Celebrating: Breakfast Danish & Freebies!

Today I'm celebrating:
1) I finished Ch 6, and then got wild and crazy and jumped to writing Ch 8!  I've never written chapters out of order before.  It's kinda scary...
2) My wondrous CPs have accepted my apology for not keeping up with critiques. I just wanna finish Ch 8 while my muse is alive and kicking!
3) It's time to admit that my favorite way to start my writing day is with a cup of coffee and a Cinnamon Danish with raisins.  I love those things!  Sometimes I don't have any and have to resort to oatmeal with raisins -- probably better for me but not as fun.

Do you have a favorite breakfast food?  Have you ever written chapters out of order?

My kind and wonderful co-hosts of Celebrate the Small Things are:
L.G. Keltner @ Writing Off The Edge
Katie @ TheCyborgMom

Celebrate The Small Things Sign-Up Linky:



Grab the Linky html-code here:
<script type="text/javascript" src="http://www.simply-linked.com/listwidget.aspx?l=79cd691b-a101-48a4-8603-4d22bb6626d8"> </script>

 Celebrate the Small Things. To be part of this blog hop, all you have to do is put your name on the linky list on Lexa's Blog, and then post every Friday about something you're grateful  for that week.  It can be about writing or family or school or general life.  This is the funnest and easiest blog hop ever! (Originated by VikLit)

Foxy's Friday Freebies!

Foxy has been nosing around the net. 

When she finds great FREE STUFF, she'll feature it on Fridays Freebies posts -

• Free short stories, novellas, and novels
• Giveaways for books and swag
• Free services for authors

Here are Foxy's suggestions for Jan 30, 2015:

Free Audio Short Story On Audible – Get your FREE audio copy of the short story “Last Request” by Jeff Chapman NOW!  Just go to this link --> Contact Form on Jeff Chapman’s blog <-- and request the coupon codes for Audible "Last Request."

My review of "Last Request" on Amazon: 

(5 stars) Charming and Creepy Gothic Tale

I don’t read historical fiction very often, but I’m so glad I read this one! The premise captured me from the first instant. Why on earth would someone want his head cut off? Little by little, the puzzle unravels, and it all starts to make sense.

There were so many things I loved about this story. The main character is as sweet as she is brave. Even though she must defy the customs of the time and endanger herself, she's so ethical and loyal that she doesn't back down from her duty. All the characters are vibrant, quirky-but-realistic people who made me feel right at home. I could have read an entire novel featuring these characters and enjoyed every minute. The most delightful thing was the attention paid to the time period. All the details -- the dress, morals, and mode of speech -- were perfect. Even the settings were perfect, from drawing rooms, to servants’ quarters, to an eerie cemetery. This is a soft-toned horror story, shaded in velvety hues, like the sepia prints of the Victorian Gothic time period. Everything blends perfectly to create a wonderful reading experience. I can’t wait to read more by this author!

Free Epic Historical Novel - Win 1 of 5 hardcover copies of The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah (St. Martin's Press). Enter your email in the entry box on the BookBrowse blog. (US residents only - ends Feb 2)

Free YA Thriller Novel - Win a hardcover copy of Black Dove, White Raven by Elizabeth Wein (author of Code Name Verity) released by Disney Hyperion. Giveaway via Rafflecopter on The Reading Date blog. (US residents only - ends Feb 4)


Free $5 Amazon Gift Card and set of NA Contemp Romance eBooks - Win  $5 Amazon card and a set of 3 ebooks from the Love Me Not series by S.R. Grey via Rafflecopter on the My Book Addiction blog. (ends Feb 4)


For Foxy's other Freebies, go to the Freebie page.

If anyone has a FREE short story (for download or online at a free ezine), novella, novel, special giveaway, or author service, please let Foxy know so she can plug you here!  Write to: laura.6eg(at)gmail.com

Celebrate: Laughing Minions & Freebies

Why am I celebrating Laughing Minions?  

Because they're so cute!!

I don't need a better reason than that. ;)  

I got lots of things done this week!

1)  I made lentil soup, rice, mousaka, chicken noodle casserole, and ... ?  No, I guess that was it.  It just felt like a lot more.  This should last us a few days while I write and do "me" stuff.
2)  I finished revising Ch 5, posted it in my group, and one CP has already made amazingly helpful suggestions!  
3)  I wrote Ch 6 in one day! WOW! Yes, it's only 1600 words and still needs lots of revision -- but that's really, really good for me. Snails and turtles regularly pass me on freeways...

Do you cook day-by-day or cook a big amount so it lasts?  What's the average word length of your chapters?

For Celebrate the Small Things, my kind and wonderful co-hosts are:
L.G. Keltner @ Writing Off The Edge
Katie @ TheCyborgMom

Celebrate The Small Things Sign-Up Linky:



Grab the Linky html-code here:
<script type="text/javascript" src="http://www.simply-linked.com/listwidget.aspx?l=79cd691b-a101-48a4-8603-4d22bb6626d8"> </script>

Foxy's Friday Freebies!

Foxy has been nosing around the net. 

When she finds great FREE STUFF, she'll feature it on Fridays Freebies posts -

• Free short stories, novellas, and novels
• Giveaways for books and swag
• Free services for authors

Here are Foxy's suggestions for Jan 23, 2015:

$50 Amazon Gift Card and Free eBook – Win a $50 Amazon card and a Kindle copy of 52 Likes, the fabulous new book by Medeia Sharif. Enter via Rafflecopter on Medeia Sharif’s blog. (ends Feb 17)

Free $15 Amazon Card or NA Contemporary Novel - Win a $15 Amazon Gift card or the novel My Lea (A Broken Love Story) by E. Mellyberry via Rafflecopter on Mythical Books. (ends Jan 29)

Free YA Fantasy eBook - Win The Queen's Gift by T.R. Allardice via Rafflecopter on My Book Addiction blog. (ends Feb 15)




Free $20 Amazon Gift Card - Win a $20 Amazon card to celebrate the release of Withering Hope (NA Romance) by Layla Hagen via Rafflecopter on Mythical Books. (ends Jan 31)

Free $25 Amazon Gift Card - Win a $25 Amazon card to celebrate the release of Rescue My Heart (Romance) by Jean Joachim via Rafflecopter on the Books, Freebies & Giveaways blog. (ends Feb 5)

Free $20 Voucher for the Any Online Distributor - Win a voucher/gift certificate for the book distributor of your choice (Amazon, iTunes, Kobo, etc.) to celebrate the release of Love and Other Lies (Romance) by Madeline Ash via Rafflecopter on My Book Addiction blog. (ends Jan 29)


For Foxy's other Freebies, go to the Freebie page.

If anyone has a FREE short story (for download or online at a free ezine), novella, novel, special giveaway, or author service, please let Foxy know so she can plug you here!  Write to: laura.6eg(at)gmail.com

 Celebrate the Small Things. To be part of this blog hop, all you have to do is put your name on the linky list on Lexa's Blog, and then post every Friday about something you're grateful  for that week.  It can be about writing or family or school or general life.  This is the funnest and easiest blog hop ever! (Originated by VikLit)

Celebrate: Down Time & Freebies

My husband's a musician/singer who works in hotels.  He and a bunch of his musician friends have been laid off along with other staff as the hotels go into snooze mode for the winter.  It's been tough to keep a job in the past few years for obvious reasons, but we carry on.  

Instead of moaning about it, we're planning to do some home improvement projects in the next few months, like enclosing our balconies, cleaning out closets, throwing away boxes of junk, and replacing our old water tank. 

This week, I'm celebrating free time that can be used any way you want!  If you're facing employment challenges or waiting to hear from an agent or publication, consider it a time for DIY projects or simply lounge around and enjoy the quiet life!


What do you do when life unexpectedly gives you some down time?


My kind and wonderful co-hosts are:
L.G. Keltner @ Writing Off The Edge
Katie @ TheCyborgMom

Celebrate The Small Things Sign-Up Linky:



Grab the Linky html-code here:
<script type="text/javascript" src="http://www.simply-linked.com/listwidget.aspx?l=79cd691b-a101-48a4-8603-4d22bb6626d8"> </script>

EDIT - There were typos in a few of the links. I visited every site and changed broken links. All fixed now!! :)
2nd EDIT - OK, had to go in again and change a few more addresses from "http" to "www" b/c apparently this linky doesn't like "http." Go figure. Crossing my fingers every link works now. 

Foxy's Friday Freebies!

Foxy has been nosing around the net. 

When she finds great FREE STUFF, she'll feature it on Fridays Freebies posts -

• Free short stories, novellas, and novels
• Giveaways for books and swag
• Free services for authors

Here are Foxy's suggestions for Jan 16, 2015:

Free eBook of Your Choice – Bish Denham is offering a signed copy of Anansi and Company or A Lizard’s Tale to two winners. Go to Carol Kilgore’s Contest Page and enter. (ends Jan 31)

One of Two Free Novels – win either From the Fifteenth District (literary collection) by Mavis Gallant or The City of Blood (mystery) by Frederique Molay. Fill out the entry form on France Book Tours blog. (ends Feb 1)

Free Kindle Copy of Historical Novel – win The Secret Diary of Eleanor Cobham by Tony Riches by commenting and leaving your email on Unusual Historicals blog. 

Free Fantasy Novel - Win a print copy of Burned by Flames by Jeaniene Frost. Just leave a comment on the Wicked Scribes blog. (ends Jan 27)

Free Easy-Reader/Chapter Book Children’s Book – Win a hardback print copy of Hissy Fitz by Patrick Jennings (Egmont Publishing). Fill out an entry form on The Children’s Book Review blog. (ends Feb 8)

Free YA Post-Apocolytpic Horror eBook – Win The Last Orphans by N.W. Harris via Rafflecopter on My Book Addiction blog. (ends Jan 26)



$20 Amazon Gift Card – Win an Amazon gift card to celebrate the release of Raven—Chronicles of Steele (Steampunk) by Pauline Creeden via Rafflecopter on My Book Addition blog. (ends Jan 22)

Free First Page Critiques by Dianne Salerni (author of The Eighth Day series, HarperCollins 2014) and Marcy Hatch (author of West of Paradise, WiDo 2014). Get the email address from their blogs. Openings available for February and March!


For Foxy's other Freebies, go to the Freebie page.

If anyone has a FREE short story (for download or online at a free ezine), novella, novel, special giveaway, or author service, please let Foxy know so she can plug you here!  Write to: laura.6eg(at)gmail.com

 Celebrate the Small Things. To be part of this blog hop, all you have to do is put your name on the linky list on Lexa's Blog, and then post every Friday about something you're grateful  for that week.  It can be about writing or family or school or general life.  This is the funnest and easiest blog hop ever! (Originated by VikLit)

Celebrate the Small Things

Two years ago, Vikki at VikLit Blog started a weekly hop called Celebrate the Small Things.  It's a delightful and easy hop, the participants are wonderful, and I've loved being part of it.  Now, after doing a great job for so long, she's stepping aside -- and I'll be your new blog-hop host!  Yippie!

How it works:

1) Sign up on the linky list below. (Put in your name or your blog name, and your email, and your blog's address, and hit "Submit.") EDIT - Because of spam links, the linky is closed. Please write and request your blog to be added to the hop at: laura.6eg(at)gmail.com 
2) Each Friday, post in your blog something you wish to celebrate achieving / doing that week.

It can be writing related: I finished a tricky chapter! I worked on my outline!
It can be reading related: I read two books!
It can be life related: I tidied my sock drawer! My child finally ate something green! I cleaned the shed!

Sometimes the week's been so tough you can just celebrate surviving it.  This week I was sick as a dog, but I'm still alive and hope to recover soon.

Feel free to include your celebration item within a post covering other topics.

2A) Use the badge, and link to this blog page -- http://lexacain.blogspot.com/2015/01/celebrate-small-things.html  And you can grab the linky html and use it on your post.
3) Hop around other blogs and offer congratulations/a pat on the back to other people. If everyone visits at least a few other blogs, we'll all have some congratulations.
4) Feel warm and fuzzy inside!

Two kind and wonderful co-hosts are helping:
L.G. Keltner @ Writing Off The Edge
Katie @ TheCyborgMom

Celebrate The Small Things Linky:



Grab the Linky html-code here:
<script type="text/javascript" src="http://www.simply-linked.com/listwidget.aspx?l=79cd691b-a101-48a4-8603-4d22bb6626d8"> </script>

When someone comments on my blog, I always go to theirs to return a comment.  But I've been having trouble recently.  When I hit publish on some blogs, my comment doesn't appear.  Even if I try to comment using another browzer (I have 4), I can't get anything to appear.  I think I'm accidentally tripping the SPAM guard. 

So please check your SPAM folder because I may be in there!  HELP get me out of SPAM!!

Celebrate 2015 and Freebies!

So, here it is --> 2015 <-- the new year!  I don't know about you, but my 2014 left a lot to be desired.  Actually, it was a regular suckfest with numerous health and work problems.  I have high hopes for 2015!  Bring it on, baby!

How was your 2014?  Are you happy or sad to see it go?  Any important goals for the New Year?  Tell me - I want to know everything!!! 

Foxy's Friday Freebies!

Foxy has been nosing around the net. 
When she finds great FREE STUFF, she'll feature it on Fridays Freebies posts -

• Free short stories, novellas, and novels
• Giveaways for books and swag
• Free services for authors

Here are Foxy's suggestions for Jan 2, 2015:

YA Sci-Fi Novel and YA Literary Novel Giveaways – Ender’s Shadow by Orson Scott Card and Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Saenz. This is a blog giveaway and when I visited, there were only two entries! That means you have a very good chance to win! Enter on OK Potato Blog. (ends Jan 29)

YA “Epic Book Giveaway” – win your choice of:
ELEANOR AND PARK by Rainbow Rowell (Autographed)
CHAMPION by Marie Lu (Autographed)
REBOOT by Amy Tintera (Autographed)
MILA 2.0 by Debra Driza (Autographed)
GET EVEN by Gretchen McNeil (Autographed)
UNREMEMBERED by Jessica Brody (Autographed)
THE KISS OF DECEPTION by Mary E. Pearson
There will be 7 winners. Enter on Jessica Brody Blog. (ends Jan 9)

8 Romance Novellas Giveaway – Win a box set of novellas called Players - Sports Romance by 8 separate authors via entry form on Romance Novel Giveaways. Only a few entries so far. Your chances to win are good! (ends Jan 14)

$50 Amazon Giftcard – Win an Amazon giftcard to celebrate the release of Gone by Anna Bloom via rafflecopter on Romance Novel Giveaways. (ends Jan 9)

YA Paranormal Novel Giveaway – win your choice of two Paranormal ebooks, Haunted or Imprint by B.J. Sheldon. Enter via Rafflecopter on My Book Addiction. (ends Jan 15)

For Foxy's other Freebies, go to the Freebie page.

If anyone has a FREE short story (for download or online at a free ezine), novella, novel, special giveaway, or author service, please let Foxy know so she can plug you here!  Write to: laura.6eg(at)gmail.com

This post is part of VikLit's blog hop, Celebrate the Small Things. To be part of this blog hop, all you have to do is follow the link and put your name on the Mr.Linky list, and then be sure to post every Friday about something you're grateful  for that week.  It can be about writing or family or school or general life.  This is the funnest and easiest blog hop ever!