February – It’s a Hoot!: Monday Blog Post

Posted on February 6, 2017 by conniejean

Newest News:

I spent a lot of time this last week working on the Payson Book Festival and the Northern Gila County Fair. For the book festival, I completed the grant application and sent it in then talked with the director of the grant and received some tips on tweaking the grant application. I did that and sent it back. Authors are signing up for the book festival like gang-busters. I feel certain that the new on-line application and PayPal credit card process is making it so much easier for authors to sign up. I know I enjoyed it when I put my application in. For the fair, I contacted a local new shop owner that sells bath and body stuff made by local artisans. It’s a lovely little shop and she agreed to work with me to set up criteria for judging homemade soaps, lotions and other things in our fair’s Homemaking Arts department. I’m looking forward to seeing what our local crafters are doing in this area.

Hubby and I spent the day at home on Sunday and watched the Super Bowl with just the two of us. We had snacks and while hubby was interested in the game, I was more interested in the commercials. That didn’t stop us from picking opposite sides with him cheering on Atlanta and me the Patriots. It’s hardly any fun if there’s no opposition, right?

I broke down and bought two foot-torture devices. They have a hard plastic top that goes on top of the foot. Then there are straps to Velcro around the leg above the ankle and then around the ball of the foot to keep your foot in a 45-degree positon. I use one on each foot and sleep with them on my feet. You’re right, they catch in the blankets and wake me up when I turn in my sleep. On the other hand, after three nights using them, my feet do feel better. I’ll keep using them then try another walk at the end of the week. I’m missing out on great hiking and want to get back to it. Keep your fingers crossed for me.

Good progress was made on Mystery at the Book Festival. I finished my paper edits and have started on the research edits. Those are places in the manuscript where I need to do more research on what a real police department or ambulance drivers would do. There are the notes, also, where I realized I changed names in the middle of the book, mention something from book 1 that I need to look up to be sure I have the details right, and spots where I mention the characters saying they’d do something but I have to make sure it happened or at least is mentioned again to tie up all of the loose ends and questions I brought up. It’s a lot of detail to keep straight but I don’t want to send it to my editor with a bunch of stupid errors in it.

Giveaways:

My science fiction giveaway ends today over on BookSweeps, https://www.booksweeps.com/enter-win-45-science-fiction-adventure-books/. This is your last chance to enter to win my book or 44 others and a grand prize of a Kindle Fire! Click on the link and enter now. Come back and leave a message when you do.

My multi-author giveaway called For the Love of Books, Valentines Giveaway is in full swing. The link is https://conniesrandomthoughts.com/giveaways-and-prizes/. Click on the Rafflecopter link. This is a short giveaway because we’re lining up one for St. Patrick’s Day. So get in on the opportunity to win $135 in Paypal cash plus prizes from over 40 authors, that’s over 80 prizes! Hurry! This giveaway ends at midnight the 14th.

Shout Out:

Are you figuring out your travel plans for summer yet? Consider coming to beautiful central Arizona. The Payson Book Festival is July 22nd this year. Check out https://conniesrandomthoughts.com/ for details about authors at the event and the tab labled Area Information, in the area. Camping, hiking, natural wonders and more await the savvy traveler.

Where Will I Be?

On February 23rd, at 5pm Arizona time, I’ll be interviewed on BackPorchWriter.com. This interview is in preparation for the April B2BCyCon, an on-line conference that runs from April 7th to the 10th. Both events are open to readers so as I get closer, I’ll give you more details.

Check my website, https://conniesrandomthoughts.com/where-will-i-be/ for my next engagements. I have contacted both the Phoenix ComiCon (http://www.phoenixcomicon.com/) and the Tucson ComiCon (https://www.facebook.com/TucsonComicCon/) for information about attending their events. It’s still early, they’re not working yet. I’ll keep you posted.

Newsletter Sign Up:

Click here to sign up for my newsletter. I’ve put sign-up prizes on both the regular and the Brown Rain newsletter sign-ups. That’s right. If you sign up for my newsletter you get a free story from me. Be prepared for fun and contests! Click on the video link for a short video from me. Hear what I’m working on. Join my “A” Team to be the first to read my books and hear what new books are coming.

Newest Book Release:

Mystery in the Woods released on December 24th! I’m pretty excited about it. You can buy it and my other books at: Apple, Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Kobo, and Smashwords, today! You can also see all my books on https://conniesrandomthoughts.com/my-books-and-other-published-work/. If you’ve read any of my books, please drop a short, honest, review on the site where you bought it or on Goodreads. It’s critical to help me promote the books to other readers. Thanks in advance.

August Already: Monday Blog Post

Posted on August 1, 2016 by conniejean

Crowd at the Payson Book Festival 2016

Newest News:

So I have had a week’s recovery from the Payson Book Festival, held July 23^rd. It was a great success with over 90 authors and over 600 visitors. Food, music, story-telling, author presentations and all of those authors selling books from every genre, fiction and non-fiction, imaginable. As the committee, we’re all involved in the wrap-up phase. Financial sheets need to be filled in, evaluations and feedback forms reviewed and reports compiled, and sponsors, volunteers, festival goers and authors need to be thanked. We’ll have our after-action meeting on the 8^th to go over what went well and what we can do better. The evaluations everyone leaves for us goes a long way to help us sort good and popular aspects of the festival from those not so good.

AuthorShout.com has been a fantastic promoter for me the entire month of July. I’m so pleased with the publicity they’ve been giving me. My book, Kindred Spirits, was on their site for the month of July. http://authorshout.com/recommended-reading/ Take a look around the site. It will be worth your while if you’re looking for a new to you author and fine reading.

Giveaways:

The Smashwords.com’s Summer/Winter Sale is now over. Four of my books, Mystery at the Fair, A New Start, First Encounter, and Lost Rainbows, were free on the site. A good many of you did go and get free books. I hope you enjoy them. They’re still available on Smashwords.com with my other books, as well as on Amazon, Kobo, Itunes, Barnes and Noble and other retailers for both paperback and ebooks. On my website, I have direct links to every book and where it is retailed.

The Red Hot Summer giveaway is still in full swing. Just click on the Rafflecopter link. You do have to sign up to Rafflecopter but after that, you’re free to click away. I have links to it on my facebook, twitter, and website pages. This giveaway I offer a free ebook, Mystery at the Fair, or for second prize, a $10 Amazon card. Over a hundred prizes from over 50 authors plus a grand prize of $150 Paypal Cash. It’s not hard to enter, there are multiple ways to enter, and it doesn’t cost you anything. You could easily win a prize. If you haven’t entered yet, enter today and every day.

Shout Out:

Let me give a big shout out to Payson Book Festival co-committee members Carol and Bing Brown. They have a back ground in media, both newspaper and radio, and Carol was a professor at Arizona State University teaching communications and media. They were responsible this year for both doing the grant work to gain us a grant from Arizona Humanities, and handling all of the media blitz involved in advertising the book festival all around the state of Arizona. They sent news releases to every paper we had an author from, arranged advertising in the Arizona Republic and electronically on the East Valley Tribune. Skilled writers and media persons, they were instrumental in the success of the 2016 Payson Book Festival. Thank you, Carol and Bing.

Garden News:

The yellow beans are ripening, as are the cherry and early girl tomatoes. I can hardly wait. Yellow beans, especially, are only available in cans. I look forward to having them fresh in the summer. The peach tree branches are groaning under the weight of the ripening peaches. The birds have already begun pecking at the fruit. The hot weather and lack of monsoon rain has killed my youngest apple tree. It was about 3 years old and I’m very sad it’s died. I’ll have to go to the garden store in September and get another. The weather should be cooler and the new tree will have time to get some roots established before winter sets in. How’s your garden doing?

Where Will I Be?:

9^th annual Fall Festival in Pine, AZ. October 8^th and 9^th. http://pinestrawberrybusinesscommunityaz.com/fallapple.html. I’ll be there all weekend as part of the local author book signing. My hubby will be there as part of the chili cook-off at noon on Saturday. There are also crafters and a very excellent antique show scheduled, not to mention music and food!

Want more details about this event? Click here for more information.

Newsletter Sign Up:

Newest Book Release:

Zoe Ohale is out for editing and is 100% done at the editors’. Now that the book festival is over, I’ll get to the further edits. If you’re a Brown Rain Series fan, I think you’ll like Zoe Ohale. You may remember a short story I published on my blog on 8/20/15, Extra Baggage. That was the second story about Zoe. The first, Betrayal Moon, is in the Forward Motion anthology, due out in the next couple of weeks. Just 17, Zoe has been an orphan living on the streets of Baia Mare since she was 12. Street smart and fiercely independent, Zoe has been offered the chance to move back into legal society by the police officer that arrested her a few months ago. But first, she has to help protect the little kids in her group, help her friend save her father from assassination, and find a criminal ring that just stole all of the physical credits being delivered to the Planetary Bank of Baia Mare. The book, the first of a series, should be out in August, if I can find time to work on it between the Book Festival and the Fair.

The third book in the Brown Rain Series, Kindred Spirits, released on March 14th! I’m pretty excited about it. You can buy it and my other books at: Apple, Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Kobo, Smashwords, Gumroads or Chatebooks today! You can also see all of my books on www.ConniesRandomThoughts.com. If you’ve read any of my books, please drop a review on the site where you bought it or on Goodreads. It’s a big help to me in the book rankings each vendor uses to promote the books on their sites. Thanks in advance.

My Birthday: Monday Blog Post

Posted on July 18, 2016 by conniejean

Solar light in green phase.

Newest News:

I suppose it doesn’t hurt to tell you that my birthday was yesterday. At my age I don’t celebrate big. I don’t actually want much. I’m decades beyond wanting a party, or cake. It’s enough to mark the day and have a minor celebration, which my husband and I did. We went to a local restaurant that we only go to on special occasions. I had my usual, lamb chops and baked potato. Extra special for me, is that this restaurant serves crème Brulee for desert. I know. It’s decades out of fashion but even before I was diagnosed celiac, it was my fav desert. Of course I ordered it and even let hubby share. Nope. Didn’t take a picture. Everyone is so over seeing other people’s dinners.

Solar Light with flash in the tomato bed.

Hubby bought me some solar powered optical garden art. He even set them up for me, which I didn’t know until Sunday night when I looked out the window and they were all glowing and changing colors. It makes me happy to see them out there.

AuthorShout.com has been a fantastic promoter for me this month. I’m so pleased with the publicity they’ve been giving me. Kindred Spirits, is on their site for the month of July. http://authorshout.com/recommended-reading/ Take a look around the site. I think you’ll find something you’ll like.

Giveaways:

Over half way into July Smashwords.com’s Summer/Winter Sale is in full swing. Four of my books, Mystery at the Fair, A New Start, First Encounter, and Lost Rainbows, are free on the site. Log in, get an account if you don’t already have one, and search on my book titles. Use the coupon code SFREE, when you check out and those books are free! This offer only lasts until the end of July. You’re running out of time. Get these books for free while you can. I do not offer them free very often.

The Red Hot Summer giveaway is also in full swing. Just click on the Rafflecopter link. You do have to sign up to Rafflecopter but after that, you’re free to click away. I have links to it on my facebook, twitter, and website pages. This giveaway I offer a free ebook, Mystery at the Fair, or for second prize, a $10 Amazon card. Over a hundred prizes from over 50 authors plus a grand prize of $150 Paypal Cash. It’s not hard to enter and there are multiple ways to enter. You could easily win a prize. If you haven’t entered yet, please enter today and every day.

Shout Out:

Let me give a big shout out to Carol Sletten this week. An artist, performer and author, Carol is multi-talented and a really nice person to boot. She’s involved in an author’s luncheon in Greer, Arizona promoting her talk, Apache’s and Lozen, A woman warrior who rode with Geronimo. It’s a presentation I’m sure you won’t want to miss. Tickets are $20 at the door. https://www.facebook.com/carol.sletten?fref=ts

Garden News:

The green and yellow beans are flowering. It won’t be long now before I have those wonderful yellow beans. I’ve picked 3 tomatoes so far. Today I had a light lunch of a cut up garden tomato and cottage cheese. It was soooooo good. I’ve been watering the bed I fertilized and tried to kill the mint out of. So far, no mint sticking its little green leaves up. I remain optimistic. This last week I repotted both the Meyer Lemon and the Bay tree. Poor bay. It was just a root ball, no dirt at all. I’m sure it’s now very happy to have dirt to grow in. The lemon tree is infested with ants that seem to be growing little insect sucker pods on the green branches and leaves. I spent a good deal of time and many thorn stabs wiping the sucking pods off of every leaf and branch. Sunday I fertilized and on the lemon, left ant bait. The sucker things, whatever they are, kill the branches. That has got to stop. The peaches continue to grow and ripen. I should have ripe peaches in about two weeks. How’s your garden doing?

Where Will I Be?:

July 23rd is the Payson Book Festival, partly funded by the Arizona Humanities. It’s just 6 days away and I’ll be at my table all day, ready to talk to YOU! I hope you can make it as we will have over 90 authors attending as well as music, food, author presentations and workshops. It will be stupendous! www.paysonbookfestival.org and click on the Meet the Authors tab. Check us out on Twitter: @PaysonBookFest, and Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/PaysonBookFestival/.

Want more details about these events? Click here for more information.

Newsletter Sign Up:

Newest Book Release:

Zoe Ohale is out for editing and is 100% done at the editors’. I’ll get to the further edits after the book festival. If you’re a Brown Rain Series fan, I think you’ll like Zoe Ohale. You may remember a short story I published on my blog on 8/20/15, Extra Baggage. That was the second story about Zoe. The first, Betrayal Moon, is in the Forward Motion anthology, due out in the next couple of weeks. Just 17, Zoe has been an orphan living on the streets of Baia Mare since she was 12. Street smart and fiercely independent, Zoe has been offered the chance to move back into legal society by the police officer that arrested her a few months ago. But first, she has to help protect the little kids in her group, help her friend save her father from assassination, and find a criminal ring that just stole all of the physical credits being delivered to the Planetary Bank of Baia Mare. The book, the first of a series, should be out in August, if I can find time to work on it between the Book Festival and the Fair.

Kindred Spirits released on March 14th! I’m pretty excited about it. You can buy it and my other books at: Apple, Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Kobo, Smashwords, Gumroads or Chatebooks today! You can also see all of my books on www.ConniesRandomThoughts.com. If you’ve read any of my books, please drop a review on the site where you bought it or on Goodreads. It’s a big help to me in the book rankings each vendor uses to promote the books on their sites. Thanks in advance.

Bits and Pieces: Monday Blog Post

Posted on July 11, 2016 by conniejean

Meyer Lemon Blossom

Newest News:

My friend, Carole Emma Mathewson has released her book World War II: On the Home Front. A look at the effect of World War II on a young girl from rural California. I’ll have to admit, there were some spots that had me in tears. Check it out at: https://www.amazon.com/World-War-Home-Front-California/dp/1534812725/.

Have you visited the website, AuthorShout.com? It’s a fantastic resource for readers to find their next favorite author. I’ll be promoting my book, Kindred Spirits, on the site for the month of July. http://authorshout.com/recommended-reading/ Take a look around the site. I think you’ll find something you’ll like.

Giveaways:

Only for the month of July, I’m participating in Smashwords.com’s Summer/Winter Sale. Four of my books, Mystery at the Fair, A New Start, First Encounter, and Lost Rainbows, are free on the site. Log in, get an account if you don’t already have one, and search on my book titles. Use the coupon code SFREE, when you check out and those books are free!

The Red Hot Summer giveaway is now open. Just click on the Rafflecopter link. You do have to sign up to Rafflecopter but after that, you’re free to click away. I have links to it on my facebook, twitter, and website pages. This giveaway I offer a free ebook, Mystery at the Fair, or for second prize, a $10 Amazon card. Over a hundred prizes from over 50 authors plus a grand prize of $150 Paypal Cash. It’s not hard to enter and there are multiple ways to enter. You could easily win a prize. If you haven’t entered yet, please enter today and every day.

Shout Out:

Author Elizabeth Hein

A heads-up. Author Elizabeth Hein is my Author Interview this week. Author of snarky women’s fiction, she’s currently working on a mystery series. Want to know more and can’t wait for the interview? Check her out at http://elizabethhein.com.

Garden News:

Twice the size it was two days ago. It’ll make great hash.

The green and yellow beans are just growing and growing. No flowers yet, I planted late. It won’t be long now. I have decided to take a chance and begin working the bed that had the mint in it. I’ve been fighting it for three years and it’s been months now since I’ve seen a sprig show its head. So, I dumped compost on it and watered it well this morning. We’ll see how it goes. I have managed to get a zucchini from my plant despite the chipmunks. Here’s a picture. I also see that my lemon tree, that had dropped every single lemon bud in late winter, has produced one new flower. That the picture at the top. Maybe I’ll get a lemon. I’m crossing my fingers. The peaches continue to grow and ripen. I should have ripe peaches in about two weeks. How’s your garden doing?

Where Will I Be?:

July 23rd is the Payson Book Festival, partly funded by the Arizona Humanities. It’s just 13 days away and I’ll be at my table all day, ready to talk to YOU! I hope you can make it as we will have over 90 authors attending as well as music, food, author presentations and workshops. It will be stupendous! www.paysonbookfestival.org and click on the Meet the Authors tab. Check us out on Twitter: @PaysonBookFest, and Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/PaysonBookFestival/.

Want more details about these events? Click here for more information.

Newsletter Sign Up:

Newest Book Release:

Zoe Ohale is out for editing and is about 50% done at the editors’. If you’re a Brown Rain Series fan, I think you’ll like Zoe Ohale. You may remember a short story I published on my blog on 8/20/15, Extra Baggage. That was the second story about Zoe. The first, Betrayal Moon, is in the Forward Motion anthology, due out in the next couple of weeks. Just 17, Zoe has been an orphan living on the streets of Baia Mare since she was 12. Street smart and fiercely independent, Zoe has been offered the chance to move back into legal society by the police officer that arrested her a few months ago. But first, she has to help protect the little kids in her group, help her friend save her father from assassination, and find a criminal ring that just stole all of the physical credits being delivered to the Planetary Bank of Baia Mare. The book, the first of a series, should be out in August, if I can find time to work on it between the Book Festival and the Fair.

Happy Fourth of July: Monday Blog Post

Posted on July 4, 2016 by conniejean

Fireworks by Randy Cockrell

Newest News:

Happy Fourth of July everyone. I hope your weekend has been both wonderful and safe. We’re heading over to a friend’s house this evening. It’s situated on a hill overlooking the park where the fireworks are set off. Forecast is for a clear night. Better than last year’s thunderstorm.

My friend, Carole Emma Mathewson is releasing her book World War II: On the Home Front. The cover is just about done. When it is we can get it all loaded into CreateSpace and have it out, perhaps by the end of the week!

Have you visited the website, AuthorShout.com? It’s a fantastic resource for readers to find their next favorite author. I’ll be promoting my book, Kindred Spirits, on the site for the month of July. Take a look around the site. I think you’ll find something you’ll like.

Giveaways:

The Red Hot Summer is now open. Just click on the Rafflecopter link. You do have to sign up to Rafflecopter but after that, you’re free to click away. I have links to it on my facebook, twitter, and website pages. This giveaway I offer a free ebook, Mystery at the Fair, or for second prize, a $10 Amazon card. Over a hundred prizes from over 50 authors plus a grand prize of $150 Paypal Cash. It’s not hard to enter and there are multiple ways to enter. You could easily win a prize. If you haven’t entered yet, please enter today and every day.

Shout Out:

A heads-up. Author Elizabeth Hein is my Author Interview next week. Author of snarky women’s fiction, she’s currently working on a mystery series. Want to know more and can’t wait for the interview? Check her out at http://elizabethhein.com.

Garden News:

Peaches by Connie Cockrell

The heat and the moisture since the monsoons began has turned on the grow switch in my garden. The pole beans are racing up the trellis. Tiny green tomatoes are popping out all over and the plants are growing all over the tomato bed. The chipmunks are eating my zucchini! The peaches are going strong. I love how fuzzy they are. They’re already getting that blush on them. In my area they ripen the end of July, depending on weather. How’s your garden doing?

Where Will I Be?:

July 23rd is the Payson Book Festival, partly funded by the Arizona Humanities. I’ll be at my table all day, ready to talk to YOU! I hope you can make it as we will have over 70 authors attending as well as music, food, author presentations and workshops. It will be stupendous! www.paysonbookfestival.org and click on the Meet the Authors tab. Check us out on Twitter: @PaysonBookFest, and Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/PaysonBookFestival/.

Want more details about these events? Click here for more information.

Newsletter Sign Up:

Newest Book Release:

Zoe Ohale is out for editing. If you’re a Brown Rain Series fan, I think you’ll like Zoe Ohale. You may remember a short story I published on my blog on 8/20/15, Extra Baggage. That was the second story about Zoe. The first, Betrayal Moon, is in the Forward Motion anthology, due out in the next couple of weeks. Just 17, Zoe has been an orphan living on the streets of Baia Mare since she was 12. Street smart and fiercely independent, Zoe has been offered the chance to move back into legal society by the police officer that arrested her a few months ago. But first, she has to help protect the little kids in her group, help her friend save her father from assassination, and find a criminal ring that just stole all of the physical credits being delivered to the Planetary Bank of Baia Mare. The book, the first of a series, should be out in August, if I can find time to work on it between the Book Festival and the Fair.

Mid-June Madness: Monday Blog Post

Posted on June 13, 2016 by conniejean

Roses by Randy Cockrell

I cannot believe it’s the middle of June already. So many things I wanted to get done by now and I’m not even close. One of those things is that I’m re-working the cover to Mystery at the Fair. Actually, a friend of mine did the work, gave me the elements, and now I can create covers for the next two in the series that maintain the same look and feel. Many thanks to D’Elen McClain. (www.wickedstorytelling.com) What a friend! Anyway, I have the cover changed on Smashwords. https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/564549 Check it out. Do you like this cover better than the Arizona yellow-orange one? https://www.amazon.com/Mystery-Fair-Jean-Hays-Book-ebook/dp/B011P3POYW Drop me a line and let me know.

Giveaways:

The Spring Into Reading giveaway closes in about 5 days. I have links to it on my facebook, twitter, and website pages. This giveaway I offer a free ebook, First Encounter, or for second prize, a $5 Amazon card. There are other prizes as well. Over a hundred prizes plus a grand prize. It’s not hard to enter and there are multiple ways to enter. You could easily win a prize. If you haven’t entered yet, please enter today and every day.

Shout Out:

I met some great authors at last week’s MysteryCon. I’d like to share two! One is Cathy Ann Rogers http://www.cathyannrogers.com/. One of the organizers of the event, Cathy’s newest release is Sick in Shadows at https://www.amazon.com/Sick-Shadows-Cathy-Ann-Rogers-ebook/dp/B012YMXEDQ The other organizer is Kris Tualla. http://www.kristualla.com/ Kris’s mysteries cover several series and her tag line: Norway is the new Scotland! Check out her series, The Discreet Gentleman, at https://www.amazon.com/Discreet-Gentleman-Discovery-Kris-Tualla-ebook/dp/B007K1KPUC.

Garden News:

Bean Sprouts by Randy Cockrell

I mentioned last week that a squirrel or chipmunk got at my hot peppers. One has been repeatedly attacked and is now dead. The one next to it is still hanging on. Cross your fingers, everyone, that it will survive.

Zucchini by Randy Cockrell

The beans (pole string and yellow beans) I planted last week are all popping up. I have to string up the netting for them to grow up. The butternut squash and Swiss Chard are no show’s so far but I’m not sure if that squirrel isn’t eating the seed. I know for sure it’s digging where I planted the squash. Bad squirrel. The zucchini has recovered from it’s transplant shock and I have blossoms and two tine zucchini. I’ll be picking them by Saturday I think. My brother-in-law gave me a luffa. I need to peel the shell off and shake out the seeds. I’m going to plant it right in the garden and cross my fingers. I’ve tried planting them in pots here but they never even flower. Let’s try a new way. How’s your garden doing?

Where Will I Be?:

9^th annual Fall Festival in Pine, AZ. October 8^th and 9^th. http://pinestrawberrybusinesscommunityaz.com/fallapple.html. I’ll be there all weekend as part of the local author book signing. My hubby will be there as part of the chili cook-off at noon. There are also crafters and a very excellent antique show scheduled, not to mention musing and food!

Want more details about these events? Click here for more information.

Newsletter Sign Up:

Newest Book Release:

I’m in the middle of the Zoe Ohale re-write. If you’re a Brown Rain Series fan, I think you’ll like Zoe Ohale. You may remember a short story I published on my blog on 8/20/15, Extra Baggage. That was the second story about Zoe. The first, Betrayal Moon, is in the Forward Motion anthology, due out later this year. Just 17, Zoe has been an orphan living on the streets of Baia Mare since she was 12. Street smart and fiercely independent, Zoe has been offered the chance to move back into legal society by the police officer that arrested her a few months ago. But first, she has to help protect the little kids in her group, help her friend save her father from assassination, and find a criminal ring that just stole all of the physical credits being delivered to the Planetary Bank of Baia Mare. The book, the first of a series, should be out in August, if I can find time to work on it between the Book Festival and the Fair.

Fun at MysteryCon: Monday Blog Post

Posted on June 6, 2016 by conniejean

AZMysteryCon.com Friday Night Book Selling

Newest News:

I’m back from the MysteryCon in Scottsdale. We had a good time Friday evening with an author signing. Lucky us, we were right across the lobby from the Happy Hour so a lot of people came in and talked with us and I even sold a few books! Yay! A lovely young woman won the first bracelet on Friday night.

Saturday was more about presentations with the book selling room opening from noon to four, when the con was over. I had a lot of fun getting to know the other authors and met a few that are scheduled to come to the July Payson Book Festival. I have a lot of swag and won 2 bottles of wine! On my second bracelet? No one signed up for the giveaway. That’s okay. I have it for the book festival.

Now it’s time to get some books ordered for July.

Giveaways:

The Spring Into Reading giveaway closes in about 10 days. I have links to it on my facebook, twitter, and website pages. This giveaway I offer a free ebook or for second prize, a $5 Amazon card. There are other prizes as well. Over a hundred prizes plus a grand prize. It’s not hard to enter and there are multiple ways to enter. You could easily win a prize. If you haven’t entered yet, please enter today and every day.

Shout Out:

Author L. M. Hinkey

A shout-out goes to my next author interview, Lynne Hinkey. Lynne’s interview will appear on Wednesday, the 8^th. Yep! This Wednesday. Don’t miss out on Lynne’s interview and a little bit about her. Can’t wait? Check out her site: http://www.lynnehinkey.com

Garden News:

Last week I bought some hot and sweet green peppers and put half in the garden the day before I left for MysteryCon. Bad time to plant, it’s been 99 – 100 degrees here (it was 115 in Phoenix!) but when I got home, the plants were mostly fine. I suspect chipmunks, one has been investigating my back yard for the last couple of weeks, ate my hot chili pepper plants! I hope they got heartburn. Anyway, the little buggers left some stem and leaves so maybe the plants will recover.

The soil was bone dry when I watered Sunday morning so I watered heavily and planted bean (pole string and yellow beans), butternut squash, and Swiss Chard. I suspect I’ll have to protect the seedlings when they pop up. Birds, especially like sprouted bean seeds. So now the garden is fully planted. The tomatoes I bought from the garden club are doing fine, blossoms and tiny green tomatoes are evident. The zucchini I bought has lost the tiny zucchini and the original leaves but new leaves and blossoms are evident so I just have to wait a little longer. How’s your garden doing?

Where Will I Be?:

July 23rd is the Payson Book Festival, partly funded by the Arizona Humanities. I’ll be at my table all day, ready to talk to YOU! I hope you can make it as we will have over 70 authors attending as well as music, food, author presentations and workshops. It will be stupendous! www.paysonbookfestival.org and click on the Meet the Authors tab.

9^th annual Fall Festival in Pine, AZ. October 8^th and 9^th. http://pinestrawberrybusinesscommunityaz.com/fallapple.html. I’ll be there all weekend as part of the local author book signing. My hubby will be there as part of the chili cook-off at noon. There are also crafters and a very excellent antique show scheduled, not to mention musing and food!

Want more details about these events? Click here for more information.

Newsletter Sign Up:

Click here to sign up for my newsletter. I’ve put sign-up prizes on both the regular and the Brown Rain newsletter sign-ups. That’s right. If you sign up for my newsletter you get a free story from me. My next newsletter is being drafted so sign up today. Be prepared for fun and contests! Click on the video link for a short video from me. Hear what I’m working on. I’d love to see you there.

Newest Book Release:

I’m in the middle of the Zoe Ohale re-write. If you’re a Brown Rain Series fan, I think you’ll like Zoe Ohale. Just 17, Zoe has been an orphan living on the streets of Baia Mare since she was 12. Street smart and fiercely independent, Zoe has been offered the chance to move back into legal society by the police officer that arrested her a few months ago. But first, she has to help protect the little kids in her group, help her friend save her father from assassination, and find a criminal ring that just stole all of the physical credits being delivered to the Planetary Bank of Baia Mare. The book, the first of a series, should be out in August, if I can find time to work on it between the Book Festival and the Fair.

Feel free to share this blog post with others who may be interested.

Winner! Monday Blog Post

Posted on May 16, 2016 by conniejean

Newest News:

I’m am so pleased to announce that after four years of trying, I’ve won an Honorable Mention with the Writers of the Future contest with my science fiction story, Eavesdroppers. The logo at the top of the page was sent to me after winning and I’ll be getting a certificate in the mail from them sometime soon. I’ll share that, too, when it arrives.

Writers of the Future is THE contest for science fiction and fantasy authors. Many of the biggest names in the genres have won this contest. This just doubles my determination. If I can do it once, I can do it again. So stay with me!

Giveaways:

The Spring Into Reading giveaway closes in June. I have links to it on my facebook, twitter, and website pages. This giveaway I offer a free ebook or for second prize, a $5 Amazon card. There are other prizes as well. Over a hundred prizes plus a grand prize. It’s not hard to enter and there are multiple ways to enter. You could easily win a prize. If you haven’t entered yet, please enter today and every day.

Shout Out:

I’m giving a shout out to my friend Bonnie Bahn. I’m hoping to interview her on this blog in the future. Right now she’s re-writing Bumblefoot and creating a new cover for it. She can be found on Twitter at @BonnieBahn or on her website at bonniebahn.wordpress.com so watch out for her re-release announcement. Follow my blog so you don’t miss out on this and other special features.

Garden News:

I have broken down and planted my seedling tomatoes in my garden. The rest I’ll give away. I also planted my basil. The reason? The weather went from cold to hot in a day. Also, a volunteer tomato plant has sprung up. I figure if the weather is right for the volunteer it’s good enough for my seedlings. I need to get my trellis set up and buy some Early Girl tomato plants to finish my tomato garden. Other plants? Beans and peas, peppers, butternut squash, zucchini and yellow squash. All of those do really well here. The peach tree, despite the cold, is heavily laden with peaches while my two apple trees have one apple between them. Interesting. How about you? What do you plant?

Where Will I Be?:

June 3rd and 4th I’m at the Scottsdale MysteryCon, Death and Deception in the Desert. I’m giving a presentation there at 3pm on Saturday on writing a mystery. The conference is just two weeks away! Tickets for both days are only $39. I do hope you can make it to that one. Here’s a flyer telling all about it. Register in advance on the site so we know how many are coming to lunch, then email me or comment here that you registered. I’ll put your name in for a drawing of a special prize on both Friday night and Saturday at my presentation. The prize? A bracelet, hand made by me, with Kindred Spirits as the theme. I’m the last presentation of the day on Saturday in my room, so if you want any of my books autographed, buy them at the book seller and bring them to the presentation. Can you make it?

Want more details about these events? Click here for more information.

Newsletter Sign Up:

Click here to sign up for my newsletter. I’ve put sign-up prizes on both the regular and the Brown Rain newsletter sign-ups. That’s right. If you sign up for my newsletter you get a free story from me. My next newsletter is being drafted so sign up today. Be prepared for fun and contests!

Newest Book Release:

New Format: Monday Blog Post

Posted on May 2, 2016 by conniejean

Owl_using_Computer_by_RedPigeon via DeviantArt.com

Newest News:

I’m trying out a new format for my Monday blog posts. I’ll still do my free flash fiction on Friday, though I’m thinking about changes for that, as well. But for Mondays I’m going to change to something shorter. The majority of my news is going to move to my newsletter. So if you haven’t already signed up for it, see the end of this post where I tell you how to sign up.

Giveaways:

That said, let me tell you that the Spring Into Reading giveaway is halfway done. I have links to it on my facebook, twitter, and website pages. This giveaway I offer a free ebook or for second prize, a $5 Amazon card. There are other prizes as well. Over a hundred prizes plus a grand prize. It’s not hard to enter and there are multiple times to enter. You could easily win a prize. Enter today and every day.

Shoutout:

An author friend of mine, Selena Laurence has released her newest book: The Kingmaker, the first of her Power Play series. She calls herself an author of edgy contemporary romance. I’ve read Laurence’s series Lush, and the first book in her Foreign Exchange series, Speaking Greek. Her writing is quick, and the love scenes hot. I haven’t had a chance to read Kingmaker yet but I’m sure it will be better than ever. Here is a quick blurb of The Kingmaker.

He’s America’s golden boy. A power broker. A Kingmaker.

She’s America’s dirty little secret. A sex broker. A scandal maker.

Together they are headline news.

Lies, deceptions.

A Presidency hangs in the balance.

Selena can be found at https://selenalaurence.com/.

GardenNews:

Saturday I picked my first three strawberries. I didn’t think to take a picture, I ate them too fast, LOL! Anyway, Sunday we had hail so I was glad I didn’t have the tomatoes outside. It’s been very cool all weekend. My oregano is about ready to cut for drying. If you don’t have a patch in your garden with oregano, you should. I bought one pot of oregano for less than three dollars five years ago and haven’t bought oregano since. Just think about how much dried oregano costs in the store! Anyway, I cut it, wash it and hang it in small bundles from a medium large picture frame that I stapled bird netting to the back. Tie the bundles on the frame or the netting with kitchen twine and put up on top of your cupboards. That’s where mine lives. It’s warm and dry up there and it only takes a couple of weeks for the herbs to dry. Then take them off the netting, spread wax paper on your table and strip the stems of the leaves. Put into air tight bottles or jars. I have used baby food jars, jam/jelly jars, canning jars and even fancy metal tins made for storing dried herbs. You’ll feel good about yourself. I promise.

Where Will I Be?:

June 3rd and 4th I’m at the Scottsdale MysteryCon, Death and Deception in the Desert. I’m giving a presentation there as well on writing a mystery. Tickets for both days are only $35. I do hope you can make it to that one. Here’s a flyer telling all about it. Register in advance on the site then email me or comment here that you registered. I’ll put your name in for a drawing of a special prize on Friday night and/or Saturday. The prize? A bracelet, hand made by me, with Kindred Spirits as the theme. I might even make two and have a giveaway both Friday and Saturday. What do you think?

July 23rd is the Payson Book Festival. I’ll be at my table all day, ready to talk to YOU! I hope you can make it as we will have over 70 authors attending as well as music, food, author presentations and workshops. It will be stupendous! www.paysonbookfestival.org and click on the Meet the Authors tab.

Want more details about these events? Click here for more information.

Newsletter Sign Up:

Click here to sign up for my newsletter. If you are a Brown Rain series fan, I’ve created a list just for you! If you join my regular newsletter, that’s all right too as I’ve put sign-up prizes on both. That’s right. If you sign up for my newsletter you get a free story from me. My next newsletter is being drafted so sign up today. The YouTube video I just made about Kindred Spirits will be in the newsletter. Just a note. I’m going to be sending out newsletters more frequently. Be prepared for fun and contests!

Newest Book Release:

Crazy Week: Monday Blog Post

Posted on April 25, 2016 by conniejean

It was a crazy week for me last week. All day meetings, volunteering, a trip to Scottsdale for a workshop on Screen Writing, it seemed never ending. That of course, affected my writing. I continued to work on my Camp NaNo novel, Mystery at the Book Festival, but made barely any progress on it. As of today, I’m just reaching 35K to my goal of 50,000 words. The challenge ends on Saturday. So I have to write about 3K words per day every single day for the rest of the week (also the month!) to reach 50K. I can do it if I put my mind to it. Cross your fingers for me.

The Spring Into Reading giveaway is in full swing. I have links to it on my facebook, twitter, and website pages. I offer a free ebook or for second prize, a $5 Amazon card. There are other prizes as well. Over a hundred prizes plus a grand prize. It’s not hard to enter and there are multiple times to enter. You could easily win a prize. Enter today and every day.

The picture at the top of the page is of my tomato seedlings. The weather continues to cycle through mild and cold so I’m not sure when to plant. Friends of mine in southern Arizona are already harvesting their tomatoes! I plan on visiting the local garden shop to get some lettuce and Swiss chard. I should also get my peas and beans into the ground. None of these will be harmed by a little cool weather. The roses have been blooming long enough that I now need to go out and dead-head the spent flowers. It’s good to get away from the computer, even with my high word count goal, and get some sunshine and fresh air. It always helps me clear my mind and recharge the creative juices.

Yesterday I did a special blog post bragging up my author friend Mistral Dawn. Her new book, Rainbow Dreams, is just out and as a science fiction fan, I’m stoked! Anyway, check out yesterday’s blog post with all of the links to buy Rainbow Dreams and the first chapter, free!

Where will I be? Here’s the scoop.

June 3rd and 4th, I’m at the Scottsdale MysteryCon, Death and Deception in the Desert. I’m giving a presentation there as well on writing a mystery. Tickets for both days are only $39 and Friday night is open to the public for Author Signings. I do hope you can make it to that one. Here’s a flyer telling you all about it. Register in advance on the site and mention that you heard about the event from me. I’ll put your name in for a drawing of a special prize on Friday night and/or Saturday. The prize? A bracelet, hand made by me, with Kindred Spirits as the theme. I might even make two and have a giveaway both Friday and Saturday. What do you think?

Want more details about these events? Click here for more information.

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Thoughts and Activities About My Writing

Category Archives: Book Festival

February – It’s a Hoot!: Monday Blog Post

My Birthday: Monday Blog Post

Bits and Pieces: Monday Blog Post

Happy Fourth of July: Monday Blog Post

Newest News:

Giveaways:

Shout Out:

Garden News:

Where Will I Be?:

Newsletter Sign Up:

Newest Book Release:

Fun at MysteryCon: Monday Blog Post

Winner! Monday Blog Post

Crazy Week: Monday Blog Post