Fat Friday on a Thursday??

Yes, I've actually gotten Baxter to bend time and allow me to post this today. :)

Well, tomorrow is my birthday, so I have a different sort of post in mind for that. :)

Whovian Wednesday, The Name of the Doctor

O-M-G!

Love it or hate it, The name of the Doctor is one of those super hyped episodes that leave us with more questions than answers. Yes, we know who Clara is. Yes, we know why she's the Impossible Girl. Yes, she was a superb plot device, very cleverly written and woven in the fabric of time. (see what I did there) But now what?

Well, until the Anniversary special, let's just allow ourselves to LOVE Moffat for at least a few months. I know the last series of Doctor Who left many of us wondering when things would pick up. Even if I love the Ponds, and hated that they were leaving, since their awesome departure, (because let's face it, that was an epic exit) things have improved.

Clara's first appearance endeared her to me and to many Whovians. I'm just glad, that even if some people are calling her just a plot devise (which is kind of harsh) her plot line was disentangled and gave us a huge explanation about why she's the impossible girl. But, the thing I loved the most was seeing all the Doctors (yay Five!) as Clara did.

Ugh, when is the anniversary special going to air? :) Because this is my mind during the last 28 seconds of The Name of the Doctor:

I mean seriously!!!

My favorite quotes!

Jenny: How'd you do that?
River Song: Disgracefully...

Doctor:  Where are they?
Clara:  At the cinema.
Doctor:  The little…Daleks.

Clara:  So…how come I met your dead wife?
Doctor:  Oh well, you know how it is when you lose someone close to you.  I sort of made a back-up.


River:  How are you even doing that?  I’m not really here.
Doctor:  You are always here to me and I always listen.  And I can always see you.
River:  Then why didn’t you speak to me?
Doctor:  Because I thought it would hurt too much.
River:  I believe I could have coped.
Doctor:  No, I thought it would hurt me…and I was right.
<Gives River a passionate kiss>
Doctor:  Since nobody else in this room can see you God knows how that looked.

And a last quote, the one that broke me! Because I think, this episode is the last time that we're going to see River. :(

Doctor:  There is a time to live and a time to sleep.  You are an echo, River.  Like Clara, like all of us.  In the end, my fault, I know, but you should have faded by now.
River:  It’s hard to leave when you haven’t said goodbye.
Doctor:  Then tell me because I don’t know.  How do I say it?
River:  There’s only one way I’d accept.  If you ever loved me say it like you’re going to come back.
Doctor:  Well then, see you around, Professor River Song.
River:  Till the next time, Doctor.
Doctor:  Don’t wait up.
River:  Oh, there’s one more thing.
Doctor:  Isn’t there always?
River:  I was mentally linked with Clara.  If she’s really dead, then how can I still be here?
Doctor:  Okay…how?
River:  Spoilers!  Goodbye, sweetie.

Michael by Annabell Cadiz Cover Reveal

Michael (Sons of Old Trilogy, #2)

Author: Annabell Cadiz

Genre: New Adult, Supernatural, Urban Fantasy, Paranormal

Estimated Publication Date: August 2013

Add on Goodreads!

Synopsis: Zahara Faraday looks like a normal eighteen-year-old and lives in a quiet neighborhood with her overprotective parents. She works at a bookstore and hangs out with her best friend Becca King on a daily basis. But underneath the normal lies a secret life filled with dangerous supernaturals. Zahara belongs to a world made of Light Witches, rogue Imagoes (supernatural creatures with super strength, speed), fallen angels, and Nephilim (hybrid children born half-human, half-angel). Where her father Solomon Faraday is human, her mother Mia and her Aunt Catalina are Light Witches. They help protect the human world by hunting down rogue supernaturals who commit heinous acts against humans.

What they never expected was the possibility of having to hunt down the one rogue coven they had befriended and come to trust in their battle against Lucifer. Rekesh Saint-Louis is the leader of the most powerful Imago coven in Florida and now he’s the most wanted. Supernatural bodies are starting to pile up with an ancient ritual long forbade being used to murder them and the symbol, one large cross with four smaller crosses around it, which represents Rekesh’s coven, being left behind. Rekesh and the Elders of his coven set out to find who is behind the murders and clearing his name before a war between the covens begins. To make matters more difficult, Rekesh also has to deal with the return of someone he would rather preferred stayed away.

Meanwhile, Zahara and Becca are spending more time brushing up on their training, knowing an attack from Lucifer can come at any moment. Between patrolling neighborhoods and hanging at the boarding school created by Charles Stephens—a fallen angel who created the school to protect the children of rogue supernaturals—they are introduced to an old friend of Charles, Michael. Zahara begins to develop a closer bond with Jason as they train and chase down clues to clear Rekesh’s name. Jason also starts to develop a close bond with Michael, protecting a very powerful secret.

But Rekesh’s coven being set up isn’t the only danger. A new powerful and lethal drug has emerged from the shadows of the supernatural world called Inferi. A side effect of the drug: it leaves the supernatural hungering for blood—both human and supernatural. 

Lucifer is on the move and he will stop at nothing to get his hands on Zahara and complete the first act of his plan.

A battle is about to begin. 

One that may cost the Faraday family everything they hold most dear.

About the Author: Annabell Cadiz was born in the sweltering heat of South Florida. She was raised surrounded by Puerto Rican chefs and band of siblings that weren’t all related to her. A self-proclaimed nerd and book-a-holic (her room does hold much evidence to prove her claims are justifiable), she created TeamNerd Reviews to showcase her EXTREME love for novels where, along with her best friend, Bridget Strahin, she hosts book reviews, interviews, giveaways, Indie Shoutouts and much more. She also had the pleasure of being published in three separate issue of Suspense Magazine. She also adores Cinnamon Teddy Grahams, has an addiction to Minute Maid Orange juice, and is a proud Jesus Freak. Her debut novel, Lucifer (Sons of Old Trilogy, #1) was published January 2013 and Michael (Sons of Old Trilogy, #2) is set to be published Summer 2013.

Where to Find the Author: 

Website/Goodreads/TeamNerd Reviews/Twitter/Pinterest

Sons of Old Trilogy Giveaway

**Opened to U.S. and International Fans**

**Must be 13 or older to participate**

**Winner will be selected on MAY 31, 2013 and have 24 HOURS to respond before another winner is selected**

Ten Lucky Winners Will Receive

E-Copy of Lucifer (Sons of Old Trilogy, #1)  and ARC of Michael (Sons of Old Trilogy, #2) (once its ready)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

One Lucky Winner Will Receive

E-Copy of Lucifer (Sons of Old Trilogy, #1) by Annabell Cadiz

A cupcake keychain

Body wash from Bath and Body Works in the scent of Pin Chiffon

Girls Rock Wristband

Mini Notebook

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Cover Designer and Artist Agy Wilson talks about her job.

Thank you Marilyn for allowing me to guest blog today! I love everything about books, so this is a wonderful opportunity for me to share what I know and think with a wider audience, and I hope it helps someone.

         Though most everyone knows the adage you can’t judge a book by its cover, those in the book industry would beg to differ. A great cover can make or break sales. With more and more people moving toward self and epublishing it’s important to know what things to look for in a successful cover.

           I will detail my most recent process of designing a book cover for a friend, but the principles are all the same. The first thing I do is read the book. Some illustrators read the book, others get assignments through art directors and are very specific to what they’re looking for.

 Many of the houses had in-house art staffs to come up with the covers as well as any PR they would do for the book (which more often than not, isn’t a lot). But you can take a lesson in that, if you’re designing a physical book as well, you might want to design a bookmark, bookplate or some other takeaway you can hand out or use to promote your book at the same time; it’s more cost effective. If you are very specific to what you want, your illustrator need not read your book, but this can be problematic (and in my case I like to not only know what I’m illustrating, but also put a piece of myself into every bit of work I do).  But realize if the illustrator reads the book, you may get greater ideas and expertise for your cover, but it is time, which will work into the expense of your book.

         The first assumption is, of course, you’ve gone through the critiques and edits to spit-polish your work to a high shine. If you’re like me you’ve pitched your book a few times, but even if you haven’t you should know the GIST of your story. Not only great for explaining to editors, but also for potential readers via book blurbs and metadata, and the illustrator. It allows the character of your story shines through for everyone. It also helps you to envision what you want, so you’re more likely to get it.

         Think of the nature of your book, its genre, first. If it’s whimsical, you don’t want to have a heavy handed approach for instance. I tend to illustrate mostly children’s books, though I do other genres as well. You should be familiar with the artist’s  work, so you have some idea of what you can and cannot expect from the person you’re working with.

         You don’t want a lot of busy-ness- too much and it’s overwhelming. Whatever image(s) you use, you have to make sure there’s room for the title, and the byline. They need to be legible, attention getting and easily read even if reduced to a thumbnail (as they often are in ads around the web). Some people make sure there’s room for a plug, though personally, I’d rather see that as end matter or on the back cover.

Some friends books were stunning and simple, and ironically enough the design left room for the awards they garnered from their work. A few wonderful examples: Cynthia Lord’s book Rules, Carri Jones book Need, R.A. Nelson’s book Teach Me.

         When I first read Margot Finke’s book, I did a some quick sketches, not shown is the kids riding bikes, this is the second sketch, and then revision per Margot’s direction:

          When choosing colors, you want something that reflects the character of your book (some books are darker, some are lighter denoting the overall “mood” of the book or nature of the subject matter) The kid’s stuff I’ve worked on is mostly upbeat, so I tend to use bright colors to reflect the buoyancy I feel about these works.

          This is when we lock down the colors. I feel that red should be used sparingly. Red and Gold are the kinds of things that really POP, so it’s great to bring attention, but if overused, it tires the eye and makes it difficult for the reader to decide where the eye should rest.

          You want to make sure your name is LEGIBLE (and when formatting an ebook, linking to your other works is a great tool for making sure your fans find you.

…Speaking of other works, here are a few more of my covers, look for some of them soon on the web!

Thank you again Marilyn for hosting my post!
My pleasure, Agy!

Agy Wilson is an author/illustrator, calligrapher and egg artist living in Maine. Her book Nana’s Gift is available through Smashwords, Amazon, Createspace, Nook, and other online sources. See more of her work at www.agywilson.com.

Love like Fireworks Cover Reveal

LOVE LIKE FIREWORKS

By Lauren Melinda

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Expected publication date: June, 2013

BLURB

Kendall Hartley first kissed Logan Jordan when she was eighteen. As an up-and-coming player at her father’s tennis academy, his explosive talent on court and sexy blue eyes were like fireworks to her soul. But when their love for each other met its first test, it crashed and burned. Devastated, Kendall fled to college, vowing to forget the boy who once set her heart ablaze.

Four years later, Kendall returns home to find her father’s academy in the process of foreclosure. Unless he can find a way to pay off his debts, he will lose everything he’s worked for. Kendall would do anything to save her father’s dream – even if it means breaking her promise and seeing Logan again. For Logan is now an international tennis icon – and the only person with enough starpower to raise funds for the academy.

But Logan is no longer the boy Kendall fell in love with. He’s hot, he’s arrogant and he’s used to getting what he wants. And when Kendall walks back into his life, it’s clear he wants one thing.

He wants Kendall.

And he’ll do anything to reclaim her.

ABOUT LAUREN MELINDA

Lauren Melinda lives in sunny California with her boyfriend. She loves romantic plots, scorching sexual tension, gorgeous first kisses and smexy love interests.

Website: http://laurenmelinda.blogspot.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Lauren_Melinda

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Lauren-Melinda/451375721612668

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17903732-love-like-fireworks

GIVEAWAY

To celebrate her cover reveal, Lauren Melinda will be giving away 3 eCopies of LOVE LIKE FIREWORKS.

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Fat Friday!

So today is day 15th!!! I'm half way through the first month. :) My energy levels are crazy, though not right after the work out. *winks*

I would like to show you a list of the exercises in the Fit Test, and how I fared the first day vs day 13.

First Fit test: 

Switch Kick 4, 

Power Jacks 6, 

Power Knees 10,

Globe Jumps 0, 

Suicide Jumps 0, 

Push up jacks 0, 

Low Plank 0 

 Today,

Switch Kick 67, 

Power Jacks 26,

Power knees 50, 

Power Jumps 15, 

Globe Jumps 20, 

Suicide Jumps 10, 

Push up jacks 4, 

Low Plank 8

You might think that I've not improved a lot in the last three exercises, or you might think I have. I have a bit more strength in my arms, though I'm still a long way away from where I want to be. 

I've lost a pound this week. Mainly because I ate a lot on Mother's day LOL Cheesecake and loads of other yummy things my mummy cooked. Still here are my results for this week. 

Starting weight 223lbs

Weight as of May 15th 218

Starting BMI 42.16

BMI as of May 15th  41.71

I've lost 2 inches from my thighs, an inch from each arms, and two inches from my waist. Even though my stomach is still big, The shape is changing and I can see my waist. I've also lost an inch from my chest, and what can I say, I had to adjust my bra straps, which made me deliriously happy. :) 

So there you have it, Insanity :)

Cheers!

Interview with photographer Tiffany McDonald

Interview with photographer Tiffany McDonald!

1 How long have you been a photographer?

   About 2 1/2 years.  I bought my camera in September of 2010 and had my first session in October, and it progressed from there. 

2 Is this something you always wanted to do?

   Yes,I've always loved taking pictures and when I was a senior in college (2008) i looked at continuing my education after obtaining my bachelor's degree at an art school to pursue photography in advertising, but instead decided to work for a while before looking into going back to school.

3 How did you get involved in doing a shooting for a book cover?

   Michelle Cornwell-Jordon, author of Chrysalis, found my website and inquired about my availability and interest in shooting a book cover.  

4 What was your favorite part of the process?

   Telling the story.  I came up with the name "Anecdote Photography" for its meaning- "A tale about an interesting or amusing biographical incident".  I feel that photo's are a great way to tell your story to future generations, it's my job to help people do that.

5 Would you do any more photography for book covers in the future?

   Very much so.  I enjoyed the whole process- from hearing the story, to working with models, and definitely helping the words come to life through imagery.  

Tiffany McDonald

Websites:

www.anecdotephotography.com 

www.facebook.com/AnecdotePhotography