Snowy Blog Hop

Authors Promoting Authors had a great idea. It's called the Snowy Reading Blog Hop. We answer questions as our main character, and we "hop" around to read how other authors interview THEIR main character. And I haven't posted on this blog in a really long time, so BONUS incentive.

I'm going to take it a step further for you, dear readers. I'm going to answer as the main character of my first book, THE LIST, but then stay tuned after that, because I'm going to answer also as the main character of my as-yet-unpublished newly completed work, Forever Yours. You can't buy it just yet, but maybe it'll whet your whistle. :)

First, THE LIST 

Hi Candace and welcome to the Snowy Reading Blog hop. We're so excited to have you here today. ~ Thank you, glad to be here. Happy holidays ya'll!

Tell us a little about yourself. ~ My name is Candace, I'm a 30-something formerly single girl who had a crazy list of 50 or so things (I'm thorough) I wanted in my future husband. I met two men. One was Mr. Right On Paper, and the other was Mr. Wrong On Paper. I had to decide if you can put "perfect" on paper.

Do you enjoy or dislike winter? Tell us why.  ~ The only good thing about winter is snuggling with your honey to keep warm. I don't like to be cold. Brrrrr.

What would you do on a date (or with close friends) on a snowy evening? ~ When I was single, I would've visited my girls and had a game night in with brownies. Now that I'm blissfully in love, I just like to stay in with my guy and "nest"

When it's cold and dreary outside, what makes you laugh out loud? ~ My cat - he's so funny! Jon Stewart also makes me laugh, if I can stay up late enough to watch him :)

If you were sitting around a fire, playing truth or dare, what would you choose and why? ~ Truth, because I'm a generally open person, and also, a big chicken. :)

Tell us about a winter memory from your childhood? ~ I remember being a kid and sleighing down the hill with my dad. I enjoyed getting pulled back up almost more than sledding down.

What is the most creative gift you would put under the tree? ~ I once put several boxes under the tree with notes in them. Each note was a clue to what the big present was (because the big present would've been too obviously guessed.)

Would you start a snowball fight?  ~ Absolutely. I'm mischievous like that.

Tell us about your favourite winter movie or book? ~ I love the holidays. So I'd pick Miracle on 34th Street.

How do you celebrate the holidays? Be it Christmas or Hannaukah or the Winter Solstice. ~ I'm a Christmas girl (but I also celebrate "Happy Whatever" with my assortment of friends.) So right after Thanksgiving, I put up the tree, decorate the house and go into baking mode.

You can purchase THE LIST either as a Kindle ebook or a paperback on Amazon.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Now, the interview with my newest character, from my just-completed manuscript, FOREVER YOURS.

Hi Genevieve and welcome to the Snowy Reading Blog hop. We're so excited to have you here today. ~ Thanks for having me.

Tell us a little about yourself. ~ My name is Genevieve, and I've had one heck of a year. I was on my way home after a night on Bourbon Street, and found myself staring down the barrel of a gun. Next thing I know, I'm in the morgue — awake — with this strange (but handsome) guy telling me I'm immortal, and he's my guide. Apparently, The Big Guy needs me to help wage the war between good and evil. Now, I'm fighting Lucifer's minions, trying to come to terms with learning that my boyfriend is some kind of Healer, and trying to figure out what my Achilles Heel is. Because for me to truly live without fear, I have to learn how I can die.

Hmmm. That's dark. Do you enjoy or dislike winter? Tell us why.  ~ I live in New Orleans, or as we say here "N'awlins" so we don't really have much of a winter. I can tell you that I don't like Daylight Savings Time, because it's not good for me when it's darker outside for longer periods. You do NOT want to know what things come out in the dark.

Um, no, not really. You're right. What would you do on a date (or with close friends) on a snowy evening? ~ Snow is rare here, we worry more about hurricanes. But on a rainy night, I would probably like to just spend time with my boyfriend. Though, we don't have a lot of "off nights" - New Orleans is a busy place in the good vs. evil battle.

When it's cold and dreary outside, what makes you laugh out loud? ~ I'm a smart-ass by nature, so I can find humor in even the most dire of situations. Laughter keeps you human.

If you were sitting around a fire, playing truth or dare, what would you choose and why? ~ Probably "dare" - because most people don't want to know the "truth."

Tell us about a winter memory from your childhood? ~ I used to love the holidays. I liked the lighted boat parade out on the Mississippi.

What is the most creative gift you would put under the tree? ~ An amulet or some kind of magick safety spell.

Would you start a snowball fight?  ~ Please, I WISH the fights I was in just involved snowballs.

Tell us about your favourite winter movie or book? ~ I'm a sucker for the Grinch.

How do you celebrate the holidays? Be it Christmas or Hannaukah or the Winter Solstice. ~ Since I'm fighting for the Big Guy, we celebrate Christmas. But it's different. There's a tree and gifts, yes, but it's one of the few days of the year where even the Reds (Lucifer's crowd) respect the birth of the Son of God. So it's mostly just a day of peace.

Find Candace and The List on Facebook

If you aren't already, I invite you to become a fan of The List on Facebook. There, you can ask me (Carmen) questions, ask Candice (the main character) questions or just engage with us in polls, updates and more. Reader comments are always welcomed!

The Author's Show

The interview that I recorded a few months ago is now live on the Author's Show Web site. I talk about THE LIST, my next book, advice for new authors and more.

I am the featured author today, and for the next few days, you can scroll through the playlist of author interviews and search for my name.

A special thanks to Don McCauley for being a marvelous host and interviewer!

"I do" list

So instead of a list of qualifications in my future husband, I'm now working on a list of things I need to do for the wedding. I call it my "I do" list.

Keeping track of it on another blog - http://wascallywedding.blogspot.com/

The wedding is taking up a lot of my brain, so I'm stalled on book 2. However, wedding is also stirring the creative juices, so I'm sure the thoughts will explode onto the paper shortly.

Where'd I go?

Yeah, yeah, I know. It's been a long time since my last blogging post. I have a really good explanation!

I've been suffering with REALLY bad migraines for a few months, so after I'm on the computer all day at my day job, my poor, sore brain can't take anymore computer time. Thus, no blog posts.

But today I was prompted over on a digital scrapbooking site I frequent (Miss Honey - she's quite talented with design) to write a letter to Santa. I thought I'd continue my thoughts here. Perhaps you'd like to post what YOUR letter to Santa would be in the comments?

Dear Santa,

I've been pretty good this year, so I should definitely bee on the "nice" list (I figure you'll give me at least one pass for that one time, right?)

I'd like to ask if I could borrow your sleigh after Christmas - and the reindeer too, please - because I need a vacation to Vegas, and the airlines are just too expensive and the airports are just crazy.

I'd like to ask that you please bring a really great job to my fiance. He's been so good this year, he gave me a ring and everything, so that would make him really happy.

I'd also like to add a money tree to my list. If you could plant it in the backyard when you come, we could harvest some in the spring to continue work on our beautiful new home. I'll be sure to share the harvest from the money tree with those that are less fortunate, or those that forgot to ask for a money tree. That way, I'll be on your "nice" list again next year.

Thanks Santa, remember, we have a REAL fireplace this year, so you can come down the chimney and you don't have to jimmy the locks. The cookies will be on the table, and the carrots for the reindeer are in the fridge, just tell Rudolph not to mess on the lawn again, okay?

Love, Carmen

Project 2996 - We will never forget

Today's post isn't about my book, or writing, or other authors. It's about honoring those that perished on September 11, 2001 with Project 2996 - a wonderful idea by Dale C. Roe.

From what I’ve read about Melissa Rose Barnes, Yeoman second class, U.S. Navy, I think that if we’d had the opportunity to meet, we would've been friends. Her family and friends have described her as the family "clown" – and anyone who makes people laugh can be a friend of mine!

Melissa was stationed at the Pentagon, and was there on September 11, 2001, when American Airlines Flight 77 was hijacked and used as a weapon against the United States. She was 27 years old.

I was living in the DC suburbs at the time, and I can remember that day as clear as glass. I was at work as a Web editor for the Finance channel at AOL, and monitoring Wall Street on the television. The station brought us breaking news to tell us that the first plane had hit the World Trade Center. Honestly, I thought "how awful!" but assumed, as did most, that it was a fluke accident. Only a few minutes later, the second plane hit, and my heart sank into my stomach. Our office building was right next to Dulles Airport, so we were quickly evacuated. I listened to the radio as I was driving home, shaking and crying and wondering what kind of world I now lived in. The radio guy (Elliot in the Morning) said that he was getting reports that the USA Today buildings had been hit because people could see smoke rising behind them. I would find out when I returned home and turned on NBC that the smoke they were seeing was actually coming from the Pentagon, located directly behind those buildings.

I was very concerned about those in the Pentagon, as my friend's father worked there as well. Once the phone lines were open again, I found out that her dad was okay. But others weren't. Melissa wasn't.

"Mel," as she was called, was scheduled to start her first seaborne assignment the next month. Mel's mom told the Washington Post that her daughter was so proud to wear her uniform and serve her country. I wish I could somehow tell Mel and her mom that I am so proud of her for her service and her sacrifice.

I still can't think about September 11, 2001 without getting emotional – and I'm tearing up as I write this. Mel and the other 2998 people who died that day paid the ultimate price for my freedom, my liberty and my happiness. Everyone's world changed that day – and the family and friends of the victims will never be the same. My loss was of innocence, their loss was of spirit.

I honor Melissa Rose Barnes, and look up as I write this and give her a salute. I know she's probably looking back and laughing, just as her family remembers her.

We will never forget.

Read about Project 2996 and see the other participants, so you can read the other memorials and honor them as well.

New Book Widget for THE LIST

I subscribe to a lot of newsletters with author tips and tricks, and several have now recommended BookBuzzr. So, I took a look, and thought it was a cool way to share my book with everyone. With the widget below, you can read an excerpt of the first two chapters, see reviews, press, etc. You can even buy with thw link - it takes you straight to Amazon.