A Crow Who Became a Fictional Character – Guest Post…

Chris The Story Reading Ape's avatarChris The Story Reading Ape's Blog

bird-silhouette-png-silhouette-of-robin-png-pigeon-silhouette-png-crow-a4rhb9-clipartImage Curtesy of Clipart Kid

As a writer, I have often been asked whether my characters are inspired by real-life people. My answer is generally negative. Of course, I use my world knowledge and personal experience when I write a book, and this includes observations of other people’s behaviors, reactions and opinions. I may even literally quote some non-standard phrases that people around me (particularly my husband) love to use. But I have never tried to describe a real, familiar, individual in a novel. With one exception.

This exception is not a human being, however. It is a bird. Specifically, a crow.

One of my first fantasy novels is about a woman who has a special talent of speaking to animals. Not speaking in the most literal sense of the word; rather, she understands them, takes care of them, teaches them – and they love her and cooperate with her…

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Even Heroes Enjoy Black Friday

Walking Dead Meme

Walking Dead Meme

Luke Callindor–  Zombies!  I’ll take the ones on the right.  Oddly fast and aggressive for undead though.

Timoran Wrath– I do not think they are zombies.  They do not smell like corpses and are more interested in the objects around them than eating.

Sari–  I think this is that Black Friday thing we’ve heard about.

Luke–  When did we hear about that?

Delvin Cunningham–  It’s been on all of those TV shows that the author has been watching when he isn’t writing.  Guess he’s still nervous about finishing the last first draft of Legends of Windemere that he’ll ever write.

Nyx– Does anyone hear crying?

Sari–  No . . . Where did all of that stuff come from, Nyxie?

Nyx–  Why should those mobs of people have all of the fun?  Besides, there’s this Internet thing that has stuff now and on something called Cyber-Monday.

Fizzle–  Nyx bought Fizzle apples.  Fizzle like this holiday.

Timoran–  I do not see what the point of having so many machines is.  These are called video games systems and it looks like you have ten of each kind.

Sari–  You guys have to see how many dresses, shoes, and types of lingerie are in this closet.  Come to think of it, I don’t remember there being a closet here before.

Delvin–  We don’t even have a TV to watch all these shows, movies, and . . . I have no idea what these disks are for.

Trinity–  Who covered my room’s walls in televisions!?  Not to mention my heirloom chandelier has been replaced by a film projector.  I don’t even have the remotes for any of this stuff.

Luke–  There’s seven grand pianos over here!

Sari– None of us even know how to drive a car!

Lloyd–  I’ll take that . . . Well . . . c-ya!

Timoran–  None of this makes sense. The author has no idea about this, so where did it all come from?

Nyx–  They had sales.  I had a lot of gold and gems.  Apparently, that’s all I needed.

Delvin–  We’re really going to have to talk about budgeting.

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Now Available for Pre Order

Unknown's avatarDon Massenzio

I’m proud to announce that my new book, Frank Immersed, is now available for pre-order on Amazon.com. This book follows the further adventures of Frank Rozzani, ex cop turned private detective, as he and his partner Clifford “Jonesy” Jones go undercover to find out why young girls are disappearing from luxury cruise ships.

Creating this book was a new experience. I worked with a very talented new author, Kent Arceneaux. Kent is a renaissance man who is a first responder, artist, singer, father, entrepreneur and now author. He has a wonderful talent for writing action and creating engaging characters. It was a pleasure to collaborate with him on this book and help launch what could be a promising career as an author. I’ll be sharing more about Kent in the coming days.

Please help me spread the word about this new book. I’m very excited about it and think it…

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Smorgasbord Christmas Reading – The Gift: Betrayal (The Gift Legacy) by JP McLean

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Black Friday Book Sale!

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The Spirit Well Needs Your Help!

Bill Murray from Stripes (BTW- There is no meeting.)

Bill Murray from Stripes (BTW- There is no meeting.)

This is really nothing more than a call for volunteers.  I only have 4 right now and it seems weekends aren’t going to net me much.  I know Thanksgiving isn’t much better, but I plan on making this a sticky until the weekend.  That means Friday’s post will be down a bit and I promise it’s entertaining.  Somebody got their hands on a credit card and found out about Black Friday.  It’s a character who you really don’t want to fight over the last big screen TV.

So, let me know if you’re willing to help promote Legends of Windemere: The Spirit Well when it’s released middle of next month.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

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The Healthiest Sedative before Bed: Reading – Guest Post…

Chris The Story Reading Ape's avatarChris The Story Reading Ape's Blog

Reading books is a wonderful hobby that introduces you to so many new things, places, cultures and ideas. It takes you to a whole new world and into the lives of different people in present, history and fiction. What’s more, it has amazing benefits such as improved memory, empathy and analytical skills, stress reduction and increased ability to concentrate and focus.

Reading books not only takes you to a different world, but also takes you to dreamland. Passionate readers can surely relate to this. When your long awaited book reaches the stalls, you grab a copy home after work to begin your new reading adventure and the next thing you know: its morning and you slept while reading! Reading before bed has a healthy impact on your sleep; which is why most people treat reading books as a sedative and have incorporated reading as part of their bedtime routine.

It…

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Preparing a Fantasy Thanksgiving Dinner

Kevin Hart

Kevin Hart

Celebrating Thanksgiving in a fantasy world?  Follow these steps for the perfect meal that promises to be delicious, affordable, and minimal on casualties.

  1. Stock up on healing potions.  These can help with the prep work, family fights, bandit raids, food poisoning, and zombie turkeys.
  2. Hunt down your own turkey to save money for the other dishes.  They’re fairly plentiful in certain regions, so some traveling might be needed.  It is not recommended to use magic or anything else that obliterates the animal.
  3. Apologize to the griffin you mistook for a turkey and run.
  4. Find wild yams for mashing.  Earn extra money by doing this in public and claiming to be a stand-up comedian.  Due to copyright issues, always refuse to add a watermelon to your act.
  5. Buy green beans to steam.  What could go wrong?
  6. Finish wrapping scalded hand.
  7. Make bacon and eat most of it.  Give last two pieces to the dog and claim he ate it all while your back is turned.
  8. Remove angry dog that understands English from your backside.
  9. Start cooking turkey.
  10. Remove turkey from oven to pluck feathers and prepare for cooking.
  11. Return to oven.
  12. Make an apple pie, pumpkin pie, chocolate pie, brownies, cookies, pudding, and a twenty tier cake.  Put all of this in the enchanted safe that is guarded by a dragon that only recognizes you as its master.  Nobody is going to get at the most important part of the meal.
  13. Pick brussels sprouts and immediately throw out since you now remember that nobody in the family likes them.
  14. Slice pickles using the technique handed down the generations of your family.
  15. Make a small salad for the one family member who refuses to eat meat.  Slip in one bacon crumble and laugh manically.
  16. Put out the fire on the turkey.
  17. Get the bread and herbs for stuffing.  Scratch head when you realize that you never remember how to do this.
  18. Open jar of endless cranberry sauce and add whiskey . . . to yourself because this is hard work.
  19. Threaten to burn down the house if somebody doesn’t tell you where the damn gravy boat is.
  20. Apologize to firefighters and promise that this is the last Thanksgiving that they have to show up at 3:25 PM on the dot.
  21. Welcome all of your family from where you are setting the table.
  22. Throw out destroyed turkey and go hunting for a new one that you cook with a fire spell on sight.
  23. Apologize to griffin even though you roasted it perfectly.  Nobody ever seems to notice the taste anyway.
  24. Carve the ‘turkey’ and makes sure everyone is happy before you even consider sitting down to eat.
  25. Clear table with a wind spell and hurry to get the desserts.
  26. Kill dragon for eating the apple pie, pumpkin pie, chocolate pie, brownies, cookies, pudding, and a twenty tier cake.
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Sally’s Cafe & Bookstore Christmas Update – New covers and reviews

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Teaser Tuesday: Stealing a Winged Ride

Enjoy some action from the future release, Legends of Windemere: The Spirit Well!  If you’re wondering what a Peryton is (only mentioned in this excerpt but around more in the full chapter), they’re winged stags.

Log Horizon

Log Horizon

Continue reading

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