Music Monday to Celebrate Spring.

  Today is the second day of Spring and it should be bright, beautiful and sunny with the fragrance of new flowers in the air. The birds should be singing happily, but... instead my poor feathered friends are squawking unhappily at the 4 inches of snow that has already fallen this morning and still steadily coming down. Why yes, I did want to shovel snow this morning.  

  The  video for my newest music obsession shows what today should look like. Today should have been the perfect day to be happy, wild, young and be thrilled just to be alive and able to love.

Kang Seung Yoon - Wild & Young MV

Kang Seung Yoon- Wild & Young Live Debut with English subs

Tunes Tuesday For a Good Laugh

  I'm hitting you up on Tuesday again, because I was working yesterday and every day before that since last Tuesday straight. It doesn't hurt my feelings any to get the extra hours, but man am I bushed. So, on this precious day off before I go right back to work tomorrow I wanted to enjoy my music with a little laugh to lighten the mood.
  Growing up there was always some comedic music if you knew where to find it. As a child there was the naughty Ray Stevens who just slid over from country to mischievous like this old favorite

Ray Stevens- The Mississippi Squirrel Revival

 And the best reason to giggle as a little girl...

Ray Stevens- The Streak



  On Christmas we always had the 12 days of Christmas, either the pains or the rednecks. Where I came from the rednecks fit right in, Jeff Foxworthy was a norm with my brothers.

Bob Rivers- 12 Pains of Christmas

Jeff Foxworthy- 12 Redneck Days of Christmas

  During my teenage years my husband introduced me to Adam Sandler and his comedic music went over the line to adult content and a lot of F bombs. A.K.A. don't watch this video if you are under age, it is nasty.

Adam Sandler- Piece of Shit Car

Today a number of funny songs have been coming out of South Korea courtesy of Psy. I'm sure everyone has heard of Gangnan Style, but his newest is just too funny and slightly wrong. Either way I can't help laughing whenever I see it. Apparently girls want to know where he got that body from and he is happy to tell them, he got it from his daddy.

Psy- Daddy (featuring CL of 2NE1)

Music Monday With True Love

  It isn't very often than a song comes out that just screams 100 % pure emotion that just kicks you right in the feels. Over the last week I've heard a new song that rivals some of the best old soul songs. Being a romance writer, I couldn't pass up the opportunity to share this great love song. As a child growing up in the south I learned about love and loyalty by watching family. I've shared my maternal grandparent's love story before, but it bares repeating. My Grandpa Adrian died in 1974 and I'm sure many people figured my Grammie Lettie would remarry as she was still young and a lovely southern lady, but she never did. Their love was so deep and faithful Grammie waited for Grandpa to come back and get her in 2000 when she passed away even telling us how happy she was to go home with him to heaven. 

  That is true love. And, yes honestly my family is split in half. There are a few who can never find their one true soul mate, while the other half of us share each blessed day with ours. My soul mate I met when I was 15 years old. We were friends for 2 years then started dating when I was 17 back in 1997. Today we are still together and going strong. We've been blessed with 3 beautiful children (one being of the ferret fur baby variety). I'm so lucky and I know there would be no me without him any more.  

  So, today's song has a special place in my heart. If I was to die today I would go a happy woman.

Thomas Rhett- Die A Happy Man

Music Monday with a Remake

As a die hard fan of The Walking Dead, Sunday night is spent fighting zombies. Being the whacked out writer that I am, that also means spending the night fighting them in my dreams. Monday morning and stupid o'clock comes way to soon, making me desperate for a replay of the night without so many zombies and without me resembling the walking dead myself.



  So, how do I get myself going? A lot of French Vanilla Cappuccino and some rock music with a nice beat is the best way to start the work week. Today I'm sharing both the original and a remake of a song. Usually remakes don't go so well, but the South Korean band CN Blue does some really great remakes live once in a while. The original song by The Calling was released back in 2001 and CN Blue sung it at a live event in 2011. Here are both versions, so let me know what you think. I'm not sure which one I love best as both are fantastic.

The Calling- Wherever You Will Go

CN Blue- Wherever You Will Go

Tunes Tuesday for Those Hard Days.

  Yesterday's Music Monday only made it to the planning stage as it turned out to be a crazy day and had to be pushed to a Tunes Tuesday. Anyone who has ever worked in retail or other types of service industries, knows that there are those days (especially school holidays) where everything just goes wrong. Long lines at the register, phone ringing off the hook, kid's running all over half throwing stuff while the other half screams their heads off and of course the startling background music of something big and probably expensive breaking.

  For those days, you need some type of pick-me-up. One of my favorites is to remember even if a monsoon comes in to surprise you, you have to learn to roll with it and try to find the fun in it. For a good laugh watch this mini concert and see how they deal with their hard day.

SHINee at Hong Kong Dome Festival- July, 1st, 2013

P.S. I feel bad for them until they flop down into a puddle and hear their leader's reaction. :)

Music Monday With a New Start

    Over the last year I've been so busy with working at Michael's, craft fairs and my drama down time that I haven't updated in over a year. I had no idea it had been that long. I've went to do posts a number of times and gotten busy. So starting now, I'm going to put in more effort to keep everyone updated.

    What is happening to my zombie apocalypse book???? That is a good question. I have a few chapters written up and a number of extra scenes, but... Now here is where my inner editor pops up. I started questioning myself way to much. How could that be? Is that scientifically possible? Isn't this rushing it a bit? Why? Why? Why? I do hate myself some days. Shut up brain and just let the story flow. Safe to say, the zombie apocalypse is sitting on the side lines for now. I'm going to let it rest for a few months, then get back to it once I've stopped debating rigor mortis versus natural decomposition.

  Of course, a writer's brain never stops, so while the zombies are napping I am being haunted by this face.
                                                 

  After seeing this young actor in a drama, I started having vivid nightmares about him being a crazy stalker. Just to get it out of my head I wrote it down and now... Well by now you should know how my nightmares go. I already have a full timeline for the major events in this book, notes written all over and the first two chapters in first draft. Not a bad start at all.

   For our new start, I'd like to share a song from a drama remake that I really like. I've never shared a Thai song before, so I think it is about time. They have some great stuff that is highly underrated.

Oh Baby I - Mike D. Angelo feat. Aom Sushar- Full House 2014 OST

Merry Christmas and May Your Stocking Be Filled with Books!

So it has been a while, as I have been busy with work, life and barely any writing this year. Once the holidays are over I'm going to seriously have to give myself a kick in the butt and get back to writing.  Not writing? Then what have I been up to? We'll I've expanded myself at work, now taking on Kid's Club and Birthday parties and even hosted a art class for kids that didn't go as well as some parents lead me to believe it would. On the plus side I love my job most days and I have made a lot of friends that have come to mean the world to me and my personal life has gotten stronger and so much better than it ever has before.
  To me as most of you must know, holidays means family no matter if they are blood related or not. For Christmas or whatever holiday you celebrate, I'd like to share a scene from my most family orientated characters I have ever written. He is Josh Hardigan from my Zogone sagas. Any fan of mine knows him and loves him for one characteristic or another. His brain as he is a weapons specialist and not only a mobile suit designer but also her pilot. His sense of family as his who life revolves around stopping the murder who killed his grandmother and making sure no one else looses someone at the monster's hands. Or maybe you love Josh for his womanizing ways, that sexy charm that reels them in and keeps them coming back for more. Then again, you might simply love him for how quick and hard he falls for the damsel in distress who freezes him into a block of ice on sight.

Prologue

  It was funny how one event could lead to another, and then another until a person's life completely revolved around that one moment. That was what Josh's life was like.

  It had all started over five hundred years before when a young woman named Colleen Hardigan was brutally murdered by a monster known as the Puritan Vampire. Before she died, her body was recovered by an alien race called the Zogones. Colleen's husband was one of the Zogone's rookie scientists, Dr. Brianth Hardigan.

  The head of the science team realized Colleen was pregnant and managed to remove the fetus before her death, though Brian never knew the child had survived. After death, Colleen received the last rites that would help her be reincarnated and her husband Brian was cryogenically frozen until the day the Zogone's main computers could locate Colleen's life signs after her rebirth.

  And that is where Josh comes in. Colleen's son Borus not only survived but also thrived. He grew up, married, and became a successful scientist in his own long life, with a large family of kids and grandkids. Josh was one of Borus' great-great-grandchildren.

  After five hundred years of their family waiting, Josh and his younger sister Ginger made sure they were positioned in the military to take the mission if Colleen was reincarnated in their time. The moment her life signs were picked up, Ginger had been contacted and Brian was recovered from the Cryo-freeze. Then along with Josh, they had found her on Earth reborn as a teenager named Arlene Garnet.

  Over time, her memories of her past life were recovered and her killer, who was again chasing her, was killed. Or at least that was what they thought. Four years went by and their lives took another unexpected turn.

  Just five months before Ginger had been sent on another mission to recover a kidnapped victim, the son of an important Galactic Security Colonel. The boy, Leap Qualtose, was taken by the Zogone's enemy, the Baygers, to their home planet.

  Ginger didn't go alone, but was ordered to take along Captain Samuel Paddington. Sam was a friend they had made on Earth, whom Josh had found following the Puritan Vampire. His mother had been another victim of the monster. The Puritan Vampire had beaten her, raped her, and then left her with a blood viral infection, which had later killed her. However, not before she had given birth to a half-human, half-vampire child, Sam himself.

  During the rescue mission Ginger and Sam were caught and their transmitter equipment destroyed. In order to recover them, the battleship Replacer had resorted to scanning for their D.N.A. signs, which had led Josh to where he was now.

Find the book here

Don't miss the whole Zogone Saga. Old Dreams, Past Regrets, Ancient Enemies and New Beginnings. I hope you all have safe, fun and fantastic holidays. Merry Christmas from my family to yours.

Music Monday So Baby Let's Go

  Music wise, I tend to be all over the map literally. I listen to bands from almost every country out there.  I've come across a singer who has collaborated with a number of people named Flowsix.  Just for starts he was involved with making JYJ's first English album The Beginning, then he also worked with both Kim Junsu and Kim Jaejoong on their solo albums.  So I was seriously thinking of checking out his band just to see how they sounded.

  Of course, being a writer I got sidetracked by other things and forgot until just recently. Other than writing, I'm sure everyone knows my second greatest passion tied with music of course is Asian Dramas. Well last week during a commercial break in one of my dramas was a Toyota commercial featuring Flowsix's band Aziatix ( A Z addicts) and I was completely floored. His band was nothing like I imagined. They were great, fun, happy bouncy music that even sick had me up dancing around the room.

  The song they wrote to collaborate with Toyota is fantastic. Here is the full video.

Baby Let's Go By: Aziatix

  Going through their page on Youtube, I listened to a bunch of their songs. Some were great. Honestly a few were a bit to hip hop for me. But others were fantastic like the link below, which is a song I instantly fell in love with. (SIGH) Yes, it has been downloaded and is now on my mp3 player on repeat. It is that good.

Slippin' Away By: Aziatix

  Do you love it too? What do you think of Aziatix?

Music Monday with a New Release

  This song just came out last week and being a fan of the band JYJ, I had to share. Last year member Jaejoong Kim came out with a solo mini album.

  This year he came out with his first full length solo album and this is the first video from the new CD. Usually JYJ does R&B/ Dance/ Pop sort of stuff. But, Jaejoong has a style all his own. For him it had to be a rock album and he did a great job. I'm already addicted to this song. Give it a listen and tell me what you think.

Just Another Girl By: Kim Jaejoong

Thoughtful Thursday With Thrills and Chills

 Happy Halloween everyone. So, I managed to get the automail arm put together enough for my son to wear to school today for the anime club, but it isn't finished by any means. The elbow had to be left at home, because it did fit under the upper arm guard. The underarm, side of chest area hasn't managed to be attached yet. His black shirt was to big and had to be cut down, so now I have to go in and cut the under arms to fit him properly. And I still have not managed to find a cape. (I've been to bust to look honestly.) But, the cape/ jacket can wait.

  So, how is everyone's Halloween going or how did it go? Anyone else working on a costume for their kids? Did you dress up? Have a party? Or just stay home and watch creepy horror movies? Last week was my sister's birthday, but today is like her Christmas. Halloween is her favorite time of year. She dresses up, some times has a party, but always decorates like a mad lady. She loves Halloween so much that she had this years costume picked out the day after last Halloween. :) Do you have any family members who live for the spookiest time of the year?

  One of my favorite parts of Halloween, other than seeing all the cute tiny Trick or Treaters, is hearing the Monster Mash. I just love the song. I always have. It makes me smile, so I thought I would share it today. The video from 1973 just makes you want to laugh and roll your eyes at the old timey horror movie effects in it that a fan made. Too funny!

  Happy Halloween everyone and stay safe!

Monster Mash By: Bobby Pickett

Music Monday in One of Those Days

   Between work stuff and life in general, I'm just moody today. And might I say some days technology is a huge pain in the can. So, I came across a song a few weeks ago and it isn't really my kind of thing, but it kind of fits today. I'm not feeling sexy or naughty, but bitchy for sure.  What do you think of my new find? A bit odd or just wrong? It is catchy for sure. And hopefully it will pull me out of my nasty mood.

Sexy Naughty Bitchy Me By: Tata Young

  So my automail cosplay arm for my son is deep in progress now. We have almost all of the patterns cut out and most of those have a first or second coat of paint. I've come up with some great ideas on how to put it together. I have his shirt, (which has to be modified still), I found pants, a belt and boots. Now we just need to find a red long jacket or cape. And seriously do no normal stores have Little Red Riding Hood costumes any more? I haven't found one this year. Maybe later I can find something in a party store or if all else fails I'll have to hit Ebay, before this year's Comic Con.

  I was hoping to have it all done by Thursday so he could wear it for anime club if nothing else. He will just have to go sans jacket. Any ideas where I could find a plain red jacket or cape like the picture below that I could paint the stencil on dirt cheap? I'm serious not getting a pre-made one. The cheapest one I found was $60 and that is nuts. If all else fails I can order fabric and sew it myself.

Music Monday in My Own Prison.

  Today is a special Monday. Its my older sister's birthday and she is spending the day in her favorite prison locked up at home with the two greatest loves of her life her daughters Jessie and Rory.  So I figured I'd use a rocking song for her today to give her some peep and get her nodding along, hopefully loud enough to drown out the loud sibling rivalry happening in her background. This is a throw back song to when her first born was just a tiny girl. I've always liked this song, but never remember seeing the video of it until today and thought I would share it. Enjoy and back to work.

My Own Prison By: Creed

Happy Birthday Babs!

Hump Day Hunks Who Pull You Back Again.

  I've finally started to get back into the grove of things. I've been working at an arts and crafts store a few days a week, then spending the rest of the week trying to keep the normal house stuff going too. My son has also started taking Wilton Cake Decorating classes. So we spend a lot of time running back and forth, baking cakes and at the same time working on his cosplay costume for anime club at school.

  But, I couldn't stay away from my writing for long. The aliens from my YA W.I.P. won't let me forget I left them hanging mid book. And once again a cousin is butting in to say they need a story too.  Got's to love the aliens. In my YA book I've went back and reread everything I've written so far and edited it a bit, so I can get my footing again to continue writing it. But, the hero Lee's cousin Kale is asking for attention too, so now I have written up an outline for a second book, which could lead to another series for me. Only time will tell.

  I also have a new project I'm working on. Most of you probably already know, but I'm a huge Asian Drama fan. A friend of mine has a site just for Asian culture, dramas, movies, music, celeb info. She has asked me to write some reviews for her, so I'll be sharing links for that as time goes by. For those who are interested in dramas or would like to learn a bit about Asia, specifically Korea you can check out her site.

Drama Bucks

  If anyone would like to see what my son has created in the Wilton Cake Decorating classes, just let me know and I'd be happy to share pictures that I take after each class.

Music Monday With a Halo

  I seem to have become obsessed with this song lately. I saw a fan video for one of the Korean singers I like and thought it was sweet. Being a romance writer I'm a sucker for the 'L' word. Not to mention, I've been in the mood to listen to soft sad songs lately for some odd reason.

  Halo By: Beyonce

  How are all my readers doing? Getting excited for Halloween yet? In the store I work in we have a ton of Halloween decorations that have came through lately.  So, I'm excited for Halloween, but don't know what to do with myself this year. My son has gotten to big for Trick or Treating. He has now upgraded to going to Anime conventions and Comic Cons.  So, our challenge and only real Halloween excitement this year will to be to make a costume for the anime character Edward Elric from the anime Fullmetal Alchemist. The challenge will be to make his auto mail arm look real without setting off any metal detectors.

What does everyone else have planned for Halloween this year? Any challenges of your own?

Music Monday With a Big Sorry Sorry!

I just realized it was back in July the last time I managed to post. No, I'm not being lazy or ignoring my readers, I've just been busy up to my eyeballs. After 2 years trying to find a day job, I finally hit pay dirt. Over the Summer a Michael's Arts & Crafts Store opened in the next town.

  I was lucky enough to get a call back and was hired. In July we went in and built the store from the ground up and it was a learning experience.  Now the store is finally open and my hours should get to be more normal. After 2 months I also manged to get back to writing the other day too. :)

  So, for the long wait... A very special song to apologize and kick me back into gear with a laugh. I'm not a huge fan of this band, but I do like a few of their songs and I can't help laughing at them every time I see this video.


Sorry Sorry By: Super Junior

Have a great week. Find time for a good read and wish me luck as I jump back into writing up the apocalypse!

#MusicMonday Worth Standing For

To be honest most music now a days is either sex, hating or just full on partying. Not to many bands stand for anything any more. I try to find the ones that do and share them. But, sometimes it is easier to go back in time to find someone who really cared and wasn't afraid to say so.

This week for Music Monday we go back to the year 1995 when so many bands I listened to had no problem stepping up and telling it like it is. Here is a song that fits right in and seemed to stick in my head for weeks at a time.

Carnival By: Natalie Merchant

What band sticks in your mind and really gets you thinking?

#MusicMonday for One of My Favorite Characters

Today's Music Monday goes out to one of my favorite fictional characters of all time, a kick ass heroine who makes the phrase girl power sound like a game for girl scouts. A teen age PI who doesn't take crap from anyone, whose middle name should be justice, a girl who looks out for the underdog and makes you just love her spunky attitude. Who is she? The main character of an old show called Veronica Mars and guess what? She is coming back. With the help from the show's many fans, the producer and actors have raised the money to make a Veronica Mars movie and I can't wait to catch it in 2014.

  Any of my readers also Veronica Mars fans? If not you should serious catch a rerun or two. Kristen Bell as Veronica Mars kicks some serious butt and one of the all time best role models for women. So for Kristen for helping raising the money for the movie and her character Veronica, here is the theme song for the show. Its a song I keep on my MP3 player that always makes me think of the show.

We Used to Be Friends By: The Dandy Warhols

  And if you are interested in the Veronica Mars movie, here is the teaser that just appeared over the wekend at the San Diego Comic-Con.

First look: Veronica Mars movie

Thoughtful Thursday with an Odd Re-Visit

I'd like to welcome back fellow writer Diantha Jones. Her tour stopped off here during her tour for Book 2 of her Oracle of Delphi series. Now Book 3, Prophecy of Solstice's End is out and she is stopping back on tour again to share this newest work with us with a guest blog and some great info on how to grab your copy. Not to mention a fantastic giveaway.

Now on to her guest post!

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Outlines: So Annoying, Irritatingly Helpful By: Diantha Jones

So for the first two Oracle of Delphi books, Prophecy of the Most Beautiful and Prophecy of the Setting Sunrise, I didn't outline anything. I just wrote what came to my mind and it was easy to keep it all in order. Then came book three, Prophecy of Solstice's End, and I couldn't keep a single plot line straight. I don't know what happened, but I was all over the place.

My editor (Mia) suggested I do an outline. At first, I was like NOPE. I hated outlines. They were annoying and too much work. But as my deadline drew closer, I knew I needed to do something or risk ending up with a very screwed up book. So I buckled down and did the stupid outline.

Best decision I ever made.

First thing I did was outline what I had already written, then I added what I knew I wanted to happen. The truly annoying part came when I started rearranging my outline. But I had to go along with the flow of the emerging story, you know? Not every chapter I outlined made it into the book. Once I realized the book was stronger without a certain chapter or POV, I eliminated it. The outline definitely helped me to look ahead and see what would work for me and what wouldn't. With so many story lines, narrators and points of view to keep straight, the outline was invaluable. Honestly, if I hadn't done one, I would've been so screwed.

I've already begun outlining the fourth book, Prophecy of the Betrayed Heir, and I see a great story being laid out in front of me. A lot of work too, but it's all worth it. I now recommend outlines to all authors as I will most definitely outline every book I write from here on out.

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Here is the code for the giveaways. There are two and they both start Monday, July 15th and end the third week in August.

Oracle of Delphi Giveaway

Prizes are listed

a Rafflecopter giveaway


Prophecy of the Author's Genius Contest
Solve the prophecy, win a $25 Amazon Giftcard (must guess the classic book title and author)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Description of Prophecy of Solstice's End- Courtesy of Barnes and Nobel-

Overview

Summer Solstice is here. Let the games begin.

Nothing but lies (some of them her own) and deceit have brought Chloe to Olympus for the Solstice Olympic Games. As the Oracle and the special guest of the King of Myth, Chloe becomes immersed in a life of unfathomable luxury, taunting history, and overwhelming excitement. Though scheming and untrustworthy, the gods remain on their best behavior as the tension and anticipation builds around the outcome of the Quest of the Twelve Labors, the deadliest competition of the Games. All seems well on the celestial front...until athletes start turning up dead and a philosopher missing for months returns with a most terrifying story...

But that’s not all.

As Strafford confronts his troubled past and more is learned about the Great Unknown Prophecy, Chloe grows close to another, setting off a chain of events that will bring her face-to-face with a truth that will rock both of her worlds to their core.

And it’ll all happen before Solstice’s end...

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To grab your copy of Prophecy of Solstice's End, check out these great links.

Barnes and Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/prophecy-of-solstices-end-diantha-jones/1116050182?ean=2940148440819

Amazon: http://amzn.com/B00DXO6IZ6

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I hope you all grab a copy and get to experience the work of one fantastic writer and wonderful person. Thanks for stopping by Dinatha and I hope the rest of the tour is fantastic for you.

#MusicMonday From Russia With Love

  I couldn't help, but use the James Bond reference. It just naturally came out as I typed. This week I thought I would share a song for my Russian readers. Doing some research I came across the Russian band Dima Bilan, who I am told is really popular there in Russian. With a lovely voice and an instant spark of attraction we see a scene unfold of a silly, happy stroll.

I wasn't able to find a translation for the name of this song. Any of my Russian readers want to comment and tell us what, 'Nevozmozhnoe Vozmozhno' means? And is this a popular band or would you suggest someone else?

For everyone else, watch the video and tell us what do you think of this popular Russian band? I really like the feel of this song. The flirting is too cute and what a naughty boy is that one!


Nevomozhnoe Vozmozhno By: Duma Bilan

Snippet Sunday- A Nasty Confirmation Or...?

When a girl meets the man of her dreams she smiles unconscionably, thinks of him randomly and dreams of him from time to time. But, what happens if he wants someone else, even in your own dreams? This weeks snippet is a piece of a scene from my favorite of all my books, Zogone book #1- Old Dreams. What does Arlene get after meeting Brian? Memories? More questions? Confusion? Maybe even a little self awareness she never would have imagined.

    From Old Dreams-


  Her knees grew weak as he pulled her closer, wrapping his arms firmly around her until their bodies touched from their chests down to their knees.

  His lips continued to brush tantalizingly over hers as he spoke. “I’m so glad you chose to stay with me. I love you Colleen.”

  Arlene pulled back sharply, placing a hand firmly on his chest as she looked up at him in confusion. “I’m Arlene, remember? Whose Colleen, Brian?” She grabbed his arm and softly shook him. “Whose Colleen?”

  Brian pulled her back into his arms with a sweet smile and whispered, “My wife."

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Want to read the full excerpt or grab a copy of the beginning of the Zogone Saga for yourself. Go - HERE!