Editing and Editors.................

Disclaimer *** This article is not about bashing Editors!! It is in general a warning in regards to freelance editors who prey on new authors as you will read in the next paragraph.....



Is it necessary for an Indie Author to hire an Editor? The answer is no. In fact I have books that come across my desk that have been professionally (supposedly) edited for a huge sum of money that have clearly NOT been edited in the slightest.

I am not saying that there are not stellar Editors out there (there really are!), but if you are going to go this route make sure you are getting what you pay for. Here's a piece of information for you, a publishing house, if your manuscript is accepted, will have their own editors going over the same manuscript you just paid to have edited. So you spent money for nothing.

If you intend on staying on the Indie route, then by all means keep your editor, but keep them on their toes, and avoid being ripped off. Do your work, and go over the manuscript with a fine tooth comb after the editor has done his/her own work on it, if you find even one single error, call them out on it. Demand that they make it right and refund part of the money, they obviously didn't do the job they were hired for now did they? You wouldn't pay a plumber to put in half of your plumbing and say it's usable would you? Hell NO.

Don't be afraid to be demanding in your work and what you are paying for. They should also be looking for a publisher for the manuscript, if they are not then chances are, you are being over charged. In most large Publishing companies, it is the editor's job to say "hey this is great stuff! I think you should take it on".

Also you can cut cost by buying your own editing software, there are tons of them out there! Yes some are expensive, but think of it this way, would you rather pay $500-600 one time or each time you have a new book coming out? Personally a one time fee sounds much better than the latter. Another question you should be asking is, did I get my money back in sales? Did anyone else, review and remark that there were mistakes in my work? If so , You need to have a word with your editor and have them make it right.

There are those out there that will prey on an inexperienced writer, so beware of what you are buying, shop around before you get into something you may regret later.

Stay cheeky and be on your toes!

Announcement!! New Literary Agent

I posted a day ago , I had some big news to come.... here it is!!

I am opening my doors as a Literary Agent!! I am in the first steps of the process, and I am currently taking submissions and queries.....Please use the contact form on this blog for express interest and I will get back to you within a few days time...


Feel free to ask questions at anytime.... my doors are open, and I hope to open some doors to you as well.

For Publishers, contact me on who I already have signed... I may have something you MUST have.

40 FREE Copies...

If you just read my latest post (and I know how many of you have I have stats on my blog), then you know that I have a book out there.... what you do not know is this: I gave out more than 40 free copies!!! What else you do not know is; not one of those freebies gained me a review or a rating. WHY???!!!

There are 2 possible reasons: 1. They didn't like the book, OK! Fine, but they could at least say so
                                                2. People, want something for nothing... this is true and it is not just in the book world. It is in every aspect of life. Why are we as people so greedy? Do we just not give two craps about what it took for a person to create something from nothing? Apparently so.

I personally do give reviews and ratings. I don't hype up a book because I want something in return. I give a review because it is the polite thing to do. I know a lot of people LOVED the book, how do I know this? There are programs that show people promoting my work! But yet, there are still no ratings or reviews. While I appreciate the the promotions, what an Author really needs to make a splash is those very simple, ratings or a small review of why, you liked, loved, or even hated that book you got for free.

Another thing that irks me to no end,(and I know I am not alone in this, I have friends in this business, yes I know that sounds weird... LOL I have friends!) Some of us take time away from our day, our work, our whatever to push another persons work..... but not one of those people do the favor in return!! Seriously, what the heck is up with that??!!!

The biggest thing you can do for an author is give them a review or rating and tell someone else about their book. There is absolutely NO reason not to share your thoughts or opinions on something you got for free, or bought. what are you afraid of? It was the Author who put themselves out there, not you.

So I will leave it at this... LEAVE A RATING, OR REVIEW!  (Rant over and yes I am being very Cheeky this morning as the Rooster Crows!)

The Immortal Design

I write a lot about other Authors and their works, I review them and occasionally give out an interview.... I love this.

What I have not talked about is my own books. That's right, I am an AUTHOR as well (if you didn't already know that where have you been?).

My last book I wrote I consider my best by far, ( I won't go on about how many free copies I have given away, and the fact that I gave out those copies on good faith that I would get at least a handful of reviews or ratings) The book is called THE IMMORTAL DESIGN. It is a paranormal romance (of sorts) in the Young Adult genre.... Here is the link to the book where you can purchase it....http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00WBRO0O2?*Version*=1&*entries*=0

THE IMMORTAL DESIGN

Johnathan Stokes is the Great-Great-Great Grandson of Bram Stoker author of Dracula. He has been unknowingly trained as a vampire assassin by his father Kenneth Stokes, who is the head of The Order of the Dragon, a secretive Order that has dedicated themselves to carrying on with Bram Stoker’s work; tracking and destroying vampires. Johnathan’s family is one of the wealthiest families in the country, and Johnathan has everything he could ever want; except his freedom from his father’s reign.

When Willa Alucard comes to town as a foreign exchange student, Johnathan’s world is turned upside down. Willa, is not your typical foreign exchange student, she is running from her own past. Born of Royalty and the one true vampire himself Dracula and Mina Harker, she has been brought up by her older brother Mihial. Willa is not a full-fledged vampire, she was born after Mina was turned back to a human, as Van Helsing (who turns out to be Bram Stoker himself) murdered Dracula. The two are drawn to each other like moths to a flame. Together they discover they were meant to be mortal enemies, but as Johnathan’s mother says; sometimes The Immortal Design has other plans.

Sound interesting to you?(Well it did to me! I suppose that is why I wrote it). In my book you will find, mystery, romance, intrigue, deception, murder, and a unique answer to what happened to your favorite characters of Bram Stoker's Dracula (which let's face it is a classic!) 

There is a story within a story in this book and for some reason it has been over looked, by readers (except for those who read the free version). I am not only trying to get you to take look at my own work, but I am giving you a huge example, of where things can go wrong in the self publishing world. I have had an offer for this book, however it was from a vanity press, and I will not pay thousands of dollars to publish my book! I have had several publishers interested in the story, however, I like so many others was to eager to get my book out there, I was turned down, because I published it first, then sent it out to publishers.... If I had only took my own advice in the beginning!! Well now I (and you too hopefully) now better.  All good things come to those who wait...

Big News Coming Soon!

To all my new friends out there.... I have some very BIG news coming out soon. Stay tuned for the announcement...

Some you may be glad it is out there!!

Starting Out as a New Author

Starting out as an Author can be a very scary process. The Author took the time to create this whole new world, and developed the plot and characters, and delved deep into their own self consciousness, to bring this all together. the rough draft is done! next thing you know self doubt sets in..... it happens.

The Author starts to ask will everyone love this book? Will I get an agent? Will I get a publisher??  The questions go on and on....  If I can give one piece of good advice to any new author out there it is this : STOP DOUBTING YOURSELF!!

Rejection letters suck, yes they do. Now let's take a look at some famous Authors: Did you know Stephen King was rejected roughly 30 times, for his best seller Carrie??? Let's not forget J.K Rowling received about 12 rejections for Harry Potter... look at them both now!! (bet those publishers/ agents are kicking themselves right now).

Let me ask you this, why did you give up after a handful of rejections??? Because you let your own self doubt come to fruit! Keep plugging away and working on your query letters, look some up online see what works, do your research on the agencies and publishers see what they really want, research the market and see if you can compare your work to others and let them know why your work is better.

Do NOT give up on yourself..... writing takes time, if you are in a hurry, then you are in the wrong business. Sure you can always self publish, but are you willing to do what it takes to market yourself?? (trust me here, it takes a lot to do this! It is a full time plus overtime job to market your work.).

In the end all I can really say, is don't give up... did you get that?? If not let me put it in a simple way for you.

DO NOT WHAT SO EVER GIVE UP!

To Agent or not to Agent

I have been recently asked if I would consider becoming a Literary Agent (on my own and not with in a company).... I am putting some serious thought into this business.

I know it is not the easiest job in the world, but I have made enough contacts in the writing biz that I could potentially make a go of it.

So now do I decide to leap or stay where I am and keep doing what I do???

Tough question. so I ask my audience for their opinion and views on this subject.


You tell me what you think.

A Few Updates

Good Morning, Afternoon, or Evening depending on what part of the world you are in, and thank you for reading!

I have been blessed, to have a few new Authors, get in touch, and soon you will know all about them and their works!

Here is the line up for some upcoming reviews and interviews from these Authors.

Matt R Jones: (I am currently reading Love is for Suckers) his titles include; Hollywood Vampires; Unholy War, Love is for Suckers... just to start.

Seven Steps: The Escape: Eve ate the Apple

Shirley Mclain: Dobyns Chronicles.

I look forward to reading each one of these titles and passing on my views of each one for you to consider..

Now the, let's not forget my own works.
You can check out my own books; The Cypress Hills Series (horror) and The Immortal Design (paranormal romance/mystery). Both titles are on amazon.com and are at a low cost for Ebooks.

Interview With K.c. Rice

    Author K.c. Rice comes to us from Frankfort Ky. She is married and has three grown children and two precious grand-babies!! K.c. obviously a southern gal, loves the typical out doors, long walks on the beach and spending time with her husband and family, but I bet you didn't know she also loves to paint!

K.c. took time from her busy day to do me the honor of giving an interview, so without further delay here we go:

Q:WHERE DID YOU COME UP WITH THE INSPIRATION FOR YOU BOOK KAYCEE'S TATTERED SPIRIT?

A: My mind is always turning... I was day dreaming different scenarios and the idea of an online love affair popped into my mind. I decided to use a lot of my own insecurities in the creation of Kaycee.

Q: WHY PICK ROMANCE OVER ALL THE OTHER TYPES OF GENRES OUT THERE?

A: I have always been a romantic at heart. I have a strong passion and desire for erotic, yet realistic stories. So many stories focus on the sex... Because let's face it, sex sells, but I wanted my readers to see Kaycee as a true person with feelings, desires and dreams. I have a story working inside of my head that will be a paranormal/romance. I think that will be fun!

Q: AFTER READING YOUR BOOK I FOUND MYSELF NEEDING TO READ THE NEXT BOOK. SO THE BIG QUESTION IS; WILL THERE BE A SEQUEL?

A: Yes! Actually there will be at least two more books. I am currently working on book two: In RECONCILED, you'll see Kaycee still struggles at times to stay true to her new independent self. Mason, and she cross paths again. There's love, sex, mystery, new characters, a martyr and a cold blooded murder.

Q: YOU HAVE A FEW LOOSE ENDS IN YOUR STORY, IS THERE A SPECIFIC REASON FOR THIS?

A: It's the Hook to keep you wanting more.... Everyone is asking what the heck happened to Shane? What is the big secret job and life that has caused his transformation into the a**? You will get your answer in RECONCILED.

Q: AT ANYTIME DURING YOUR WRITING CAREER DID YOU THINK "THIS IS IT, THIS IS THE LAST ONE I'M DOING? IF SO, WHY? AND WHAT MADE YOU KEEP GOING?

A: YES!! Actually I felt that way with this book. I made up my mind "If this book doesn't intrigue readers- I'm going to quit. I poured my heart and soul into this story. I want my readers to live through Kaycee and miss her when the book is over.

Q: DO YOU HAVE ANY TIPS OR ADVICE FOR NEW WRITERS?

A: 1. Always keep a notebook and pen handy You never know when an idea or scene will pop up. I have been known to text myself ideas that have just popped up.
        2. Don't give up. Like everything in life, it's a challenge, but if you truly enjoy sharing your inner voice and characters with others it's well worth it.

        3. Do your homework, self publishing is not hard at all. many people are under the impression that it is, but once you've researched and familiarized yourself, you will see it's rather simple. There are cut throats out there that prey on newbies, if it seems too good to be true chances are it is. Become friends with other authors who can and are willing to nurture and guide you. I am an Indie Author, a newbie, but friends with so many other authors, we are a tight knit family and we stick together and help one another out. I love my Author family dearly!

Marketing: How When and Where?

   This has to be one of the hardest topics most self published Authors face. How do I get my new book out there? When do I jump in and market and WHERE  the heck do I do it??? It's enough to make you wanna hide under the bed and have a major freak out!!!

It truly is a very daunting task to self promote, but never the less it must be done if you want your book out there. If you are like me, you just can't afford a promotions team to do the work for you. I sat down this morning and found a few reputable places for your submit your work to that will help you gain exposure and get this.... it's free!

Let's go with the obvious choices first. FACEBOOK. Set yourself up with an Author page and send out page invites to friends and family. Ask them to share your page with their friends as well. BOOM you are on your way to marketing.

The next obvious choice is TWITTER. Don't have a twitter account? Well get off your booty and set one up!! There are millions of contacts out there on Twitter!! Author's, Agents, Publishers! I have even made contacts within the movie industry!!

So now you have those first two steps accomplished, next link the two accounts. When you post from Facebook it will automatically post to your twitter feed for you. Pretty simple right? (Don't kick yourself if you didn't already know this, no sense in abusing yourself over it!)

Moving on to the not so obvious sites.
THE READERS GAZETTE: here you can list your books with them and they tweet your book 24/7!! (unfortunately they do not allow erotic books due to the fact that they have a family audience including children)
http://readersgazette.com/world/index

GOODREADS: Here you can create an Author page as well and get your book in front of millions of avid readers! This site also allows you to link your Facebook page and Twitter account, and you can tweet your book and it's reviews from their site as well as post them to Facebook.

SHELFARI: Here you can list your books, for free.. I don;t get on this site as often as I should, however someone else may find the time to really have a go at it on this site. They have a lot of members and communities, so your books will be seen on the site.
http://www.shelfari.com/

These are just a very small few of the places you can find to promote yourself for free....It takes time to do a great job of promoting yourself. You literally need to submit to every site you can find, and you NEED  to do this daily even all day everyday if you can.

Another suggestion is to take out a small add in your local newspaper. I know it's not "free" but it gets your local community behind you and you'll find more readers this way.

Oh my!! I almost forgot another place to get promotions!! Here at The Cheeky Rooster!!

Get Cheeky! Do your own thing, and don't let marketing get you flustered. If you want it bad enough, you will find the time to do these steps!!!

Kaycee's Tattered Spirit: A Review

I have recently been blessed to make a great new friend, K.c. Rice- Author. We met through a mutual friend online and quickly became fast friends. K.c Sent me her book Kaycee's Tattered Spirit. I confess I am not much into erotic books, but I have read a good handful including the first book in the series of 50 shades of Grey. So I will leave you with that for now. (It's not that I don't like these types of books, I am just more of a fantasy and horror kind of gal.)

Let's begin!!! Now, I have told you I don't normally read this genre, however, I am glad I took the time to explore this book. K.c. Rice's writing style is beyond my expectations in regards to this specific genre. I suppose because of my age, I am used to reading more of a porno type book..... that is to say that this genre has come a long way from it's origins. Yes I admit that I used to sneak my parents old erotic books as a teenager and read them..... don't judge me! (LOL)

Back to the book. I will say this, this book was far and away much better than the 50 Shade's series!! We have Kaycee who is a married young woman, who has taken up an online romance with a dark and romantic stranger. She is very much in love with her husband, but the fantasy of another man, is overwhelming, making Kaycee question herself. Her husband is becoming a completely different person due to his new job, and becomes more violent and in my own opinion a control freak. The dark and handsome stranger has his own problems he is dealing with, which only adds to the mystery of the plot as we have yet to really uncover what that may be. This character has hardened his heart and is at first a complete ass, but there is something in Kaycee that has ripped through him and his own hardness. He must have her, no matter what the cost is. Once they finally meet in person, Kaycee, has been through enough with her husband and his new found aggressiveness, that she gives into the kindness, of a man who wants to care for her truly.

She ends up leaving her husband and moves into her own place, taking steps to ensure her own dreams come true, not just in romance but her career as well. (You Go Girl!). However, due to Mason's secret life (the handsome stranger) he has unwittingly pushed Kaycee away, and now that she has found her own two feet she has decided, to never let another man use her again. In the end she leaves both of them behind and learns that she does not need a man in her life, and she is now focused on her and her alone.

Now then, let's talk the about the steamy steam steam!! WOW! If the love scenes in this book don't make you want to throw down your own lover, I seriously do not know what will! The scenes in this book were not over the top and not too "fetishy" (is that even a word? agh, I don't care if it is, it's the only way I can describe it). If you are a fan of romance mixed with some steamy love scenes, that make your own imagination go crazy then this is a book for you. Unlike 50 Shade's, this book is very well written, and there is no "young" girl being used by a man, for his own sick pleasures. (biggest reason I did not like 50).

I will admit, that there are a few plot holes, however, they are there for a reason. This was a very clever tactic used by the author, because now I NEED  to read the follow up book, and I do hope there is one. This book has it all, mystery, romance a slight touch of horror (in the form of an abusive husband) and danger. A long with not one but two very strong characters who grow within the story. It is no wonder that K.c.Rice has many followers on her Facebook page!

Overall with this book I would give 4.5 stars out of 5 ( only due to the plot holes, but I admit they are necessary to the story). You can find this book on Amazon.com. The book blurb had me hooked before I even opened the pages...

Stay tuned, as K.c.Rice has generously agreed to an interview!!! I can not wait to hear form her on her work.

K.C.Rice currently is self published, however.... she really ought to be picked up by an eager publisher, the woman has numerous followers for her work and there is no stopping for her in the future..

Plot Holes: Avoid Them!

Let's get a bit serious for one small moment. Plot holes are a writers worst nightmare!. We as reader's hate to read a book and come out with questions to the plot of you story.

Personally when I am reading, I hate to see a main character who is obviously up to something, but as you read on, you NEVER find out what the heck that character was up to! This is dangerous waters people. Most reader's will say it leaves a bad taste in their mouths and won't recommend your book to another person.

I have read books that have done this to me. I hate to say it, but to be critical, those holes need filled in! A writer should never leave a reader hanging, it's just poor form!

As a new writer, my suggestion is this: after you have completed your manuscript put it aside and walk away. It is very important to do so. You have your head so far up that project that you will not catch the flaws on your own. The only way to see them is to walk away for a week at least. Let it stew, then go back and re read your own book from the beginning to end. Make mental note of how you felt about the book, not your work. While reading did you find a plot hole? Did you feel this was the very best you could do? If the answers to those questions are yes and no, then it is time to rethink your story and fill in the gaps.

It is difficult to be a good writer, but it is more difficult to be a great writer. Most writers take upwards of a year to accomplish a completely polished and ready for print book. As a new writer, your anticipation can and will cloud your judgment. You will most likely get rejection after rejection if you have not taken the time to make some serious changes to your story.

We all want that piece out there and hear how great our story was, but if you aren't getting the attention that it deserves then you need to go back and make those changes. I know it can be disheartening to not see those sales, and see the rejection letters pouring in, but you must maintain and persevere! Get a second and third pair of eyes on your work, take constructive criticism and use it. Don't be offended by the critics, their opinions matter. You are in the business of selling not just your books, but yourself as well. You need to be professional and develop your own skills. If you can't handle the rejection or criticism, then maybe being a writer isn't for you.

You have to take the good and the bad, and put them in a mixing bowl and whip them into something that stands out from the crowd. With so many new books being published every day across the world, you need to dig deep and work hard. Do not give up, keep those pot holes filled in and you will find a less bumpy road to success.

Character Development: It Is Important!

Cockle Doodle DOOOOO!!! Good Morning readers! Let's talk turkey, oh wait I meant chicken! Today I wanted to go over something very crucial to writing. CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT.


Outside of a great story plot, this is probably one of the most important pieces to the writing process. A character should grow as your story unfolds. everyone loves to see your creation become stronger and overcome the plot, but they also love to see that they have overcome some of their own flaws. Let's say you have a female character that is full of self doubt and has to face a number of challenging issues that are within the plot of your story. Does she, by the end of the story overcome some of those doubts or does she fall further into them? If she hasn't grown out of some of those personal doubts about herself, go back and re think how can you make her become a better stronger person. You want your character to not only defeat the bad guys, but defeat the inner demons that they start out with.

The same goes for male characters, often we put a strong male character out there as a tough bad ass that is fearless. To develop his character we need to bring out his kindness, and break him of being the rough and tumble just a bit, show the world that there is another side to him.

I read reviews and the biggest hit that a writer can take is "there wasn't enough character development, but the story was great!" To write a great and lovable character you should make them as close to real as possible. We as people all have flaws and when faced with challenges that one would not normally be comfortable in , we adapt and change to over come those fears, or we wither and die. The same goes for your characters. Each character should have some sort of internal flaw, and through out your story, that character should be developing and working on overcoming what is being thrown at them.

Examples, a battered wife, should grow to overcome her pain and fear, and do what is necessary to get herself worth back.
         A male character who is a tough hardened man with no love or caring, should by the end of the story find some of his self worth as well. Let him keep is bravado, however open him up to some vulnerability.

With that being said, there are characters who are already developed in all manners; tough and rugged, but passionate and loving, fearless but can feel the fear, and overcome it.

My main point is this, take a good hard look at your characters, you know them best! You created them, look deep into their souls and see where you can get them to grow! This will make for a better story line, and get you a lot more attention from your fans as well as publishers and agents.

Well this was just my thought for the day. I hope you take my advice and expand those characters into someone we just can't live with out!

By the way it is OK to get them to be a bit cheeky too!!

A bit ruffled this morning!

I am sure by now that most of you have been hearing about "The View and Joy Behar, and Michelle Collins"and how they  have certainly made a HUGE (and that is an understatement) mistake in their "opinion" on the nursing profession!

Both women from this TV. show are now under scrutiny for their "view" and their comments. Millions of nurses have now flocked together along with Doctors to show support for this noble profession #NursesUnite.

I support my colleagues, no I am not a nurse, but I do work with them daily at my regular job and have done so for 26 years. Let me tell you this, in a medical facility outside of a doctors office, you will only see a doctor for an average of 15 minutes. You will however see that nurse for the remainder of your time.  In nursing homes there are no doctors The nurses run the show! They make the critical decisions needed to care for your loved one. In a hospital a doctor makes his morning rounds and then dictates to the nurses a plan of action, the nurse is responsible for carrying those plans out, and they often find errors and report it back to the doctor, in short they save lives everyday!! So how dare these two women mock this woman, for being 1. courageous enough to be different and show the world a true talent? 2. calling her out and saying in short that being a nurse is not a talent??

FYI****  Scrubs are not costumes, they are a UNIFORM!  A STETHOSCOPE is NOT  called a  DOCTOR'S STETHOSCOPE! All nurses use them and so do C.N.A's ( certified nursing assistants).

Last night I saw a brief clip of these two trying to back track and support nurses. However, there was no apology given. The statement that one of them has a nurse in the family just goes to show, she isn't very close to that family member, otherwise she would truly KNOW  what it means and what true talent it takes to be a nurse!!!

Oh and by the way that nurse they mocked on national TV, was named second runner up of the pageant. Not to bad for being just a nurse huh?

I need to make mention here: I just came across and article that a few advertisers are puling all ads from this show, in support of nurses everywhere! Shout out a big thank you to those companies...

Just remember nurses use big needles and use  catheters too!!! I wouldn't get one to angry.

A Few Sample Reviews For You to Peruse

Okay, so I know that all of these pertain to a particular Author, (what do you expect of me? This is what has been on my desk for the better part of a year!) However, you can get a feel for the kind of reviews I give and what I do for Authors who I truly love.


Sample reviews:

Today I sit down and write about some of my favorite Authors. Of course there are the very well known and popular Authors out there; such as Brandon Mull (Fable Haven series) Cassandre Clare, Kami Garcia of course!! But there has been a new addition to my all time FAVORITE Authors..
Since I have taken that scary leap into self publishing and networking I have come across a few very genuine and lovable Self Published Authors like myself. On the top of that list is Mr. Paul Zunckel. His writing is both terrifying and beautiful to say the least. As he resides in South Africa his stories are set in the African bush. What a mirror image of his writings!! Beautiful and yet terrifying. Mr. Zunckel has brought forth some of the best new characters to date. As with Mr. Brandon Mull the characters you can fall in love with grow attached to and feel like they are apart of your family each time you read a new tale. He makes you worry for them, feel pride in them when they over come the challenges set before them, I could go on but I will stop there. As I stated before the stories are great! A good author will make you enjoy a good story but a GREAT Author will draw you in and leave his/her mark on you for the rest of your life. Mr. Zunckel has done just that, and if you take one moment to read his works you may find yourself agreeing with my assessment. Mr. Zunckel is a GoodReads author and you can find his works  on Goodreads along with my reviews of his works. 

Man in the Shadows Review

Where to start? What to say?? Paul brings us one of the most terrifying psychological thrillers to date! I had the privilege of reading this right off and had I been better prepared, I may not have had the nightmare or two that followed. Man in the Shadows is about a literary agent who has spent many years, working hard on building up his business, working long hours pouring his heart and soul into his business, putting everything else on the back burner including his family.
This will only prove to be his demise however! I won't give anything away here in my review, but I know if I were an actual literary agent, this book would have me looking over my shoulder every five minutes!!
A superior story, well told, and definitely not for the faint of heart! So creepy, I'm not sure I could read this book again. If you really want to be scared, and enjoy the fear adrenaline, then this book is for you. The story starts out thrilling, and ends in the same way.... you can't put it down, (that is unless it literally scares the hell out of you!)
I will admit, I do not scare easily, if at all. However, this book had me freaked from the beginning all the way to the end.
In other words I LOVED IT!

 Whispers in the Wind Review

What an outstanding story! Mr. Zunckle has out done himself this time with Whispers in the Wind. Once again our favorite characters are back and are in more danger than before. The element of human trafficking in Africa is deeply explored in this story, and I believe that Mr. Zunckle has a good grasp on the subject. Id you are a fan of Mr. Zunckle's and have not yet read this story you need to. I applaud the author for also developing his own subjects and exploring new territory in his writing, this time he brought a surprising touch of romance to the forefront. Good for you sir! The love scenes are steamy but nicely written so that the reader is not put off by the material. So let's take a look at what you will find in this book, romance, steamy love scenes, horror of a family torn apart by human trafficking, and then a wonderful ending... I loved how the main bad person this time around was a female, and she got hers in the end as well as her minions!! It is no wonder that this book was chosen for publication, so you will be seeing it soon in stores! Loved it and definitely a five star read. 

 Review of Mask of Deceit .

Review by Angel C Ernst.

Mr. Zunckel has taken a great leap in his writing this time around. Instead of writing mostly from a male point of view he has delved into the inner workings of the female mind as she has encountered great loss and tragedy.

Juliana De Luca, had met her one true love Paul Stewart… a whirlwind romance develops and fast forward to the honeymoon where everything goes wrong. A group of thugs, ambush the couple at a masked carnival, Paul valiantly tries to save his new bride but dies in the attack. Juliana is brutally raped and cut deeply killing her unborn child. Left for dead in the cold streets, she loses consciousness  and awakens in a hospital where she is given the news. Her mind is set and with the backing of her well connected family revenge begins to take shape for the murders who committed the worst crimes imaginable.

She travels back to Paul’s Safari business and informs his loyal employees of the events that had unfolded.   The plot begins to unfold even more with the support of the Safari staff. Juliana will have her revenge. One by one the men are lured in by her and her staff, and one by one they suffer greatly before the perish at the tormented woman’s plot.

Throughout the story, Juliana is thrown back to earlier happier times with her beloved Paul and she feels his presence as she sets out to embark on revenge for his and her child’s death. It is her only solace as she faces the men who tried to kill her as well as her family. This is a very dark and powerful story. It is not easy for some to write about personal feelings, and for a gentlemen to capture how a traumatized woman would feel, is truly an amazing feet. Mr. Zunckel has done just that with this story. The emotions take you on a roller coaster ride and let’s face it, not many women out there would not feel exactly the way Juliana feels after suffering at the hands of the thugs.

Surprisingly enough, at the end we run into a couple of old friends from Paul’s previous books and one may wonder will Juliana be making an appearance anytime soon in Mr. Zunckle’s future writings??

All around I would give this a 5 star review. Well done Paul capturing the inner workings of the female mind.

By Angel C Ernst

These are just my latest reviews, and I have many more to do as I am an avid reader and plan to pick a book daily to review for you.

If interested in a review of your own from me, please contact me for details.

Interview with Author Paul Zunckel : The Blood Trilogy

Paul Zunckel hails from South Africa. He began his career as an Indie Author and after much trials and tribulations has landed full publishing for his work with Vanilla Heart Publishing. Paul has graciously taken a few moments of his time to give us an in depth interview of his work.

Q: Where did you get the inspiration for your book Blood Moon Over Africa and the subsequent followups in The Piet van Zyl Adventure stories?

A: The inspiration for Blood Moon Over Africa came for my love of Africa, it's mysteries, superstitions, beliefs and different cultures.
    1. Africa in general is steeped in superstition and supernatural beliefs. The local people both in the rural and urban areas of Africa, have a very deep rooted belief in witchcraft and even a common cold can be attributed to a spell being cast on them. 
    2. The Hyena is to African what the black cat is to Europe. The wide spread belief is that the hyena is used by the witch doctor to ride to meetings deep in the bush.
       3. The Wambugwe of Tanzania believes that every witch doctor possesses one or more hyena that is branded with his mark and is referred to as his "night cattle".
      4. A common belief around the hyena is that the animal gives birth in the witch doctors hut, and the owner milks them once a day.

      5. There are no free hyena...the belief is that all hyena are owned by witch doctors.
   
      6. In BMOA I took the cultural belief in the witch doctor/ hyena working hand in hand and joined the two in order to create my creature, I also used the superstition of the full moon to act as the trigger.

Once I had completed Blood Moon Over Africa, my characters took on a life of their own, and it was as if a tap had been opened. The ideas just flowed. Blood Spoor in the Dark, I took facts and fused them with fiction, while Blood Demon- revenge was just a figment from my dark side, giving birth to the The Blood Trilogy, I had no control over it, I just went with the flow. The Devil in Eden just naturally followed the flow.

Q: How would you best describe Piet and company?

A: Veronica Strydom was intended to be my main character, but Piet van Zyl decided that "n' Boer maak n' plan" and just took a life of his own.
      Piet van Zyl is and ex-pat from South Africa, making his way in another country, doing what he loves and that is living in the African Bush. I think that the best description of Piet and company would be described as normal hard working people who value friendship, and stick together no mater what. The type of people you can relate to, not super hero's but the boy ad girl next door, who just happen to be in the wrong place at the right time.

Q: A lot of new Authors give up after a few rejections, what made you keep going?

A: Determination to succeed, but also the belief that my family and some very special friends had in my work. I would be very hard pressed to give out the title NUMBER ONE FAN, to a couple of very special people in my life.... my wife has been a pillar of support, but so have a few others who all believed in me, and that alone made me believe in myself.

Q: Do you have any advice for aspiring writer's?

A: Wow, now you are asking me something. I think my answer to the above question sums it up. Believe in yourself and do not take rejection to heart. Keep writing and persevere, don't give up. Make a small sign and paste it where you can see it all the time... it should read...."Dreams do come true". Mine did, but I will admit to pinching myself now and then to make sure I am not dreaming.

Q: What has been the best part of being an Author for you personally?

A: 1. The people I have met on my journey, and the friendships that have been formed over a common love for writing.
      2. The absolute satisfaction of being able to type "The End" to something that started out as an idea.
       3. The conversations I have in my head with my characters.
      4. The support that I get from family and friends, the positive reviews, plus I get to travel the world in my imagination.

Q: do you for see ending the Piet line and moving on to a new line of story?

A: At the moment, No. Piet seems quite popular with the readers in general and it would be a shame to leave them all hanging. On a serious note, Vanilla Heart Publishing has just released the Piet van Zyl African Adventure Thrillers, and there are a further three books waiting to be written, and hopefully take the reader on another roller coaster rode of mystery, superstition, thrill's and suspense with just a touch of horror.... after all you never know what is waiting out there in the dark under the Blood Moon.

If you would like an honest review of your work, look no further

Ok Im going to put this out there. I do reviews, I know a lot of new authors are anxious to get a review or just some sort of input, on their hard work.

If interested in having me do a review, please contact me here. I will charge a fee, however, each fee will be different, and I only give our honest reviews. I won;t sugar coat anything.

For more information send me a quick mail, and query. I get back to people within 24 hours or less.....


**My fees are lower than most standard paid reviews.

A little off Topic: Public speaking.

I have written in previous posts, that I have numerous hobbies. What I haven't stated is that I used to give speech's for a living. This was at first, a very difficult position, you see I suffer from anxiety and I am not real found of being out in the public. However, I found that I was really good at it. Once on stage, I could be myself crack jokes and get the audience to laugh with me, once I established that I was much more at ease.

When I was in College, I would hear students dreading taking Speaking 101. For me, after having done so many public speech's it was no big concern. But how did I get rid of that fear and anxiety standing up in front of a room full of strangers? That is a good question.

The fear and anxiety was always there, up until I hit the stage. However once I got the attention of the audience, I felt confidence grow inside of me and from there I took charge of the room. I made sure to always make the crowd feel like I was speaking directly to them. I spoke with encouragement, and guided them to what I was speaking on.

So here are a few tips for you to use when it comes to public speaking.

1. Do not be afraid to be nervous. This is natural. Once you begin your speech, focus on your speech, this will distract you from your fears.

2. Stick with topics you know. It is much easier to talk about something you know a lot about, but if required to give a speech on something you are unfamiliar with, do a lot of research and make good notes to refer to.

3. Do not be afraid to give your honest opinion on the subject. The audience wants to know how you, the presenter, feels about the subject matter. If you can't convince yourself, of your topic, you will not convince you audience.

4. Use humor when humor is needed. Do not go up and be a comedian, unless you truly can pull it off. Stick to the topic!

5. Eye contact is essential!! Making eye contact draws your audience into you, you have their attention, now they are listening.

6. Walk around, use hand gestures, and get excited! There is nothing more thrilling than to see some one who is up their, putting on a great performance!

7. Give thanks, and gratitude for their time!!

It all comes down to this, make it personal, for you and your audience... Speak from your heart and your compassion. I promise once you see the first person, really paying attention to what you are saying, all those fears and doubts will go away, and you will walk off that stage with a renewed confidence in yourself.


In this matter I encourage you to get very Cheeky!!

To pick a pic or not to pic, That is the question

So this entire time you have envisioned your character in your mind, the physical features and the personality to go with it. You the writer, know exactly what your character looks like, you dreamed him/her up right? But how well does your reader know your character?

Recently, I saw a new cover for a book very near and dear to my heart, this is a book I read pre- publishing, so I had my own image of the the characters already made up in my mind and stored them there for future reference. I for one, like to put a face on a good strong character, or even the smarmy creepy, little buggers who are often the bad guy, or just a two faced pig who you love to hate. However, when I saw an image post-publishing, I thought, "THAT IS NOT WHAT I HAD IMAGINED" WELL DAMN!!

So, what happens if a writer doesn't put his own image on that front cover for you to see? Well, it's left up  to the reader's imagination to sort it all out. As a new writer, if you choose to omit the picture of a character, or at least an in depth description, you may end up disappointing some fans, later on down the road. It's a small hiccup in the process of writing, but that is what your reader's are here for. We love the detail, the imagery, the charisma and the general attitude of the character.

TIP: As a writer, decide ahead of time, if you want your reader's to use their imagination to detail your characters for themselves, or stick to your guns and put a real face to that piece of hard work you have running around in your head.

It is not always easy to create a cover design from scratch on your own unless you happen to be fluent in this particular department. I for one am creative, but I have no clue how to create a computer image and do those  tricky over lays to create the perfect cover for my own books. It is a drawback for being a beginner, especially if you are going to self publish.  If you can wait it out (the thrill and excitement of putting your hard work out their for the public) save some money up and contact someone for a price on a great cover for your book. Books unfortunately do sell a lot by the cover alone. Sad thought, that is: however people are superficial at times, and like to see what they are getting before they open the pages to great story.

All in all it is up to you the writer to guide your audience in the direction of the story. Keep writing and keep reaching for the stars. One day your baby could be on the Best sellers list!
Good Luck and have a great day!

A Wealth of Information for Indie Writers or Aspiring Writers Trying to Break in to the Big World of Publishing

I sit down this morning, and share with you some of the more reputable sites I have come across while attempting to get my own books published.
 I am listing here some of the sites that may be of great interest to you to look into, on your own journey in trying to get your book published and out there.

I have been researching some of these places listed for a few years now, and have found nothing that would make me think that they are not worth giving a try.

1. Artwork: For a great book design ( and let's face everyone judges a book by the cover) I found Amygdala Design.... They offer great products and stunning imagery! The price is very reasonable as well. ( I plan to use them when I can fir it into my budget). They get right back to you with any questions you  have and give a fair price for their work.
http://blog.amygdaladesign.net/

2. Want some sites that are looking for submissions sent directly to your inbox? Subscribe to Author's Publish Magazine, You can get to the site through this link here: http://www.freedomwithwriting.com/freedom/uncategorized/the-top-5-publishers-for-new-authors/?2

I get several leads weekly on publishing companies look for stories, that pay and pay well.. This subscription is free, and all you do is look over the sites they send you, the also include a brief synopsis of each site they send, along with what they have researched on the sites. They put a lot of work into put this out their for us aspiring writer's and it is well worth the time to subscribe to them.

3. Go directly to the source it self. The site I am linking here is a site where agents and publishers are listed. There are hundreds of agents listed, looking for their next client.....(that is if you want to go that route)
http://www.agentquery.com/writer_hq.aspx

4. Writer Beware (literally) this is also a website that digs up info on unrepeatable publishers and agents who are out to scam you. It is definitely worth it to look into this site.
http://www.sfwa.org/other-resources/for-authors/writer-beware/

5. A handful of good places to start your submissions: I have submitted to these, and even though I had no luck, I still find that they are honest in their work and have a good standing as small press publisher's

http://www.fireandiceya.com/subs.html
Samhain Publishing,
Dark Hall Press,
and many others
If you area Horror Genre writer check out the Horror writers Association
http://horror.org/

If you want to stay strictly Indie, then use Creatspace for your book publishing, they do not charge fees and you can order copies of your books cheap, they will also cross over your book to eBook format for Amazon.
You can also go directly to the source and use Amazon's site, however they do not offer the chance to print a hard copy for you, it is strictly eBook.
Smashwords is right up there! There you can create your eBook for free, and put it out there, they also allow you to print coupons for your customers, so you have the chance to give away as many free copies as you would like.

These are but just a small handful of places I have used and researched. If you have had a good experience with a company not listed, please leave a comment below for the readers of this blog.
Enjoy and Good luck on your search.

It is true, to be a good writer you have to write everyday

You hear this from a lot of famous writers. Write every day, even if it is not your best work,  just write something, anything. For me, I find this profound and encouraging. I have written several articles over my life, and a few books. My main issue has been finding the time to sit down and write.

I have a busy life! I am a single mother to a teenager who is in High School, and in the High School band. I have a full time job I go to. I have to do the daily errands, and house keeping to the best of my abilities. It is faced and hectic in my corner of the world and finding time is hard put.

So I sacrifice some of my sleep to write. I write this blog for instance. I also write reviews for my fellow Authors given the opportunity. I am still trying to find my niche in the writing world as I am sure many others out there are as well.

If you are truly passionate about your writing and really want to make a go of it, you need to put the effort into it! A good story is right there sitting in the dusty corners of your mind, but when do you have the time to write it? Anyone can find five to ten minutes a day to string together a few sentences and stash them away for the following day. It may take a lot longer to complete your manuscript but at least you can feel confident that you completed it.

The next step is to sit that thing down and wait it out. I mean set it aside, your brain fried by the time its finished. Go back to it at a later date and read your own work. This where you will find your flaws and strengths of the book and characters and make notes on this.... Now you are editing you book! You want a strong story, with exceptional characters that grow as the story progresses. It's much like planting seedlings, at first you plant the seed, and daily you water it just the right amount, then let time do its work and before long you have a lovely flower before, but your work is not done there. It still needs to be weeded and pruned to give it that polished looked. Something that, when others look upon it will admire the hard work and beauty of your creation!!

So write, write and write some more! The more you write the better you become at the craft. It may seem tedious and frustrating at first but the end results will be well worth all that time you put into your project.


Don't forget, never got too cocky about your own work either, that would just be very cheeky of you!

Have a great weekend and thank you for reading.
If you like this blog, please subscribe..

The Illinois Lottery is being sued for Unpaid winnings

Ok, I guess this is what I get for assuming..

I always assumed that when you play a lottery that the money collected from the sales of the tickets was put into an account and held there until a winner is picked. Apparently this is not the case in IL. I am posting the direct link for you to read for yourself in detail as to why there is now a lawsuit coming to the IL Lotto....

Where is this money going if it is not being set aside for winner's to claim?

IL Lotto being sued click here for full article.

Crazed Fanatics, and Rejection

Good morning EVERYONE!

I decided to write this article due to a recent incident with a ..... well I am not sure what to say here.

With out going in to detail or divulging the name of person or persons involved, I will regardless of what was said to whom and from who, keep to my professional side and not give out names. Just a short read here for you and a thought for you all to keep in mind.

When does a fan or follower cross the line? Well, one could say when they begin to over do it, like emailing you several times a day, asking for money, playing on your sympathies, all the way up to stalking and threatening you or your agents if you decide to step away from the overwhelming response you are receiving from said person or persons.

I can not fathom what would make a person go to these extremes. I will never fully understand the inner workings of the mind of people like this. I have recently, been attacked personally and I seriously do not know why. I have never given this person cause for the attack. I have very little interaction with this individual and the claim that was made to me was completely pulled out of thin air!!

This is an isolated incident, however, I have been receiving reports from others who have been experiencing similar problems. (No I will not give out names, for their protection).

Have I ever been rejected from a publisher? Sure. Have I ever wanted to lash out at them for the rejection, maybe sometimes,but have I ever crossed that line into the crazy lady that goes ballistic on them? Heck NO! It would be unprofessional, and unethical to do so. Doing such a thing would cause a person to get a bad reputation, and I have no interest in that what so ever. The same goes for any of my fans or followers. I have never told a fan to get lost, or to leave me alone,  or anything else. That is extreme to say the least. I love my fans and my followers. I have mentioned this before in numerous other posts, that I write for you, I'm not here for the money or the fame (of which I have made neither or very little of).

So please I beg of you, if you are in the public spotlight, be aware of the warning signs of the crazed fanatics around you. People who don't like the word NO, or who just don't give up if you do not reply to them. Stay safe, one or two lost fans is not worth something much more dear to you....

Looking for a new country to move to WHY?

Here in the states we are having our presidency campaigns. Here we have Mr Donald Trump. I can not express enough disgust for this man. I truly can not. This man has NO diplomacy, and talks down to women in  public, he hates it when a woman challenges him and retreats to childish behavior immediately with out haste!!
At a recent debate, he didn't like how a female report was asking the questions, so he claims she is on her menstrual cycle, but not in such a nicely named manner.

IS THIS REALLY WHAT AMERICANS WANT?
 Absolutely NOT!

I read this morning that it is popular belief that this man, who is not for the people of America, but for the big corporations instead, is ahead in the polls and gaining traction...I promise you this, If this man wins the presidency here, I will leave immediately.

Any good ideas on a new country????

Yes, I will vote and no I will NOT vote for him..

Look up some info on this man and tell me why in the world he would make a good president, you can't find one. He just has the money to throw around and I suspect he is already out there buying his votes.

You are Invited......

Today I am inviting all of you my readers to post YOUR  favorite author, or your very own book you have written in the comment sections below. Include your links or theirs which ever you prefer.

Also if you would be kind enough to include a small rating for that book, if it is a different author than yourself.

This is sort of a round table discussion topic today!! Have fun and post away!!!


****NOTE*** Please keep it clean and well, just keep it clean please. Thank you!

Books, Reviews, Ratings, Sharing, and Social Media

Promoting yourself can be a very daunting task as an unrepresented Author. I personally use social media for my promoting. I am on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and a few other sites that help promote my works. What I am finding, is this......

It is very important as an Indie Author to promote your work daily all day everyday. It takes a lot of time and effort to make any kind of profit. I admit I don't do this very much anymore. Why? Here is my answer.

I go out of my way and give out hundreds of free copies of my books. This is a great way to get your book read and your name out there. BUT, it is also a steep pitfall.

People love something for nothing. They also will not give in return. Is it so hard to give a rating? No not really it is just a simple push of a button that may only take you a minute of your time, where as a writer it took months, or years to put out that book that they just got for free. What is one minute compared to years.....nothing.

In turn, how hard is it for someone that got that free book to pass it on to another person who loves to read? We are social creatures ( well most of us are, I admit I am not the in person type of social person ), by nature we talk about things that we enjoy or don't enjoy. I find it hard to believe that between book lovers, there is no conversation going on about a book you just got for free and whether or not you liked, loved, or hated it.

I know Authors who share and support their fellow Indies, religiously. This to is a pitfall. Only a small percentage will do the favor and give you a "share" on their own page. Here is the thing about writer's, we are NOT in competition with each other!! We all started out unrepresented, and we all scratch our way to the top with hard work. We all have wonderful stories to tell and we all love to write. It is born of passion for story telling and delighting other people with our work.

How in the world do you imagine to get ahead, if people refuse to give a rating, or review or use their social media to help promote you. It can not be done. This is why I no longer give out free books and I have stopped promoting the majority, of those I used to support. I did a lot of work to promote them and I got nothing in return I know I am not alone in this matter.

If you are going to take that leap of faith and write that first book, be prepared and do not be disappointed when you see that after you give props to fellow authors, and free books to reader's you get nothing in return...

This should NOT be happening! We need to stick together and support each other, if I give you the decency to promote you or give you a free book , I (or we) should get a minute of your time to at least give a rating or a share. It really does make all the difference..

Family Matters

Hello to all of my readers!! I hope I find you all well and in good shape today.

Today I am writing about Family. I have mentioned before that I have daughter who is now in High School. I am truly having a difficult time adjusting to her new schedule.

I work evenings and the hubby figure works days. We have always done this so that one parent is always in the house for our daughter. I suppose that I do miss out on some of the concerts and recitals due to this, however I need to work and we need the money so that we can afford to give our children the necessary things in life.

My daughter is in band at her school, this year is proving to be very busy for her. Her new band instructor has her scheduled to do extra practices twice a week in the evenings ( actually the entire band has this not just my daughter). Soon they will start their band competitions as well as playing at the home games during football season. She also has to keep up with her homework as well. High School is no play ground, they have a lot more work to do to keep up with their studies, as she is finding out.

I have also mentioned before that she has made numerous new friends. This is great! She is out of her shell and instead of relying on just one best friend she has many now. You really want your kids to have friend's so you sit back and let them go off and socialize. This is great for her, but now that cuts out another piece of time for mom and dad.

In an earlier post I showed how a very nice young man asked my daughter to the Homecoming dance. It was very sweet to say the least. However now, they are "dating". I call it more like boyfriend and girlfriend, and not dating as they are both too young to go on a date unsupervised, but you got to keep up with the times, and this is what the kids call it these days. I am lucky that she landed a boy who has a lot of respect for her. But there it is, another very large chunk of time gone from mom and dad.

I am trying to help my daughter understand the importance of family, and that she needs to still spend time with her family, but where does one draw the line? It truly is difficult for a parent to draw the line when everything is going great for their kids. I want her to keep her friends and her boyfriend, and her passion for music and keep up with her good grades, but I do not want to sacrifice my time with her.

SO I suppose what I am trying to say is Family does Matter, and as a parent there really does come a time when we realize that we do sacrifice a lot of our time for our children's happiness. We wait in the background for the day they realize just how much you gave up and come back and say thank you for all that you have done for me. I will wait, and I will continue to sacrifice my precious time I have with her, so that she will be a happy girl.

I will not get cocky over this!!

Have you ever seen attack fish?

AAGGHH the crazy attack fish of IL rivers. Boaters beware!! We have been invaded by Asian Carp here, and although it really is amusing to see some of the videos out there about these fish and how they "attack unsuspecting boaters" these fish are pests. People truly can be hurt by the little buggers and from what I hear they aren't very tasty! (not the people, the fish) It is so bad that the  television show River Monsters came to Havan Il to do a small piece on these invaders. (wish I had been there, I love Jeremy Wade from that show swoon for the older gentleman). Right. Moving on.

So, here not far from where I live they have come up with some creative ways to catch these invading monsters and I am posting the link here for you to read all about it.

http://www.pjstar.com/photogallery/IP/20150905/PHOTOGALLERY/905009997/PH/1?utm_content=bufferb4a72&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook.com&utm_campaign=buffer

After reading the story go to youtube and search for some videos on these pests. Some of them are pretty funny.

the crazy things my cat's do. I promise you will get a chuckle

Meet Dobby. Dobby was a rescue kitten when he came to us a little over a year ago. We have another cat name well... kitty cat, she came to us one crazy winter morning as we were in the middle of an ice storm. She scared the living hell out of me that cold winter morning! i had just settled down for my morning cup of joe in front of our large bay window, when a loud crash came from behind my head I thought for sure a branch was coming through the window. (thankfully I hadn't had drank much coffee yet or I may have had to clean up an accident).

I looked out the window and I thought it was our visiting squirrel John Franklin Jr.(um that is a story for another day, the naming of the squirrel) but it was not the squirrel, it was a fluffy little kitten. Now, you see the bubby figure isn't overly fond of cats, but myself on the other hand love them. So I grabbed a can of tuna and ran out into the storm and fetched the little critter and she has been my shadow ever since then.

Dobby was brought home by my daughter. She knew I would probably not say no, but I tried to. I knew the hubby figure would not want another pet in the house especially a cat, although he had grown to love Kitty Cat.

Both cats look almost identical although Dobby has a longer coat and is much heavier then Kitty. Now the high jinks begin! My crazy Dobby loves dogs and our one dog is his best friend, they literally play all day long chasing each other around the house. No the dog is not trying to attack and eat him, it's more the other way around, I am really lucky to have such a tolerant set of dogs. Kitty is out off by Dobby, she is a very laid back and relaxed sort of type, while Dobby is a very active cat. 

Dobby serves as my Royal Guard. He feels the need to walk in front of me everywhere I go. I have been tripped up by the Guard on many occasions, and it is rather humorous see the look on his face that I have stopped the procession because I have tripped over him. He also enjoys making sure that each family member has protection against the nasty water fall in the bathroom (the shower) He will literally climb in and skirt the edge of the shower and sit and watch and do his best to remove you from the dangers of the crashing waters! I can only imagine what his thoughts are as he reaches out his paw and tries to grab on and pull you out from the danger.

Kitty, as I have said is my shadow She too will try to remove you from the bath. Just the other day as I sat on the bedroom floor she climbed up her perch on the bed, and began to actually pet and stroke my head. 

Well this is just a little bit of my home and my crazy cats, and yes I was inspired by Dobby this morning as I once again tripped of my Royal Guard.

I am a little put off this morning

I probably won't post too many of these kinds of posts, however this is my blog and I will write what comes to mind.

Here is what is really bugging me this morning. I write, and I write a lot. I write reviews, and books, and of course this blog. I put a lot of thought into my reviews, and I find it very off putting to have my work tossed aside after it has been published. Some of my best work has literally been wiped out of existence! I guess when you control someone's work, they get to dictate who can give a review. that is their prerogative. However, why toss off an excellent review of your Author's hard work? Are they afraid of the competition? Or is it a "Control Freaks" kind of thing??? I really do not know.

With that being said, here it is: I will write my reviews here for you! The reader, and the Author. If someone does not like that well too damn bad. This is my prerogative.

Yep you guessed it, I just got a little Cocky!

For my Book Lover's out there

As you well  know by now, I am an Indie Author and if you don't know that by now where the heck have you been my friend's?? Anyway, I am going to share a few good books with you this morning with my reviews of each one of them. I will also give you the links to where you can purchase these books for yourselves.

First up is my dear friend Paul Zunckel. Paul resides over the seas from me, but none the less we have become great friend's and keep in touch daily. So here are his books and my reviews:

Paul has several books under his belt and I can not get enough of his books! Each one grabs you from the start and keeps you holding on til the end. I have grown to love his characters and wait with anxiety to see what Paul has in store for them with each new arrival!

Find Paul on Goodreads!

Devil In Eden

Blood Spoor In The Dark

Blood Demon: Revenge

Blood Moon Over Africa

by Paul Zunckel (Goodreads Author)

 Absolutely wonderful book! Paul can really bring you into a story. The characters are great and highly likable. I find myself wanting to read more and more!

The video link is: Blood Moon Over Africa Sneak Peek Video

Free Preview : Blood Moon Over Africa  Free Preview

Crafty Little creature am I!

Morning everyone! Today I am sharing this tutorial from an old blog I have. I did warn you that I have MANY hobbies, so much so that my daughter tells me I should just pick one and stick with it. I can't!!! There are so many things in life to do and see that I refuse (ok, not refuse I just can not help myself but to see something beautiful or unique and I am pulled in to it anddddddd......I HAVE to try to make it for myself. I am pretty sure that a trained professional in arts of mentality would have something to say about that, but that will be for another day).

So with out further ado I repost my old post here for you.:
Dated: 10/8/2013 by me.
Good Morning to you all!!  Today I decided to share the project I did for an upcoming silent auction for our local American Legion. I got the idea from a project posted on www.Hometalk.com . This project took about three days to finish in total due to my hectic work schedule and home life. I have a preteen and hubby, and you know how that can get LOL!
Any who, back to the task at hand. I got the pallet wood from a friend who found them at the local newspaper. I had originally wanted full pallets but I wasn't about to turn down free untouched wood!!! These were only partial pallets. The night before I started my project, I got out the steel wool and tore it up a bit and put it in a coffee can. Next I poured the vinegar over the steel wool and put the lid on and left it alone. The vinegar and steel wool takes 24 hours to work its magic.
When I felt the solution was ready to work with I set out to get down to the basement and get to work. I had been itching to get this project started and couldn't wait to start. I picked out a frame and three boards that would fit nicely into the frame. I didn't want them to fit snugly into place because I wanted it to look more like an old fence or old barn wood. I brushed the tea on with a small paint brush that I had picked up for $1.00 at the local Walmart. I didn't need anything fancy for this project so I went with the good ole cheapy. As you can see from the pictures posted below, the tea made a nice stain effect bringing the color out in the wood. I was almost tempted to stop there because I liked the color!!
I waited about 30 minutes for the tea to soak into the wood nicely, then followed up with the vinegar solution. I brushed it right on top of the tea and stepped back and waited to see what would happen. Within 30 more minutes you could started to see the aging process start!! I was fascinated watching this nice new piece of wood age before my eyes! I wanted to make sure the process took, so I did a second coat of both tea and vinegar for good measure.
I left the wood to dry over night and when I came back I had beautiful aged wood boards to work with. The next step was to cut the frame down to the right size. Easily enough done by cutting it in half. The only problem is that I don't have a power saw. I had to use a had saw. I had forgotten how labor intensive this could be seeing as I hadn't used the hand saw since 8th grade shop class and that was many, many, many years ago!! But I work with what I have, and having to use manual tools just made the whole thing more satisfying since, I really had to work for this project. I can literally say blood and sweat went into this one (no tears here except maybe ones of joy when it sells and the proceeds go to a good cause).
Next, I nailed the boards into place, yes with a real hammer, not a nail gun, once again manual labor the whole nine yards here. However, I didn't take the traditional route with the placement and making the nails uniform. I nailed them here and there along the wood enough so that the boards were firmly in place. Again, I repeat I did this for the rustic look, not because I don't know how to properly nail boards in place. Every detail in a project not matter how minor it maybe, is important!!
After the sign was pieced together and I had the look I wanted. I placed some decals on that had a much nicer saying... HOWEVER, the decals refused to stay in place. I was immediately frustrated. So I decided that it would be best to just break out the stencils and paint at least one saying onto the wood planks. The paint dried pretty quick. Next step, I got out my little hand sander and went over the top of the entire project with a fine 120 grit sand paper. This step aged out the black paint and gave me a nice smooth finish on the sign.
 I was pleased with the way the sign had come out but I felt that something was still missing.
I went to a site called Thegraphicsfairy.com and found a nice little graphic that would fit perfectly in the bottom left hand corner:

wreath

To get this onto the wood, I printed the graphic off on some wax paper. I had to wet the wood a little bit to get the graphic to be a little darker on the wood. I transferred it to the wood by placing the fresh printed page directly to the wood and held it firmly in place then used a spoon to rub the ink into the wood. There was no need to distress the decal because it already had the aged look once it was on the wood.

I unfortunately forgot to get a picture of this as I needed to get it to the Legion quickly for the auction.

This project in total only cost me, about $10.00. I will update you all later as to how much the sign was auctioned off for. I hope you like this project and please feel free to leave comments below!!

Unfinished wooden pallet boards before aging process

First step process effects (tea)

2nd step vinegar & steel wool solution

Frame from the same pallet

After about 30 minutes

Finished sign (actually I went back and added a decal to the bottom left for an added touch)

Morning roll call in the news

Ok here, is what is on my morning news feed. I am only posting the ones that make me ask the question WTH??? ( you know what that means, and if not then look it up)

NOTE**  All articles retain their own rights and I have nothing to do with contributing to them, please give credit where credit is due.  These articles are not mine I am only posting the links for you to read them on your own.

http://www.cdph.ca.gov/Pages/NR15-067.aspx   Really? Why are we even importing cucumbers in the first place? I mean those things grow like weeds here!!

Who knew pillow fights could be so dangerous? All I have to say to this one is maybe they shouldn't have gotten so.........cocky??

For this one there was no specific news link, just a Facebook post. I just have to shake my head at this one.

I don't care who are or what your beliefs are, but when you start disobeying the LAW over your beliefs then you get what you deserve!

www.facebook.com/topic/Mike-Huckabee/108048602550047?source=whrt&position=8&trqid=6191058352910615185
moving on.....

And now this just in (insert that annoying old time noise they used to play for head line news back in the old days)

Seriously?

well those are just a few that I have come across this morning. The hubby figure is home from work and I suppose I need to put this on the shelf and wait for tomorrow morning, until then thank you for reading The Cheeky Rooster and remember "don't be so cocky!".

My daughter will probably kill me for this but....

So, I have a daughter who just entered High School. I watched her walk to her new bus stop on the first day and waited for her to board the bus and whisk her away and take her to her next adventure that is High School (yes I know that was redundant, but I am still in denial people! Let it go.)

It has been a few weeks now since she entered the scene, and has made numerous new friends and all has been great so far.

Homecoming is approaching quickly and to say the least my daughter has never been overly fond of going to the dances. That has all changed now. I have her formal ordered and I have been researching how to do those ridiculously impossible hair do's that are so much in style now ( what ever happened to a simple up-do?).  I am posting a video below to show exactly why it is she has done a complete 180.... and now I am working more hours to help pay for it, but I love it and I will say this, there are a lot of boys out there that have a new standard for asking out a girl!!

Enjoy!

Amazing Indie Authors you probably never heard of

I made note in my welcome post that I have many hobbies. One of my favorite hobbies is writing, and of course reading. I am a self published Indie Author. My titles include : The Cypress Hills Series, The Immortal Design, and The lady in the Window. You can find my books on amazon if you would like to check them out.

I have met several new Indie Authors on my journey through the publishing and social media circus such that it is. It really is such a circus! You have the Brave and Daring acts, ( those who write about horror or mystery suspense) then you have the typical clowns, ( I like to call these small vanity publishing houses) they charge YOU to publish your books! HA what a joke that is!!

SIDE NOTE**** If you are an inspiring writer PLEASE DO NOT SEND MONEY TO A PUBLISHER TO PRINT YOUR BOOK, THIS IS A SCAM!

Agh yes I have forgot to mention all of the animals!! Of course there are animals in a circus (slaps self on forehead for almost forgetting to mention the animals!) Where to place the animals? I suppose they could range from the writer to the reader and anything in between.

A very good friend of mine Paul Zunckel who is becoming a very well known Author shared with me his experience with a few animals of his own. He has many admiring fans, a lot are women. With out going out on a limb and hanging about like a monkey, I will just say he learned that the tiger will bite the hand that feeds it!! I will need to get Paul's permission to print his story. Let's just leave it at this..... writer's be warned, it is nice to mingle with your fans, they LOVE it and it promotes your books, however, watch out for those who will not take NO for an answer!!

On to the performers of the circus. The writers themselves. Don't over look a book by the name that's on the book!! I can not stress this enough. You sit around for years waiting for more famous authors to put out that next book, and then BAM!!  Your series has ended with them and you feel like a jilted lover, all the while you had let something unseen pass you right by. A little mystery makes great history as I like to say.

So don't get so cocky! Open a book written and published by and Indie Author!

The Immortal Design