Happy Father’s Day, Phoenix Fan Fusion T’s, Gardening, Payson Book Festival: Monday Blog Post

Posted on June 17, 2019 by conniejean

Newest News:

I hope your Father’s Day went wonderfully, whether you are a father, a single-mother trying to fill the role, an uncle, grand-father, of mentor.

After the show, I began showing some of the t-shirts from the Phoenix Fan Fusion. Above is one for this week.

I mentioned last week that I put in some seeds and two tomato plants. Well, the chipmunks ate both tomatoes, and I think, all of the seeds I’d planted. Most should have been at least poking their little sprouts up by now, but nothing. Nothing but holes in the dirt. Sigh. Sunday I put in more tomatoes, and filled the empty flower pot out front with geraniums. At least both pots look good now. What’s your biggest gardening pest?

Giveaways:

I’m gearing up for the Summer giveaway. I see other authors signing in and getting their prizes ready. I’ll let you know when it goes live.

Where will I Be?:

The Payson Book Festival 2019. Mark your calendars for July 20^th. Go to www.paysonbookfestival.org for all of the details! We have nearly 90 authors, lots of speakers in both the Fireside and Maple rooms, and again, the silent auction. Want to just make a donation? Go to our Paypal.me page, Payson Book Festival.

Newsletter Sign Up:

Click here to sign up for my newsletter. I’ve put sign-up gifts on the regular and the SciFi/Fantasy and the Cozy Mystery 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.

Don’t forget to follow my blog, too. Different material goes in the blog as in the newsletter. You can share both, so spread the word!

Newest Book Release:

Gold Dreams released May 13th, 2019. It is only up on Amazon, at the moment. I’ll let everyone know when the print version is up and is up on the other platforms. 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 or BookBub. Your review is critical to help me promote the books to other readers. Thanks in advance.

Thank you for reading my blog. Like all of the other work I do as an author, it takes time and money. If you enjoy this Monday blog and the Friday free story and the recipe I put up on the 25th of every month, consider donating to https://www.paypal.me/ConniesRandomThought. I appreciate any donation to help support this blog.

Phoenix Fan Fusion T’s, Post Card Art, Gardening: Monday Blog Post

Posted on June 10, 2019 by conniejean

Newest News:

After the show, I began showing some of the t-shirts from the Phoenix Fan Fusion. Above is one for this week.

Art. In grade school we’re always drawing. It’s expected. As we get older, if we’re not “good” at it, we stop, not wanting to be embarrassed or criticized. That’s unfortunate, as drawing is relaxing and enjoyable no matter what your level of expertise. A couple of writer friends of mine began June as Post Card Art month and I joined in. My art isn’t professional. The only art supplies in my house was a coffee mug of colored pencils and a package of postcards. But each day I take a few minutes to draw something. Anything. And no matter how strange they come out, I’ve been posting them on my Facebook page. You’re following that page, right? Anyway. Give it a try yourself. It’s ok if it’s just pencil on lined paper. Enjoy it if all you have are crayons and construction paper. Find the joy if it’s ballpoint pen on the back of your grocery receipts. It’s never too late to start having some fun with art.

It is the season for gardening. I planted my potatoes about 3 months ago, March, I guess that was. Anyway, they were ready to harvest so on June 9^th, I dug them all out. That’s the picture above. Not a huge harvest, it’s a small bed, but one that hubby and I will enjoy as long as they last. I cleaned up that bed and planted beets at one end and bush green beans at the other end. Some Swiss Chard may go into the middle. I also put in two more tomato plants, one yellow tomato and one Sungold cherry tomato. I also put in a zucchini as the chipmunks ate the last one. I’m hoping the chipmunks don’t eat the little beet sprouts.

Geraniums and the little pansy that escaped being eaten by javelina.

In the front yard I dug the daffodil bulbs out of the big flowerpot by the sidewalk and put 3 geraniums into the pot by the walk leading to the front door. That’s them, above, with my surviving pansy from the javelina attack. I’ll get three more geraniums for the other pot. I hope your gardening is able to begin and here’s to a bumper crop for you.

Giveaways:

I’m gearing up for the Summer giveaway. I see other authors signing in and getting their prizes ready. I’ll let you know when it goes live.

Where will I Be?:

Newsletter Sign Up:

Don’t forget to follow my blog, too. Different material goes in the blog as in the newsletter. You can share both, so spread the word!

Newest Book Release:

Heat! Payson Book Festival, Writing : Monday Blog Post

Posted on July 9, 2018 by conniejean

Monsoon River in my Back Yard

Newest News:

Did you see the movie Temple Grandin? Ms. Grandin is an autistic success story and known world-wide as an expert on animal behavior. I mention it because as a teen, Temple went out west from her east coast home to visit with a relative in Arizona. It being the 60’s, (I think), she deplaned onto a movable stair onto the tarmac. As she exited the plane into summer Arizona’s blazing sun she exclaimed, “It’s hot!” If you’ve ever been to Phoenix in the summer, you know what she was talking about. I loved that movie and was very excited to see a person with autism become a success. Today we were teased with rain. Dark clouds moved overhead and a shower fell from the sky for a very short time, very monsoon-like. We wait, praying the lightning doesn’t cause a forest fire before the rains come.

The Payson Book Festival is just two weeks away, July 21st, and much excitement is building. Saturday, author Chrisann Dawson was the featured author at the Payson Farmer’s Market book festival booth. Again, she reports, many people were very interested in the event and said they plan to attend. If you’re in the area, please do come to the Mazatzal Hotel and Casino and say hello to all of the authors. You can find the speakers schedules and info on all of the authors at www.PaysonBookFestival.org.

I totally spaced last Friday’s doomsday story. I apologize. I’ll have one up this coming Friday for sure.

Giveaways:

The 2018 Authors/Bloggers Spring Giveaway at https://conniesrandomthoughts.com/giveaways-and-prizes/ has ended. As soon as the admin generates the winners, I’ll let you know.

In the meantime, here’s the 2018 Authors/Bloggers Summer Giveaway. https://conniesrandomthoughts.com/giveaways-and-prizes/. There’s $80 as a Grand Prize Paypal Cash and 27 books and 27 prizes available to win.

Also, July is the Smashwords site’s Summer/Winter Giveaway. I have books ranging from free to 25% or even 75% off. I don’t usually do this so if you’re interested in some discounts, this is your month! You can find a list of all of my books at https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/conniecockrell with the discounts already marked. Enjoy!

Shout Out:

Author Chrisann Dawson

Here’s a shout out to Chrisann Dawson. Chrisann Dawson, who was raised in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, has experienced a life of travel and missionary adventure. She successfully published her first book, Congo Crisis, early September 2015. Chrisann then finished teaching another year of high school English in her small town in Arizona. She looks forward to spending more time studying, researching, and writing.

Chrisann and her husband, Gale, are currently pumping fresh vision into their national-led Congo ministry, called Rise Congo. Chrisann believes regular contact with the Congo and its incredible people will bolster her goals to write more Congo-themed stories.

You can find more about Chrisann’s book, Congo Crisis at https://www.facebook.com/CongoCrisisBook

Where Will I Be?

Check my website, https://conniesrandomthoughts.com/where-will-i-be/ for my future engagements.

My next event adventure is the Payson Book Festival. www.PaysonBookFestival.org. We’re completing the final touches and now heavily promoting the festival. It’s again at the Mazatzal Hotel and Casino ballroom. The organizer there is so wonderful to work with. At any rate, we’ll have 80 authors, entertainment, children’s story times (yep, more than one!) and of course the casino has great food in it’s restaurants. Hope to see you there.

Newsletter Sign Up:

Don’t forget to follow my blog, too. Different material goes in the blog as in the newsletter. You can share both, so spread the word!

Newest Book Release:

Tested released January 31st and 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.

Yellowstone Trip and Heat Wave: Monday Blog Post

Posted on June 19, 2017 by conniejean

Mammoth Hot Springs

Newest News:

So we went to Yellowstone National Park last week, that’s why there was no Monday blog post on the 12th. We arrived on Saturday, temps in the 50’s. Sunday we took a bus tour of the lower half of the park. Cold and rainy. Monday, hung out with my friend, JA Marlow, who works in Yellowstone, and the day was clear and sunny and hot! That is right up till 5pm when a storm blew in and it started snowing. Yep, 75 degrees to 32 degrees in about an hour and a half. Crazy.

Bison Calf Studies Us as we Drive By

We took a ton o’ pictures. I took a video of Old Faithful and a couple of other sites. Those will be on my newsletter so if you aren’t signed up for that, now’s the time. Loved the park. We had several run-ins with bison (not buffalo!), saw a coyote, a couple of antelope, elk, and magpie’s.

Along the Yellowstone River, This Fellow was watching the traffic go by.

I had watered the garden heavily the day before we left and when we returned home, the garden had done well even with the high temps. Peas are already flowering and a couple of pods are present. Beans, squashes and tomatoes are in good shape. One of the serrano pepper plants is down for the count but the other one has blossoms on it so I’m calling that a win. The potatoes and garlic are dying back. I pulled up my elephant garlic and it’s drying. The regular garlic, in a pot, has also died back. After the elephant garlic is dried, I’ll pull the regular.

For my SciFi readers, I mentioned last week that I finished the edits on Tested, the fourth book in the Brown Rain series and sent it off to the editor. I should have that back in a week. I’m still thinking about the cover. I’d like to get a picture of a college administration building for the cover. What do you think?

Giveaways:

My multi-author giveaway is called Spring into Reading: Easter Giveaway is still running until the 20th. There is a grand prize PayPal card and multiple prizes from the participating authors. There’s still time. You can find the link to the Rafflecopter on my Giveaways page.

Shout Out:

I have an interview scheduled to run on Wednesday the 21st with mystery author Colleen Mooney. Colleen was born and lived much of her live in New Orleans before a job moved her to other cities. Back now, in The Big Easy, she writes a cozy mystery series set in New Orleans. It’s called The New Orleans Go Cup Chronicles and the third book, Drive Thru Murder, was released in early April. If you can’t wait to see what Colleen is up to, check out her website at www.ColleenMooney.com.

Where Will I Be?

Check my website, https://conniesrandomthoughts.com/where-will-i-be/ for my next engagements.

I’m a late registrant to the Westercon conference held this year in Tempe, Arizona. I’m scheduled to sit on some panels and I have a reading and some signings scheduled. I don’t know yet if I’m going to get a Dealer’s table to sell books but I’ll definitely sell books at my signings. I’ve never been to this con and it’s been going on for seven decades! I hope you can make it. Check out all the fun at www.Westercon70.org.

July 22nd is the Payson Book Festival. I have to say, this festival has turned into quite a thing. Over 600 people came to it last year. The tables have already been filled with over 80 authors. You can find out who is attending at www.PaysonBookFestival.org. The event is free to visitors and starts at 9am and runs until 3:30pm. Details about the location, video from last year, and more, can be found on the site.

Newsletter Sign Up:

Click here to sign up for my newsletter. I’ve put sign-up gifts 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.

Don’t forget to follow my blog, too. Different material goes in the blog as in the newsletter. You can share both, so spread the word!

Newest Book Release:Mystery at the Book Festival released June 1st and 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.

Book Festival, Brain To Books Cycon, Gardening: Monday Blog Post

Posted on March 20, 2017 by conniejean

Newest News:

I’m finalizing the author registrations for the Payson Book Festival. That involves tracking down the authors who owe me files and getting them up on the website. We have a wonderful group of authors lined up covering every genre in fiction and non-fiction that you can think of. We’re also looking for sponsors. Putting on a festival of this size costs money and if you can support us, we’d love it. You can find an on-line fillable form on https://conniesrandomthoughts.com/sponsor-levels/.

There’s only a couple of weeks left before April’s Camp NaNo and my plotting for the next Zoe Ohale story isn’t going well. I’m just writing scene cards and it all seems trite and done before. Sigh. I’ll keep working at it. Have you read the first Zoe Ohale book, Troubled Streets? Where do you think Zoe should go next?

All the roses are trimmed and the canes disposed of. The oregano and lavender dead stems were trimmed. Compost has been restarted. I dug out the broccoli stems and planted potatoes. The apple tree I thought I’d lost last spring has a shoot coming up from the root stock. That’s pretty exciting! I’m going to let it grow and see what it is. I failed to trim the peach tree and now it’s in full bloom. I guess I’m going to have to do it now. The nectarine tree is also in bloom and between them, my rosemary is blooming. The pink and blue flowers look so nice together. The garden is looking good!

This is Dos. He’s ready to be adopted.

Annie Bamber

Outreach Programs Coordinator

(928) 474-5590 ext. 100

[email protected]

www.humanesocietycentralaz.org

Like us on Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/humanesocietycentralaz/

“Because They Matter”

Have you been reading my serial, Mystery at the Dog Park? The episode is coming up this Friday. I’m using pictures of dogs up for adoption from the Payson Humane Society to illustrate each section. Links to each section are at the top of each post so it’s easy to go back to the first episodes and catch up. Enjoy.

Giveaways:

My multi-author giveaway is called Luck O’the Readers, St. Patrick’s Day Giveaway is now over. I’ll be contacting the winners soon. In a few days I’ll have the spring giveaway up. If you missed out on the last one, the next will be your chance to win.

Shout Out:

A shout out this week to my poet friend Carena del Uno. She’s releasing a book of poetry this week, Echoes Within the Wondrous. Carena’s Amazon author page is https://www.amazon.com/Carena-del-Uno/e/B00JHZ4XH0 where you can find her other books, too.

Where Will I Be?

Check my website, https://conniesrandomthoughts.com/where-will-i-be/ for my next engagements.

In April, I’ll be part of B2BCyCon, an on-line conference that runs from April 7th to the 10th. Events are open to readers and here’s a link to my Science Fiction Author Showcase: https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/18367091-2017-connie-cockrell-science-fiction-author-showcase. On this link I’ll be talking about the whole Brown Rain series and my other books in general. I may even offer up a prize. I’ve added some content. Please feel free to comment on the posts. Are you a Goodreads user? Love to see you there. If you aren’t a Goodreads member, here’s your chance to find a ton of books, chats with other readers and even ask an author a question. Me included!

I’m also on a scifi webinar panel discussion on March 22nd at 1pm Eastern time titled The new age with Doctor Who, Star Trek, and Star Wars? Are we looking at a new audience? This webinar will be conducted early and recorded then replayed during the con so you have two chances to listen in! How cool is that! I’ll publish more info as I get it.

I have contracted for a booth at Phoenix ComiCon with some other author friends. The ComiCon is May 25 – 28th and you can find details for tickets, events, special guests, at http://phoenixcomicon.com/. I would be so excited to see you in the Exhibits Hall.

July 22nd is the Payson Book Festival. I have to say, this festival has turned into quite a thing. Over 600 people came to it last year. The tables have already been filled with authors. You can find out who is attending at www.PaysonBookFestival.org. The event is free to visitors and starts at 9am and runs until 3:30pm. Details about the location, video from last year, and more, can be found on the site.

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.

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/.

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 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.

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.

Monday Blog Post: Payson Book Festival Report

Posted on July 27, 2015 by conniejean

Main Room, Payson Book Festival, by Randy Cockrell

The first ever Payson Book Festival (www.PaysonBookFestival.org) is over and we’re calling it a success. Authors made sales and met new readers. Visitors found new authors and old favorites. There was music, presentations, workshops, Story Monster, food and books. Lots and lots of books. We are only estimating at this point but we think we had 500 visitors at the festival. We’re very happy of course, but very tired. It turned into a bigger event that we had initially anticipated but the wide variety of authors and things to do, including breakfast and lunch, made the festival a place where many people lingered for quite awhile. Soon we’ll have some festival pictures available to post on the above website. Take a look!

J.A. Marlow and Connie Cockrell talking to Readers photo by Randy Cockrell

My personal day statistics? I sold 11 books and passed out my card to many people and chatted with even more. I also had the opportunity to speak with a great many of my fellow authors. I even received an offer of a speaking engagement. I also was able to spend the day with four author friends. Two of them J.A.Marlow (http://jamarlow.com/) and Sunny Lewis shared my table and my friend D’Elen McClain (www.wickedstorytelling.com) was right next door on my right and another, Sharon Langdale, (http://sharonlangdale.com) on my left. It was a fantastic opportunity. Here’s my Amazon Author page link. http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B009O6199C

Mystery at the Fair is released on Amazon. I’m working on the formatting for Smashwords so I can put it up on Apple, Barnes and Noble, Kobo and iTunes. See the link at the end to Amazon’s Mystery at the Fair page.

Camp NaNo progresses but after I reached 30K words and with the Book Festival and the Meet and Greet looming, I just couldn’t get any words last week. So, I gave myself permission to take the rest of the week off and got out from under all of the stress I was self-creating. I felt better for it and on Sunday, sat down and wrote. Yay! I won’t make my goal of 50,000 but I may make 40K. Not half bad and Mystery in the Woods will be half done.

I also need to edit my entry in the Forward Motion anthology. I titled it Betrayal Moon. The anthology prompt was rogues and reprobates and I think I found a good protagonist for this prompt. The anthology is due out in October so I need to hurry!

The garden is looking wonderful. I’ve picked more zucchini though the straight neck yellow squash has produced nothing this year. It flowers but I’m getting no fruit. Perhaps I needed two of them? I’m in the process of not watering the bed where the mint has run amok. Letting that bed go until I can dig out all of the mint roots. Sunday I cut a bunch of it out, prepping for the digging. The tomatoes are looking good even though none are ripe yet. So far I’ve picked six hornworms out of the tomatoes. The cantaloupe is looking good though the little pillbugs like to eat it from underneath. I’ll have to take drastic measures. Also on Sunday, I picked a basketful of peaches. The apples must also be ripe because Sunday morning a herd of javalina were in the yard eating all of the low hanging apples. Hubby caught a picture of them.

Javalina eating my Apples. Photo by Randy Cockrell

Thanks for stopping by my blog today.

I have a special offer going up in my newsletter so sign up today! Click here to sign up for my newsletter. I make special offers to my newsletter people that I do not make on the website blogs.

Mystery at the Fair released July 15th! I’m pretty excited about it. You can buy it and my other books at: Apple, Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Kobo, or Smashwords today! If you’ve read any of my books, please drop a review on the site where you bought it. It’s a big help to me in the book rankings each vendor uses to promote the books on their sites. Thanks in advance.

Monday Blog Post: Memorial Day Weekend

Posted on May 25, 2015 by conniejean

Hummingbirds, Bees, Feeder, Randy Cockrell

Hummingbirds vs Bees by Randy Cockrell

So how was your Memorial Day weekend? Do anything fun? Go camping? Have the whole family over for a BBQ? My town’s Farmer’s market opened for the first time this season on Saturday. Mom and I went early, saw all the stalls, some new, many returning again. She bought a huge cinnamon bun from the local bakery and we both bought tamales from the tamale lady to eat for breakfast. I had the green pork and she had the red pork tamale. Yummy in my tummy. On Sunday, hubby, me and my mom went to the Pine Craft Fair. Randy had the Navajo Taco to eat. One of our hiking friends was a volunteer making them. So that was fun. Then we had what hubby and his brother call a Taco Feast on Sunday evening. The two brothers had fun reminiscing about taco night when they were boys.

This month’s challenge is called May Story A Day, May SAD, and I committed to write 10 stories for the month and actually shoot for 12. As of the 23rd, I have 9 stories written, most of them are flashes but there are a couple of short stories in the mix, too. In my other writing group I’m still keeping up with my 5 minutes per day writing challenge. I have missed a day or two but I’ve been diligent about putting something on the screen every day.

Last week I mentioned that I’ve upgraded my my website. I now have a basic site up and running at www.conniesrandomthoughts.com. Notice there is no more wordpress in the URL. I’ll be closing down www.conniesrandomthoughts.wordpress.com. Last week I asked you to go check up the new site and follow that before you lose out on weekly stories and my writing updates! Unfortunately, the site subscribe button was missing. I’ve spent many hours this week putting a subscribe button on there as well as social media follow and share buttons. I’m not a web site developer or a programmer but I’ve got things operational. Take a look.

My editors at Silver Jay Media helped me cut the final 600 words in my short story, Eavesdroppers, and it’s now in their capable hands for the final line and copy editing. If you’re thinking that it’s quite a process, you’re correct. At any rate, soon the story will be as good as I can make it and I’ll send it off to a contest. I’ll keep you posted on it’s progress.

The Payson Book Festival is at www.PaysonBookFestival.org. Check out the site, especially the Meet the Authors tab. Is your favorite author listed? If not, come and find a new favorite author. Mark your calendar to come to Payson for July 25th to meet us. We’d love to chat with you.

Today’s picture is of our hummingbird feeder. Somehow tiny cracks developed in the bottom of the feeder. The leaking nectar attracted the bees. It went on like this for several days and the hummingbirds were not happy. Anyway, Friday, hubby took the feeder down and repaired the cracks. No more nectar for the bees. The hummingbirds are happy. The bees got a head start on their honey making.

Thanks for stopping by my blog today.

If you’re interested, click here to sign up for my newsletter. I make special offers to my newsletter people that I do not make on the website.

Lost Rainbows released January 25th! I’m pretty excited about it. You can buy it and my other books at: Apple, Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Kobo, or Smashwords today!

Monday Blog Post: Updates for May

Posted on May 18, 2015 by conniejean

Bird, Rufous-sided Towhee, Randy Cockrell

Rufous-sided Towhee by Randy Cockrell

This month’s challenge is called May Story A Day, May SAD and I committed to write 10 stories for the month and actually shoot for 12. As of the 16th, I have 6 stories written, 5 flashes and a short story. In my other writing group I’m in a 5 minutes per day writing challenge. I’m supposed to write at least 5 minutes per day. I’m keeping up with the 5 minutes of writing per day pretty well. I have missed a day or two but I’ve been diligent about putting something on the screen every day.

Our illness appears to be over. There is still some coughing but we felt well enough to go hiking last Tuesday. Probably not our best move. We hadn’t fully recovered yet and the hike wiped us both out. We’ll be better on this Tuesday, really, we will.

Last week I mentioned that I’ve upgraded my newsletter. I’m also upgrading my website. I now have a basic site up and running at www.conniesrandomthoughts.com. Notice there is no more wordpress in the URL. I’ll be closing down www.conniesrandomthoughts.wordpress.com. Go check up the new site and follow that before you lose out on weekly stories and my writing updates!

I have finished content editing Eavesdroppers but the problem is the story ended up 600 words too long. I’ve been cutting words without cutting the changes however I still have 150 or so words to go. The editors at Silver Jay Media have offered to help me with it and I think I will. Then I’ll go to the line edits.

The Payson Book Festival is now hot and heavy into finalizing author lists and starting up the production of a print program for the event. We have so many great authors, sponsors, and vendors; we hope to get a great program that attendees will treasure for a long time to come. Want to help the book festival this year? Buy an ad! Mark your calendar to come to Payson for July 25th to meet us. We’d love to chat with you.

Today’s picture is a rufous-sided towhee sitting on top of the metal hook that holds the hummingbird feeder. A handsome bird.

Thanks for stopping by my blog today.

If you’re interested, click here to sign up for my newsletter. I make special offers to my newsletter people that I do not make on the website.

Lost Rainbows released January 25th! I’m pretty excited about it. You can buy it and my other books at: Apple, Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Kobo, or Smashwords today!

Monday Blog Post: March is Here!

Posted on March 9, 2015 by conniejean

InD’Scribe Conference

Big news, I’ve signed up to attend my first ever writer’s conference. It’s called InD’tale Con and is being held in Palm Springs, CA on September 17 – 20, 2015. I’m pretty excited. I’m catching a ride with another author from Payson and I expect we’re going to have a lot of fun. If you’re around Palm Springs at that time, stop by my signing table and say hi!

I’ve also arranged a book signing for March 21st at the Scoops Ice Cream store here in Payson. I put info out on the radio, the newspaper and put up posters all around Rim Country. If you’re in town on the 21st between 1 and 3pm, stop by to grab an ice cream and chat. You can find both of these events and the July Book Festival on the Where Will I Be? tab on this website.

I’ve managed to create a couple more chapters in my All About Bob story. Poor Bob. I’m being pretty mean to him. I’ve also begun the planning and outlining for my next Brown Rain book, not sure what I’m calling it yet. Rest Stop, has come to mind. Anyway, in this book Alyssa will be the main character though Kyra will have a lot to do as well. I’m planning to write it during April’s Camp NaNo. I still need to edit Mystery at the Fair. I’d like to release that in May, and have it ready for the summer reading season and for the July Book Festival and the September conference.

The Payson Book Festival planning is moving right along. You can see the information on www.PaysonBookFestival.org if you’d like. Kick-off pricing on author tables, half price now ends March 15th. Hurry, sign up for a table, you can share a table, too, to make your costs even less. Fill out the Author Registration and get that in to us so we can reserve you a table. They’re going fast at this great price.

I’ve sent my short story, After Math, to my content editor. I hope I’ve rewritten it enough to change the feel of it and make my main character the girl I had in my head. I’d like to get it circulating, maybe even sold.

Thanks for stopping by my blog today.

Lost Rainbows released January 25th! I’m pretty excited about it. You can buy it and my other books at: Apple, Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Kobo, or Smashwords today!

ConniesRandomThoughts

Thoughts and Activities About My Writing

Tag Archives: Payson Book Festival

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Monday Blog Post: Updates for May

Monday Blog Post: March is Here!