CAT AND THE DREAMER

I am so excited to mention that one of my great blogger friends Annalisa Crawford has a book out called Cat and The Dreamer.

What is it about?

As a teenager, Julia survived a suicide pact, while her best friend Rachel died. Julia’s only escape from her guilt, and her mother’s over-protection, is her imagination. When Adam arrives in the office, Julia’s world takes a startling turn as she realises reality can be much more fun than fantasy. Finally she has someone who can help her make the most of her life. But can she allow herself to be truly happy?

Does that not sound exciting? I am getting goose pimples by just reading this book blurb. It is definitely a great read and I can’t wait to buy my copy, honestly.

You can purchase your copy of Cat and the Dreamer from the following sources:

Vagabondage Press (inc. PDF version)

Kindle UK

Kindle US

Nook

Smashwords

WH Smith/Kobo

More about Annalisa Crawford

Annalisa Crawford lives and writes in Cornwall, with a good supply of beaches and moorland to keep her inspired. After winning several competitions with her short stories, she’s made a move into longer length work. She finds endless possibilities in the relationships between people.

Ways that you can get in touch with Annalisa Crawford:

Her Blog, Facebook, Goodreads and Twitter. 

If you haven’t already, please stop by Annalisa’s blog or check out Cat and the Dreamer.

GOOD START AND THE TASTE OF FEAR

The year is starting full swing and there is already an improvement in the employment front, as I have been asked to go back to work at my old job, at the cellar, as a data capturer/harvest help. It is just for a few months, while the harvest takes place, but at least I will be getting an income again. Yay! I will be starting on Monday.

For now I am working on a new story that is something completely different. It is an end of the world type of  book, but I am not sure how everything is going to work out yet, as I am still working out the kinks.

Author and blogger Jeremy Bates has a new book out called The Taste of Fear, which is just awesome. If you guys want to check it out. You can also visit him here or purchase his book here.

Book Blurb
American movie star Scarlett Cox and her husband, hotel tycoon Salvador Brazza, head to Africa to get away and resuscitate their ailing marriage. When robbed of their money and passports, they seek help from the U.S. Embassy in Dar es Salaam—on the very day Al Qaeda chooses to bomb it. In an eyeblink they’re taken hostage and whisked across the border deep into the Congo,one of the last truly wild places left on earth.

Battling terrorists, deadly wildlife and cannibalistic rebels, Scarlett and Sal must find a way to survive in a violent, primeval world. And the only person who may be able to save them is the assassin sent to kill them.

If any of you would like me to feature your book or blogfest on my blog,  you can contact me at mureesdup(at)yahoo(dot)com. I would love to help.

IWSG IN THE NEW YEAR

It is a new year with all new challenges. I am definitely taking advantage of that and leaving 2012 in the dust where it belongs. It had been a bad year career wise as well as writing and blogging wise for me. But, I feel more positive and excited for this year and I hope that good things will happen. Though, 2012 was not all bad, I got to make a lot more blogging friends and I signed with an agent.

This year I am going to try very hard to let my writing insecurities fly and just write, whether at that moment I think it is utter garbage or not, because I am sure there will be at least a few lines that I can salvage for another project if need be.

So, to all my fellow bloggers, writer and readers, lets make 2013 a great year that is worth remembering. No holding back.

If you would like to join the rest of us at the Insecure Writer’s Support Group, you are welcome to do so by signing up below, or you can stop by Alex’s blog. Hope to see you there.

The Insecure Writers Support Group was created by the wonderful and talented author and blogger, Alex J. Cavanaugh. You guys can visit Alex over at http://alexjcavanaugh.blogspot.com.

UNTIL NEXT YEAR

I will not be blogging for the rest of this year and will only return next year, unless the world ends on 21 December 2012. However, I will still be visiting your blogs and leaving comments.

I know it is a little early, but I think it is time that I wish all of you a Merry Christmas and a very prosperous New Year and that all your unanswered wishes may come true in 2013.

For those of you that are travelling during the festive time, please be safe and take care of yourselves. For those of you that will be staying home, may you and your family spend lots of quality time together and I hope that your time together will be really special too.

Until next year, take care and lots of love from my side.

JUST ANOTHER DAY

I finished my latest temporary job today and I am rather smiling about it. I am now free to enjoy the rest of December, as I promised my family that I will start actively job seeking next year, as most businesses are closing for Christmas.

On a creative note, I feel a little weird. I have not had the urge to write much the past week or so, instead I have preferred editing. My creative juices are just not flowing in the writing department. I am also very happy just reading a few of the books that I have had on my bookshelf for a while now and have just not read until now. I can't explain it really, I am just feeling a little blah. I guess I am just waiting for 2013 to come.

CATCHING UP

I have recently agreed to go back to my previous place of employment (before freelancing) to help out a friend for the next two weeks, which means that I will have some money for the festive season, which is a great thing. I have managed to edit a bit after work each day, which I am thankful for.

My sister took us (the family) to the showing of Skyfall. Now what makes this so great is that it was for a specific showing and we were given the V.I.P treatment and we got a free drink and popcorn. I know it might not sound like much, but it is not everyday that we get treated so great.

So what have you guys been up to?

QUINN'S COOKIE EXCHANGE

The wonderfully talented Angela Felsted over at (www.angelafelsted.com) is releasing her first novel called Chaste very soon and to celebrate this awesome achievement, I will be posting one of my cookie recipes, as the leading character Quinn just so happens to be a good cook.

Recipe for my mom’s awesome Coconut Cookies

 500 g Self-Raising flour

250 g Butter

5 ml Salt

5 ml Vanilla Essence

1 Cup of Sugar

1 Cup of Coconut

2 Eggs

Mix the softened butter and sugar until creamy. Then add the eggs, vanilla extract and salt. Combine well and then add the dry ingredients. Take a teaspoon and drop the batter unto the baking sheet, as this dough is not the rolling out kind. Then bake the cookies in a 180°C oven for 10-15 minutes, or until the bottom of the cookies are golden brown.

Tip: If you don’t have self-raising flour, you can use normal flour and just at 10 ml bicarbonate of soda to the egg mixture.

So, for the curious minds that are wondering what Chaste is about, here you go…

When he steps into his physics class on the first day of senior year, Quinn Walker is too exhausted from staying up all night with his three-month-old nephew to deal with moral dilemmas. As a devout Mormon who has vowed to wait until marriage for sex, the last thing he needs is a very hot and very sexy Katarina Jackson as his physics partner. Regrettably, he has no choice.

Kat feels invisible in her mansion of a home six months after losing her older brother in a fatal car crash and will do anything to get her parents’ attention. Since her pastor father has no love for Quinn’s “fake” religion and her ex-boyfriend refuses to leave her alone, she makes an impulsive bet with her friends to seduce her holier-than-thou lab partner by Christmas.

You can also check out the awesome book trailer for Chaste here.

If you wish to purchase a copy of Chaste, then simply click on one of the links, Barnes & Noble and Amazon.