realized just what she meant.
Happy "New Moon on Monday" to other Duranies. My sympathies to other Duranie family members.
Tags: Duran Duran, Sandy Lender, fantasy, new moon
Thursday, June 4, 2009
She Has Another Great Review
My fantasy author, Sandy Lender, asked me to direct you to this link to read a new review of Choices Meant for Gods:
http://tinyurl.com/LASReview
Tags: review, Choices Meant for Gods, fantasy author, Sandy Lender
http://tinyurl.com/LASReview
Tags: review, Choices Meant for Gods, fantasy author, Sandy Lender
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
First Live Twitter Interview Features Authors
NAPLES, Fla. – In the first live online interview via Twitter in Internet history, Fiction Author Jamieson Wolf, Ottawa, Ont., will interview Fantasy Author Sandy Lender, Naples, Fla., Saturday, June 20, from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. EST. They’re calling it the first Tweeterview. The Twitter accounts to follow are http://twitter.com/sandylender and http://twitter.com/jamiesonwolf.
Join these two established authors for this groundbreaking Tweeterview event as Lender and Wolf share writing and writer’s life information in pithy 140-character Q&A segments. The purpose of the interview is to bring attention to Lender’s current fantasy novel, Choices Meant for Gods, from ArcheBooks Publishing, Cape Coral, Fla., and her current online book tour.
“Sandy’s been an author friend of mine for three years now so I won’t have any trouble coming up with questions for her,” Wolf said. “I’ve read her work, including her upcoming release, and am qualified to ask dozens of questions about the world she’s built as well as the publishing process, which will interest a wide audience.”
“And Jamieson’s been an author friend of mine for just as long, so I don’t think I’ll have any trouble following his Twitter-style questions,” Lender said. “This is a new use for Twitter and can bring new life to the staid interview process that readers can become hypnotized by on the Blogosphere nowadays.”
Combined, Lender and Wolf have multiple books available in both print and electronic formats and offer a wealth of information about writing and publishing to Twitter followers who check in June 20. To keep up with the Tweeterview, follow http://twitter.com/sandylender and http://twitter.com/jamiesonwolf. Additional information can be found at Today the Dragon Wins.
Fantasy enthusiasts will recognize Sandy Lender as the author of Choices Meant for Gods and What Choices We Made, as well as the upcoming Choices Meant for Kings. She is the editor of a national trade publication headquartered in Missouri, but resides in Southwest Florida where she spends all the time she can helping with sea turtle conservation. Read more about her at her blog Today the Dragon Wins.
Jamieson Wolf is a speculative fiction writer with close to 20 titles to his credit in multiple genres. He lives in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, with his adoring husband and a personable cat. Learn more about his work at www.jamiesonwolf.com.
Tags: tweeterview, twitter, online book tour, Sandy Lender, Jamieson Wolf, sea turtle
Join these two established authors for this groundbreaking Tweeterview event as Lender and Wolf share writing and writer’s life information in pithy 140-character Q&A segments. The purpose of the interview is to bring attention to Lender’s current fantasy novel, Choices Meant for Gods, from ArcheBooks Publishing, Cape Coral, Fla., and her current online book tour.
“Sandy’s been an author friend of mine for three years now so I won’t have any trouble coming up with questions for her,” Wolf said. “I’ve read her work, including her upcoming release, and am qualified to ask dozens of questions about the world she’s built as well as the publishing process, which will interest a wide audience.”
“And Jamieson’s been an author friend of mine for just as long, so I don’t think I’ll have any trouble following his Twitter-style questions,” Lender said. “This is a new use for Twitter and can bring new life to the staid interview process that readers can become hypnotized by on the Blogosphere nowadays.”
Combined, Lender and Wolf have multiple books available in both print and electronic formats and offer a wealth of information about writing and publishing to Twitter followers who check in June 20. To keep up with the Tweeterview, follow http://twitter.com/sandylender and http://twitter.com/jamiesonwolf. Additional information can be found at Today the Dragon Wins.
Fantasy enthusiasts will recognize Sandy Lender as the author of Choices Meant for Gods and What Choices We Made, as well as the upcoming Choices Meant for Kings. She is the editor of a national trade publication headquartered in Missouri, but resides in Southwest Florida where she spends all the time she can helping with sea turtle conservation. Read more about her at her blog Today the Dragon Wins.
Jamieson Wolf is a speculative fiction writer with close to 20 titles to his credit in multiple genres. He lives in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, with his adoring husband and a personable cat. Learn more about his work at www.jamiesonwolf.com.
Tags: tweeterview, twitter, online book tour, Sandy Lender, Jamieson Wolf, sea turtle
Thursday, May 21, 2009
She Has This Mole
I'm listening to Desire by Gene Loves Jezebel.
My fantasy author, Sandy Lender, has a small, light-colored mole on her neck that looks like a tiny little pebble or raised freckle. It's quite the charming little thing, although she's muttering at me to get to the point and stop adding editorial comments. It turns out this mole looks a lot like a seed to her companion parrots who sit on her and get hit with hunger pangs.
Her newest bird needs a name! You can see the precious thing at Sandy's main blog, Today the Dragon Wins. Leave your name suggestion in the comments link there.
Tags: companion parrot, fantasy author, Sandy Lender
My fantasy author, Sandy Lender, has a small, light-colored mole on her neck that looks like a tiny little pebble or raised freckle. It's quite the charming little thing, although she's muttering at me to get to the point and stop adding editorial comments. It turns out this mole looks a lot like a seed to her companion parrots who sit on her and get hit with hunger pangs.
Her newest bird needs a name! You can see the precious thing at Sandy's main blog, Today the Dragon Wins. Leave your name suggestion in the comments link there.
Tags: companion parrot, fantasy author, Sandy Lender
Friday, May 15, 2009
She Tweets, But Doesn't Let Me
I'm listening to Nothing Looks the Same in the Light by Wham!
My fantasy author, Sandy Lender, has a presence on Twitter, a micro-blogging networking site, but she refuses to let me participate. You can follow her at http://twitter.com/sandylender. But you can't follow me. She says it's difficult enough to keep track of what I'm saying about her here.
I've tried convincing her that, of course, I would only tweet about Amanda Chariss. For those of you not aware, Chariss is the lovely heroine from Choices Meant for Gods. She's this amazing young woman who arrives at my family's estate completely unaware that she's the single most important figure in our society's...wait...Sandy's harping at me about getting too romantic here. Next thing you know, I'll have to post about the differences between her fantasy work and works seeped in romance. (Just so you all know, Choices Meant for Gods was seeped in romance the moment she described Chariss.)
Ed. Note from Sandy: Choices Meant for Gods was seeped in romance the moment I described the hot and handsome Nigel Taiman, who has just announced he will NOT be completing this post. He he he. The point was you can follow me on Twitter, but not poor Nigel.
Tags: fantasy author, Sandy Lender, twitter, tweet, fantasy, romance
My fantasy author, Sandy Lender, has a presence on Twitter, a micro-blogging networking site, but she refuses to let me participate. You can follow her at http://twitter.com/sandylender. But you can't follow me. She says it's difficult enough to keep track of what I'm saying about her here.
I've tried convincing her that, of course, I would only tweet about Amanda Chariss. For those of you not aware, Chariss is the lovely heroine from Choices Meant for Gods. She's this amazing young woman who arrives at my family's estate completely unaware that she's the single most important figure in our society's...wait...Sandy's harping at me about getting too romantic here. Next thing you know, I'll have to post about the differences between her fantasy work and works seeped in romance. (Just so you all know, Choices Meant for Gods was seeped in romance the moment she described Chariss.)
Ed. Note from Sandy: Choices Meant for Gods was seeped in romance the moment I described the hot and handsome Nigel Taiman, who has just announced he will NOT be completing this post. He he he. The point was you can follow me on Twitter, but not poor Nigel.
Tags: fantasy author, Sandy Lender, twitter, tweet, fantasy, romance
Friday, May 8, 2009
She'll be Guest Blogging Tuesday
I'm listening to Kiss Them For Me by Siouxsie and the Banshees.
This is just a quick announcement to let you know you can catch a guest blog article from my fantasy author, Sandy Lender, at The Author Island Tiki Hut, Tuesday, May 12th. There will be a contest of some nature that she's not given me information on yet. This does not help me market very well...
Tags: fantasy author, Sandy Lender, Tiki Hut, guest blog
This is just a quick announcement to let you know you can catch a guest blog article from my fantasy author, Sandy Lender, at The Author Island Tiki Hut, Tuesday, May 12th. There will be a contest of some nature that she's not given me information on yet. This does not help me market very well...
Tags: fantasy author, Sandy Lender, Tiki Hut, guest blog
Thursday, May 7, 2009
She Recommends This Video
I'm listening to I Wanna Be Adored by The Stone Roses.
My fantasy author, Sandy Lender, highly recommends you check out this video about the trials and tribulations of revisions.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uKkR9S2lq6Q
She says it's "brilliant marketing."
Tags: fantasy author, Sandy Lender, editing letter
My fantasy author, Sandy Lender, highly recommends you check out this video about the trials and tribulations of revisions.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uKkR9S2lq6Q
She says it's "brilliant marketing."
Tags: fantasy author, Sandy Lender, editing letter
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
She'll be Speaking at GCWA
I'm listening to Slave to Love by Bryan Ferry.
Today I'm just announcing an upcoming speaking engagement for my fantasy author, Sandy Lender. If you’d like to hear about platforming, existing audiences, and the business of publishing from a published author’s perspective, join the Gulf Coast Writer’s Association Saturday, May 16, to hear Fantasy Author Sandy Lender present these topics and more. GCWA Programming Chairperson Barie Fez-Barringten initially asked Sandy to tell the story of how she got published, so be prepared for more than the usual entertainment at this presentation. For GCWA members who’ve seen one of Sandy’s workshops or presentations before, you know to bring pen and paper because she’s known for sharing lots of tips and links during her talk and during the Q&A sessions afterward.
The meeting will be held at the Zion Lutheran Church at 7401 Winkler Rd. in Ft. Myers. Cost of admission is $3 for members, $5 for non-members. (First-time visitors are free.)
Tags: GCWA, fantasy author, Sandy Lender, publishing
Today I'm just announcing an upcoming speaking engagement for my fantasy author, Sandy Lender. If you’d like to hear about platforming, existing audiences, and the business of publishing from a published author’s perspective, join the Gulf Coast Writer’s Association Saturday, May 16, to hear Fantasy Author Sandy Lender present these topics and more. GCWA Programming Chairperson Barie Fez-Barringten initially asked Sandy to tell the story of how she got published, so be prepared for more than the usual entertainment at this presentation. For GCWA members who’ve seen one of Sandy’s workshops or presentations before, you know to bring pen and paper because she’s known for sharing lots of tips and links during her talk and during the Q&A sessions afterward.
The meeting will be held at the Zion Lutheran Church at 7401 Winkler Rd. in Ft. Myers. Cost of admission is $3 for members, $5 for non-members. (First-time visitors are free.)
Tags: GCWA, fantasy author, Sandy Lender, publishing
Monday, May 4, 2009
She's Been Cooking Again
We're listening to These Are Days by 10,000 Maniacs.
My fantasy author, Sandy Lender, has been cooking again. How can I tell? Because I entered the apartment to discover she's injured.
Cooking injuries are usually centered around her hands, which unnerves me because she needs those hands for typ
ing books, you know. Anyway, this time she managed to "whisk" boiling cheddar-and-potato soup up onto her hand. Here she sits with ice on it.
The last injury involved band-aids at Easter. Photo at right. She won't let me photograph the ice situation here because it's just too much trouble.
I promise to keep a closer eye on her.
All my best,
Nigel
Tags: fantasy author, Sandy Lender, cooking, potato soup
My fantasy author, Sandy Lender, has been cooking again. How can I tell? Because I entered the apartment to discover she's injured.
Cooking injuries are usually centered around her hands, which unnerves me because she needs those hands for typ
ing books, you know. Anyway, this time she managed to "whisk" boiling cheddar-and-potato soup up onto her hand. Here she sits with ice on it.The last injury involved band-aids at Easter. Photo at right. She won't let me photograph the ice situation here because it's just too much trouble.
I promise to keep a closer eye on her.
All my best,
Nigel
Tags: fantasy author, Sandy Lender, cooking, potato soup
Sunday, April 26, 2009
She's Being Smug With Me
We're listening to Mandy by Barry Manilow.
My fantasy author, Sandy Lender, says this song has more meaning for me than I realize. It is quite lovely, but I don't believe, as a man, I should admit that openly in your society.
So let us begin the blog post.
My purpose today is to tell you should be reading about my bride-to-be, Amanda Chariss, in the Choices trilogy. She's just great, you know. You can pick up the full-length novel, Choices Meant for Gods at the Publisher's site, or on Amazon, or at your local bookstore. Or you can pick up this nice little chapbook titled What Choices We Made that has a short story about Amanda as a child. Oh, sorry, Chariss, as a child. (I still use the name I prefer for her despite Sandy's constant badgering...)
The next installment in the trilogy is due out soon. Choices Meant for Kings gives you more of Mandy's story and the...wait a minute...is that why the song's important? Now Sandy's giving me that smug smile of hers.
All my best to you readers.
Nigel
Tags: Mandy, Barry Manilow, Choices Meant for Gods
My fantasy author, Sandy Lender, says this song has more meaning for me than I realize. It is quite lovely, but I don't believe, as a man, I should admit that openly in your society.
So let us begin the blog post.
My purpose today is to tell you should be reading about my bride-to-be, Amanda Chariss, in the Choices trilogy. She's just great, you know. You can pick up the full-length novel, Choices Meant for Gods at the Publisher's site, or on Amazon, or at your local bookstore. Or you can pick up this nice little chapbook titled What Choices We Made that has a short story about Amanda as a child. Oh, sorry, Chariss, as a child. (I still use the name I prefer for her despite Sandy's constant badgering...)
The next installment in the trilogy is due out soon. Choices Meant for Kings gives you more of Mandy's story and the...wait a minute...is that why the song's important? Now Sandy's giving me that smug smile of hers.
All my best to you readers.
Nigel
Tags: Mandy, Barry Manilow, Choices Meant for Gods
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
She's Impressed by the Bird
I'm being forced to listen to Rudebox by Robbie Williams.
My fantasy author, Sandy Lender, has this pet bird that she's talked about over on her main blog, Today the Dragon Wins. Today, she gave him some millet as a treat and proceeded to marvel over how easily he uses his beak to pick the tiny little seeds out of their husks, leaving the husks to float like dust in the air. (She now has to dust...)
In her first novel, Choices Meant for Gods, I recall only a short reference to one ofersey'n's possession of hawks. Now that I come to think of it, I believe that may have been edited out. The original work was over 250,000 words, you know. Her publisher still took it on, but, really, there was no doubt editing was required.
Now when Choices Meant for Kings is released, Lord Akelous Foresterson will be brought in again, and, again, he has one of his hawks on his arm. My lovely bride-to-be is taken with birds, and I can't help thinking that Sandy forced this characteristic upon her because of Petri. Oh. Sandy assures me that Chariss loves all animals, and that's why she tolerates a dragon in her bedchamber. Nice. Why, again, do I help this woman with marketing?
Tags: pet bird, dragon, Choices Meant for Gods, Choices Meant for Kings
My fantasy author, Sandy Lender, has this pet bird that she's talked about over on her main blog, Today the Dragon Wins. Today, she gave him some millet as a treat and proceeded to marvel over how easily he uses his beak to pick the tiny little seeds out of their husks, leaving the husks to float like dust in the air. (She now has to dust...)
In her first novel, Choices Meant for Gods, I recall only a short reference to one ofersey'n's possession of hawks. Now that I come to think of it, I believe that may have been edited out. The original work was over 250,000 words, you know. Her publisher still took it on, but, really, there was no doubt editing was required.
Now when Choices Meant for Kings is released, Lord Akelous Foresterson will be brought in again, and, again, he has one of his hawks on his arm. My lovely bride-to-be is taken with birds, and I can't help thinking that Sandy forced this characteristic upon her because of Petri. Oh. Sandy assures me that Chariss loves all animals, and that's why she tolerates a dragon in her bedchamber. Nice. Why, again, do I help this woman with marketing?
Tags: pet bird, dragon, Choices Meant for Gods, Choices Meant for Kings
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
She's Posting About Pet Rights for Earth Day
Right now I'm listening to Mack the Knife (and Sandy says I should make it clear I'm listening to the version from the Brian Setzer Orchestra) on Sandy's iTunes.
Tomorrow is Earth Day and my fantasy author, Sandy Lender, has been irritating me today with her soapbox topic for her blog over at Today the Dragon Wins. Pardon me. I need to rephrase that. Sandy has shared her views concerning the topic about which she'll post for Earth Day. (She's just shared these views ad nauseum...)
Seems someone in your government has introduced a bill (don't ask me what that means exactly--I'm still grasping the concept of Earth Day) that will dictate what kind of animals you can keep as pets, and will prohibit you from moving your animals with you if you should move to another region of your land. But because the bill will prevent you from transferring ownership of your pet to anyone else, it will require you to have your pet put to sleep if you choose to go ahead and move. It seems to stomp all over the rights people in this land are supposed to have. (Oh, Sandy says that's one of the reasons people should be upset about it.) Personally, I would be upset if someone said my pet had to be killed. Doesn't that go against everything Earth Day stands for?
You can read all about this bill and Sandy's opinion (and you know THAT will be a treat) at Today the Dragon Wins April 22. Enjoy.
In the meantime, I'll work at promoting the books. You all remember my lovely bride-to-be, Amanda Chariss? Yes, I'm still pleased to suggest you should read all about her and her duties in Choices Meant for Gods, What Choices We Made, and the upcoming Choices Meant for Kings. And I promise to keep Sandy hard at work on Book III, the prequel, and the spin-off novels that seem to be growing like mad out of her mind. It's an exciting time in the writing den.
Tags: Earth Day, Choices Meant for Gods
Tomorrow is Earth Day and my fantasy author, Sandy Lender, has been irritating me today with her soapbox topic for her blog over at Today the Dragon Wins. Pardon me. I need to rephrase that. Sandy has shared her views concerning the topic about which she'll post for Earth Day. (She's just shared these views ad nauseum...)
Seems someone in your government has introduced a bill (don't ask me what that means exactly--I'm still grasping the concept of Earth Day) that will dictate what kind of animals you can keep as pets, and will prohibit you from moving your animals with you if you should move to another region of your land. But because the bill will prevent you from transferring ownership of your pet to anyone else, it will require you to have your pet put to sleep if you choose to go ahead and move. It seems to stomp all over the rights people in this land are supposed to have. (Oh, Sandy says that's one of the reasons people should be upset about it.) Personally, I would be upset if someone said my pet had to be killed. Doesn't that go against everything Earth Day stands for?
You can read all about this bill and Sandy's opinion (and you know THAT will be a treat) at Today the Dragon Wins April 22. Enjoy.
In the meantime, I'll work at promoting the books. You all remember my lovely bride-to-be, Amanda Chariss? Yes, I'm still pleased to suggest you should read all about her and her duties in Choices Meant for Gods, What Choices We Made, and the upcoming Choices Meant for Kings. And I promise to keep Sandy hard at work on Book III, the prequel, and the spin-off novels that seem to be growing like mad out of her mind. It's an exciting time in the writing den.
Tags: Earth Day, Choices Meant for Gods
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
She Says It's a Form of Flattery
I'm supposed to tell you all that my fantasy author, Sandy Lender, is currently listening to Mad World by Tears For Fears. I guess it would be more appropriate to say I'm listening to Mad World by Tears For Fears while I post something promotional for her and she leans over my shoulder to make sure my promotional efforts are acceptable.
Anyway. The reason she says this is a form of flattery is because we're stealing the "update on iTunes" from an agent's blog that she was perusing last night. She was most impressed with the woman's musical selections on her iPod (I actually know what that is, by the way. Sandy has one. An iPod Nano that...what? Of course they care. They'll want to know what you listen to just as you wanted to know what that woman listened to.)
I have just been informed that no one cares yet what Sandy listens to. But for those of you who don't already know, it's usually Duran Duran.
I've also just been informed that I've wasted everyone's attention span on this nonsense instead of promoting Choices Meant for Gods, What Choices We Made, or the upcoming release Choices Meant for Kings, so you'll have to come back another day to hear more about them. My apologies.
Nigel Taiman
Tags: Mad World, Tears For Fears, Duran Duran, Choices Meant for Gods, fantasy author, Sandy Lender
Anyway. The reason she says this is a form of flattery is because we're stealing the "update on iTunes" from an agent's blog that she was perusing last night. She was most impressed with the woman's musical selections on her iPod (I actually know what that is, by the way. Sandy has one. An iPod Nano that...what? Of course they care. They'll want to know what you listen to just as you wanted to know what that woman listened to.)
I have just been informed that no one cares yet what Sandy listens to. But for those of you who don't already know, it's usually Duran Duran.
I've also just been informed that I've wasted everyone's attention span on this nonsense instead of promoting Choices Meant for Gods, What Choices We Made, or the upcoming release Choices Meant for Kings, so you'll have to come back another day to hear more about them. My apologies.
Nigel Taiman
Tags: Mad World, Tears For Fears, Duran Duran, Choices Meant for Gods, fantasy author, Sandy Lender
Saturday, March 21, 2009
She's Just Too Stressed Out
My fantasy author, Sandy Lender, is planting things today. It's a way to reduce stress. She talks to the plants. Tells them how lovely and green they are. She uses a very calm and relaxed voice. She mixes their water and liquid food just right and moistens or soaks their soil according to what type of plant she's working with. It's a stress-reducing process that usually leaves her quite mellow.
I appreciate this because it usually means we'll be working on editing and Book III rewrite time well into the night.
And I approve of that.
Book II, Choices Meant for Kings, is still in a holding pattern while publishing schedules rollick through the usual hiccups and bumps. ArcheBooks Publishing is a smaller publisher, as those of you who have been following the saga know, so the process can't be rushed much. And I think that's one of the things that causes Sandy stress. She's speaking at the Naples Press Club Writers Conference April 4 and 5, and it's distressing to know that the second novel in her fantasy series won't be available to promote. But she has the first novel, Choices Meant for Gods, and the chapbook, What Choices We Made, to use for examples in her talks. Anyone who's going to be in Southwest Florida that weekend would benefit greatly from the many topics of interest at the conference and will enjoy the offerings from the vendors at the adjoining Authors and Books Festival. You can get all the registration information you need at the Naples Press Club's link to the festival.
Hope to see you there.
Tags: fantasy author, Sandy Lender, Naples Press Club, Authors and Books Festival, Choices Meant for Gods
I appreciate this because it usually means we'll be working on editing and Book III rewrite time well into the night.
And I approve of that.
Book II, Choices Meant for Kings, is still in a holding pattern while publishing schedules rollick through the usual hiccups and bumps. ArcheBooks Publishing is a smaller publisher, as those of you who have been following the saga know, so the process can't be rushed much. And I think that's one of the things that causes Sandy stress. She's speaking at the Naples Press Club Writers Conference April 4 and 5, and it's distressing to know that the second novel in her fantasy series won't be available to promote. But she has the first novel, Choices Meant for Gods, and the chapbook, What Choices We Made, to use for examples in her talks. Anyone who's going to be in Southwest Florida that weekend would benefit greatly from the many topics of interest at the conference and will enjoy the offerings from the vendors at the adjoining Authors and Books Festival. You can get all the registration information you need at the Naples Press Club's link to the festival.
Hope to see you there.
Tags: fantasy author, Sandy Lender, Naples Press Club, Authors and Books Festival, Choices Meant for Gods
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
She Wrote this Paper Once
Don't ask too many questions about this post. My fantasy author, Sandy Lender, just called in here and asked if I'd tell the story of the day she totally screwed up in one of her core classes in college. I have no idea what a core class is, and I'm "in" education.
She says this is a nightmare college students in this society often have.
She went to class one morning to see many other students stapling papers together and stuffing papers in nice colored folders, etc., and she wondered at the buzz of energy in everyone. Then the professor walked in and asked for everyone to hand their papers forward. Oops. She thought the paper was due a week later and had not even begun work on it. So she watched helplessly as every other student turned in the assignment, worth whatever percent of the final class grade it was worth, while she had nothing to hand forward.
At the end of the class hour, she sprinted back to her dorm room, whisked out some reference books, and wrote a paper on whatever the topic was. She cited her sources at the end, printed it out, put it in a nice colored folder, and sprinted over to her professor's office. He wasn't in. So she wrote an honest note that she had forgotten to prepare the paper for class that morning and asked him to please accept it late and left it under his door.
He was very kind to accept the paper and even gave her an A.
Sandy says THAT is stressful writing. It reminds me of the proposal she had to write for her publisher when she pitched the Choices trilogy. She had to do that whole marketing piece one night because she thought her pitch was going to be a weekend later than it actually was. Another nightmare for some people that she's actually lived. Interesting...
All my best,
Nigel
She says this is a nightmare college students in this society often have.
She went to class one morning to see many other students stapling papers together and stuffing papers in nice colored folders, etc., and she wondered at the buzz of energy in everyone. Then the professor walked in and asked for everyone to hand their papers forward. Oops. She thought the paper was due a week later and had not even begun work on it. So she watched helplessly as every other student turned in the assignment, worth whatever percent of the final class grade it was worth, while she had nothing to hand forward.
At the end of the class hour, she sprinted back to her dorm room, whisked out some reference books, and wrote a paper on whatever the topic was. She cited her sources at the end, printed it out, put it in a nice colored folder, and sprinted over to her professor's office. He wasn't in. So she wrote an honest note that she had forgotten to prepare the paper for class that morning and asked him to please accept it late and left it under his door.
He was very kind to accept the paper and even gave her an A.
Sandy says THAT is stressful writing. It reminds me of the proposal she had to write for her publisher when she pitched the Choices trilogy. She had to do that whole marketing piece one night because she thought her pitch was going to be a weekend later than it actually was. Another nightmare for some people that she's actually lived. Interesting...
All my best,
Nigel
Saturday, January 3, 2009
She Makes Lists
I must apologize for my long absence from posting. To those of you who have been sending me e-mail, and to those of you who accosted me in person over the Christmas holiday, I want to say I’m sorry for neglecting to keep you up to date on the happenings in Sandy’s life. You must understand, though, taking care of my fantasy author, Sandy Lender, has been a fulltime job as of late. I have good news there: she’s doing very well. In fact, she’s doing so well that she’s participating in your society’s annual tradition of setting new year’s resolutions. (You can share at the main blog.)
I can’t recall her ever doing this before…
Now, I’ve seen her set goals. And I’ve seen the crazy system she uses to meet the goals. You can use this blog as a how-to guide if you like—how to make your new years resolution a reality or how to keep your new years resolution. Whatever you like. But, I warn you, it’s a bit odd. It focuses on lists. Stages of lists. Random lists and organized lists.
She starts by writing the goal in the middle of a piece of paper. Then she writes out random two- to four-word actions she will have to take to get to the goal. She writes them as they occur to her in rapid-fire succession all over the paper, speckling it with these action items in no particular order. It looks chaotic but she refers to it as stream-of-consciousness. She will usually set the paper aside after a while and come back to it frequently with new action items that have occurred to her over the period of a couple days.
When she feels satisfied that she has plenty of actions written down to help her get to her goal, she’ll sit down and prepare an organized list or two…or three… Depending on the goal she’s trying to reach, there might be internal goals to hit first.
Here’s an example to make it all make sense.
Back when Sandy moved to Florida, she needed an extra large sheet of paper. She bought one of those huge sketch pads and placed “move” in the middle of it. Some of the random actions were “sell house”, “find a school for xxx”, “find a job”, “pack”, “get boxes”, “revise resume”, “garage sale”, “clean out basement”, etc. Now, as you can see, “revise resume” would go on a list under “find a job”, but for this initial, stream-of-consciousness exercise, the point is to get as many action items down on paper as you can. Organizing them is the second step.
And that’s what she did next. She turned over all school-related actions to her ex-husband because the move centered around getting him to a school where he could lift out of his decade-long depression. The rest of the items went on lists that she organized and put in motion so the goal of moving could be met.
So what new years resolution do you need to sit down and think about meeting? You might try this anal-retentive list-making system of Sandy’s. Start with the “splatter” of actions and ideas all over a large piece of paper, and then organize those actions and ideas into manageable lists that lead you to success.
Good luck with your goals and resolutions this year.
Tags: new years resolution, goal, list, actions
I can’t recall her ever doing this before…
Now, I’ve seen her set goals. And I’ve seen the crazy system she uses to meet the goals. You can use this blog as a how-to guide if you like—how to make your new years resolution a reality or how to keep your new years resolution. Whatever you like. But, I warn you, it’s a bit odd. It focuses on lists. Stages of lists. Random lists and organized lists.
She starts by writing the goal in the middle of a piece of paper. Then she writes out random two- to four-word actions she will have to take to get to the goal. She writes them as they occur to her in rapid-fire succession all over the paper, speckling it with these action items in no particular order. It looks chaotic but she refers to it as stream-of-consciousness. She will usually set the paper aside after a while and come back to it frequently with new action items that have occurred to her over the period of a couple days.
When she feels satisfied that she has plenty of actions written down to help her get to her goal, she’ll sit down and prepare an organized list or two…or three… Depending on the goal she’s trying to reach, there might be internal goals to hit first.
Here’s an example to make it all make sense.
Back when Sandy moved to Florida, she needed an extra large sheet of paper. She bought one of those huge sketch pads and placed “move” in the middle of it. Some of the random actions were “sell house”, “find a school for xxx”, “find a job”, “pack”, “get boxes”, “revise resume”, “garage sale”, “clean out basement”, etc. Now, as you can see, “revise resume” would go on a list under “find a job”, but for this initial, stream-of-consciousness exercise, the point is to get as many action items down on paper as you can. Organizing them is the second step.
And that’s what she did next. She turned over all school-related actions to her ex-husband because the move centered around getting him to a school where he could lift out of his decade-long depression. The rest of the items went on lists that she organized and put in motion so the goal of moving could be met.
So what new years resolution do you need to sit down and think about meeting? You might try this anal-retentive list-making system of Sandy’s. Start with the “splatter” of actions and ideas all over a large piece of paper, and then organize those actions and ideas into manageable lists that lead you to success.
Good luck with your goals and resolutions this year.
Tags: new years resolution, goal, list, actions
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
