tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-91972411878430078922023-11-15T21:29:57.393-06:00Samantha Anne Author. Baker. Bassist. Samantha Annehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11112846815986912223noreply@blogger.comBlogger137125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9197241187843007892.post-64982767421645816632019-02-22T14:32:00.002-06:002019-02-22T14:34:34.775-06:00Why We Go To Waffle House (A Quasi-Pictorial)<h2 style="text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ1r43Jf5qibBvcnNydxp38E-fOAe-vzoXCQhoXs2W71bzK7Z6c8WEp9vzTdQMveGvHij0nX7smok0aiMuMcm8s4kUBfJo9rr3NboXO54BxrmB54iLpE2T2z0SHVOAlLcwHjMPGsC4ZxqB/s1600/wafflehouse.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="714" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ1r43Jf5qibBvcnNydxp38E-fOAe-vzoXCQhoXs2W71bzK7Z6c8WEp9vzTdQMveGvHij0nX7smok0aiMuMcm8s4kUBfJo9rr3NboXO54BxrmB54iLpE2T2z0SHVOAlLcwHjMPGsC4ZxqB/s400/wafflehouse.jpg" width="296" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #1c1e21;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">You don't go to Waffle House for Michelin stars, you go because the sweet waitress who served you hands you the can of whipped cream and says "Go for it."</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #1c1e21;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small;"><i><b>(disclaimer: the whipped cream container was low in content and also tossed after I used it.)</b></i></span></span></div>
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Samantha Annehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11112846815986912223noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9197241187843007892.post-10407385942518321162018-10-05T16:54:00.000-05:002018-10-05T16:54:18.286-05:00You're A Woman, and You Matter<h2>
You're a Woman, and You Matter</h2>
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Kavanaugh will likely be appointed to the Supreme Court. We know he shouldn't, and not even just because of the allegations brought against him. </div>
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So I'm telling you, as much as I'm telling myself, to not lose hope. Do not lose your fight. </div>
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We still matter. Women, Women of Color, Trans Women of All Colors. <i>We still matter. </i></div>
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Despite what the government says, despite what a male-forward society says. <b>In spite of what they say. </b></div>
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<b>Women are all things - ALL THINGS. </b>And there are people in this world who can barely stand to imagine it. Men who punish women for saying 'no', women who think that, because we got the vote, that the fight is over. They may never admit it, but they know - Women, when emotionally strong, when empowered and self-assured, scare the fuck out of them. We piss them off. Because who do we think we are? Holding our babies in one arm and financially supporting our entire family with the other? Cradling our nieces and nephews while swiping paint onto canvas or laying down tunes to rival the most accomplished of male musicians at the center of the boy's club? Who do we think we are?</div>
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I'm here to tell you - keep scaring them. Keep pissing them off. You have just as much of a right to exist as they do. <i><b>This is our goddamn world, too. </b></i></div>
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So, create. Make all the things. Tell all the stories. Show the world that not only has the narrative always included us, but that we are far more instrumental in molding and creating the beauty that exists therein. And empower your sister - don't let them pit us against each other. This is our fight, even though there are still women who haven't seen the uneven playing field. Eventually they will. And they'll be as mad as we are. Be patient, but don't lose hope. Don't lose your fight. <b>Do not stay silent. </b></div>
Samantha Annehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11112846815986912223noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9197241187843007892.post-35058049048194429992018-04-03T09:27:00.000-05:002018-04-03T09:27:08.406-05:00Springtime Stuffing for your Hungry Hungry Wallet!<img class="aligncenter wp-image-30686 size-full" src="http://www.iamareader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/Spring-Into-Cash-e1518279250253.jpg" alt="" width="600" height="413" />
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<script src="https://widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js"></script>Samantha Annehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11112846815986912223noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9197241187843007892.post-1443331031241986902018-03-05T12:08:00.000-06:002018-03-05T12:08:40.667-06:00Google Search Terms and Realizing When You Fucked Up<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Things I googled today: <a href="https://www.google.com/search?source=hp&ei=dISdWpzwPIOOsQWykJXAAg&q=how+to+train+for+a+5k+when+you%27re+fat+as+fuck&oq=how+to+train+for+a+5k+when+you%27re+fat+as+fuck&gs_l=psy-ab.3...1502.8621.0.8916.47.37.0.8.8.0.721.3038.30j3j6-1.35.0....0...1c.1.64.psy-ab..4.42.3133.6..0j35i39k1j0i131k1j0i20i264k1j0i22i30k1j33i21k1j33i160k1.47.0g-VWUm0y-M" target="_blank">How to train for a 5K when you’re fat as fuck.</a> </span><br />
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Google kindly offered an edited search phrase while I typed: “How to train for a 5K when you’re obese.” Thanks, buddy. I really do have to stop beating myself up. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Some of you were with me when I dropped 70 lbs a couple of years ago. I kept it off for about a year and then moved to Texas. All the amazing food introductions combined with the stress of acclimating to a new environment (not an excuse, just… a reason) and anxiety about 1) fitting in 2) not failing brought me to this moment: I’ve. Gained it. All. Back. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">…plus ten pounds. That hurt to admit. </span><br />
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</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">All of the old physical aches and pains are back. The lack of confidence, the insecurity, the physical limitations, the general discomfort with taking pictures and looking in the mirror – it’s as if they never left. Which brings me to a conclusion that may or may not be accurate. I didn’t do this right the first time around. </span><br />
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I thought I’d be taking care of the inside as well as I had been the outside. But I’m guessing that all I did was put a band aid on things and went ahead and anchored my happiness in the weight loss. This is frustrating because I constantly told myself as part of my daily affirmations that I was doing the opposite.
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<span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><em>You’re not your weight, Sam. </em></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><em><span style="color: #cc0000;">Weight & Inch loss or not, Sam, you’re beautiful.</span></em> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">…so, is there a second person in me that wasn’t buying any of it? How did I fool myself? Why would I fool myself? How do you ‘fake til you make it’, but then never actually make it? </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">I have answers for none of those questions.
I also came to the realization about five minutes ago that it makes no sense to ask why or rehash any of the moments that led me to this renaissance. And how many renaissances do I, or any of us, get? <strong>As many as we fucking need, that’s how many.</strong> </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq45ObuVWqOAfUJ5scPB_N5lOYlOOgJPQ7vcEsAr906iBSIzGhLyVYXyYgrJrpD9cZiCckvhaO6dDUeA_nwUaIJDm4inpA5Cb5Gr2beS2DFZCSf4uC-Nrpkch8n_kN1PcFFBZCoqrbRrl4/s1600/Carousel.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="351" data-original-width="620" height="113" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq45ObuVWqOAfUJ5scPB_N5lOYlOOgJPQ7vcEsAr906iBSIzGhLyVYXyYgrJrpD9cZiCckvhaO6dDUeA_nwUaIJDm4inpA5Cb5Gr2beS2DFZCSf4uC-Nrpkch8n_kN1PcFFBZCoqrbRrl4/s200/Carousel.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">So with that in mind, <a href="http://www.foamglow.com/" target="_blank">I signed up for a 5K</a>. Part of me thinks I’m crazy, part of me remembers that if I could build myself stronger than I was once, I can do it again. And training for a 3 mile jog/walk with my family will certainly get my ass into gear. </span><br />
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Now I’m downloading apps. And I took a new ‘before’ picture. And I got some new sneakers (because #treatyoself) and I’m rebuilding the work out playlist. And I’m carving out crucial self-care time that I’d spent the last two years filling with stupid shit. Except now, we make it stick. Like perfectly cooked pasta to a wall… wait, no pasta! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">I’ve got this. And you all, whether you realize it or not (with zero requirements, because in my head you are *all* reading this), are holding me accountable. Maybe just be prepared to see a lot of Instagram and FB posts about working out again. Oh, and tweets. Don’t forget those!
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Next Google search phrase: <a href="https://www.google.com/search?source=hp&ei=3ISdWon3AcKgsQX6uaKoCA&q=best+pre+workout+powder+for+weight+loss&oq=best+pre-workout+pow&gs_l=psy-ab.1.1.0j0i22i30k1l9.1075.6284.0.8646.23.13.1.8.9.0.106.910.11j2.13.0....0...1c.1.64.psy-ab..1.22.1050.0..35i39k1j0i131k1j0i67k1j0i20i264k1j0i131i20i264k1j0i13k1.0.-z3ibnE1jz8" target="_blank">Best pre-workout powder for weight loss</a>.</span>Samantha Annehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11112846815986912223noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9197241187843007892.post-322166274007128512018-03-01T09:00:00.000-06:002018-03-01T09:00:10.874-06:00Make Your Wallet Happier Than Mine - It's All About The Luck O' The Irish!<div style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;">
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$250 in Paypal Cash or a $250 Amazon.com eGift Card
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Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use money sent via Paypal or gift codes via Amazon.com. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. This giveaway was organized by Kathy from <a href="http://iamareader.com/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">I Am A Reader</a> and sponsored by the authors, bloggers, and publishers on the sponsor list. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><strong>Sponsor List - Thanks to these awesome authors & bloggers for making this giveaway possible!</strong> </span><a href="http://iamareader.com/" rel="noopener" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: x-small;">I Am A Reader</span></a><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span><a href="https://www.couponsandfreebiesmom.com/" rel="noopener" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Coupons and Freebies Mom</span></a><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span><a href="https://www.rockinbookreviews.com/" rel="noopener" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Rockin' Book Reviews</span></a><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span><a href="http://laurisareyes.blogspot.com/" rel="noopener" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Laurisa White Reyes, Author</span></a><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span><a href="http://helensmithbooks.com/" rel="noopener" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Helen Smith</span></a><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span><a href="https://simplewyrdings.com/" rel="noopener" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Simple Wyrdings</span></a><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span><a href="http://www.laurietreacy.com/" rel="noopener" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Author Laurie Treacy</span></a><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span><a href="http://ldswritermom.blogspot.com/" rel="noopener" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Julie Coulter Bellon</span></a><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span><a href="http://www.bkristinmcmichael.com/" rel="noopener" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: x-small;">B. Kristin McMichael</span></a><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span><a href="http://pcreedenbooks.blogspot.com/" rel="noopener" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: x-small;">P. Creeden Books</span></a><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span><a href="http://www.lorisreadingcorner.com/" rel="noopener" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Lori's Reading Corner</span></a><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span><a href="https://annswann.blogspot.com/" rel="noopener" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Ann Swann - Suspense & more</span></a><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span><a href="https://libreriabeppe.blogspot.it/" rel="noopener" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: x-small;">La libreria di Beppe</span></a><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span><a href="http://elizabethisaacs.com/" rel="noopener" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Elizabeth Isaacs</span></a><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span><a href="http://bellastreetwrites.blogspot.com/" rel="noopener" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Bella Street Time Travel Romance</span></a><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span><a href="https://www.ingeriversen.com/" rel="noopener" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Author Inger Iversen</span></a><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span><a href="http://www.krystenlindsay.com/" rel="noopener" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Krysten Lindsay Hager author</span></a><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span><a href="http://www.dorothydreyer.com/" rel="noopener" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Author Dorothy Dreyer</span></a><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span><a href="https://jenniferbardsley.net/" rel="noopener" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Jennifer Bardsley</span></a><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span><a href="https://mylifeonestoryatatime.com/" rel="noopener" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: x-small;">My Life. One Story at a Time.</span></a><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span><a href="http://www.remembrancy.com/" rel="noopener" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Suzie @ Remembrancy</span></a><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span><a href="http://www.jaclynweist.com/" rel="noopener" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Jaclyn Weist</span></a><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span><a href="http://amongthereads.net/" rel="noopener" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Among the Reads</span></a><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span><a href="http://lisemcclendon.com/" rel="noopener" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Lise McClendon</span></a><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span><a href="http://www.suzyturner.com/" rel="noopener" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Suzy Turner</span></a><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span><a href="https://wendisotis.com/" rel="noopener" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Author Wendi Sotis</span></a><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span><a href="http://www.charissastastny.com/" rel="noopener" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Charissa Stastny - author</span></a><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span><a href="http://carolineclemmons.blogspot.com/" rel="noopener" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Caroline Clemmons</span></a><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span><a href="http://www.splendidsummer.com/" rel="noopener" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: x-small;">CoolCatMysteries</span></a><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span><a href="http://stackingmybookshelves.blogspot.com/" rel="noopener" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Stacking My Book Shelves!</span></a><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span><a href="https://candidcover.net/" rel="noopener" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: x-small;">The Candid Cover</span></a><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span><a href="https://christyscozycorners.com/" rel="noopener" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Christy's Cozy Corners</span></a><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span><a href="http://www.nancycweeks.com/" rel="noopener" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Nancy C. Weeks</span></a><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span><a href="https://glisteringbsblog.blogspot.com/" rel="noopener" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Glistering: B's Blog</span></a><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span><a href="http://www.erinrichards.com/" rel="noopener" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Author Erin Richards</span></a><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span><a href="http://www.elizabethmeyette.com/" rel="noopener" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Elizabeth Meyette, Author</span></a><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span><a href="http://www.donnaamisdavis.com/" rel="noopener" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Donna Amis Davis</span></a><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span><a href="https://dehaggerty.wordpress.com/" rel="noopener" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Author D.E. Haggerty</span></a><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span><a href="http://www.samantha-anne.net/" rel="noopener" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Samantha Anne</span></a><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span><a href="http://www.jeanbooknerd.com/" rel="noopener" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: x-small;">JeanBookNerd</span></a><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span><a href="http://www.bookroomreviews.com/" rel="noopener" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Bookroom Reviews</span></a><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span><a href="http://authordonnelly.weebly.com/" rel="noopener" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: x-small;">R.A.Donnelly</span></a><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span><a href="http://cbybookclub.blogspot.com/" rel="noopener" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: x-small;">CBY Book Club</span></a> <script src="https://widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js"></script>Samantha Annehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11112846815986912223noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9197241187843007892.post-59442968615092426032018-01-11T07:00:00.000-06:002018-01-24T15:17:06.147-06:00Erin's Day for ALS Awareness - One Year Later<h3>
<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">One year. </span></b></h3>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRDC0FUYOoeycK6dDzp8oxr8hofQtf8dd4n64-dsS8NisStvRKqAiKfa0JAwaLoLZMt5RuiMO17w7vOei84TjPbKWnVLzYFLn9MKb3e7P4pLRQRb6og8SS6aN2drsmbrFS-Tb9cEsd4jh4/s1600/00erin.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="389" data-original-width="213" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRDC0FUYOoeycK6dDzp8oxr8hofQtf8dd4n64-dsS8NisStvRKqAiKfa0JAwaLoLZMt5RuiMO17w7vOei84TjPbKWnVLzYFLn9MKb3e7P4pLRQRb6og8SS6aN2drsmbrFS-Tb9cEsd4jh4/s200/00erin.jpg" width="109" /></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I can't believe it's been a year since Erin (<a href="https://www.facebook.com/saphire.zulu" target="_blank">Queen Saphire - now a legacy account in her honor</a>) passed away from complications due to ALS. <a href="http://readsamanthaanne.blogspot.com/2017/03/als-stole-my-best-friend.html" target="_blank">I didn't want this day back in 2017</a>, I don't want this day now. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I maintained blogging on the 11th for six months while educating myself on what ALS is, how ALS came to be, what's being done to research and combat it, and how close doctors are to finding new treatment or a cure. And as I typed the seven month blog, it occurred to me that I wasn't handling Erin's death in the healthiest way. I couldn't mentally deal with rehashing the pain every single month on the same day, and it was affecting all of my work. So I stopped the blog posts. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I was scared that she'd go away, that her spirit wouldn't visit me or manifest anymore. But she's been with me nearly every day, regardless, and I feel her with such intensity sometimes that it's like she's still here. So I've hit a point in the grieving process where a sign will appear (or in one case, actually hearing her voice next to my right ear, whispering "Hi") and I'll look off into the distance and just say, "Hey Ren." And the tears are still there, but I'm smiling now. </span><br />
<br />
<h3>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">So what's actually been happening? </span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Erin's memory drives everything I do lately. If I'm afraid of taking a step toward someone or something, I double back and think about what would happen if I'd actually texted Erin about it. And the reality of it is, if I'm not hurting myself or anyone else, her answer would always be, "Do it, Manfa!" -- any leap I take, any move I make, is in part because Erin would want me to. Upcoming projects include printing and binding a small stock of my work for giveaways later this year. Additionally, I'm going to be crafting a medium-fcukton of custom book plates and other kitschy homemade merchandise to make reading my work more fun and interactive (well, I suppose that remains to be seen). I'm really looking forward to sharing it all with my readers (yeah, you!), knowing Erin would be looking down, clapping excitedly and saying "Yeay!" (that's how she spelled it), because she's my biggest fan. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I've learned of a couple of people currently living their best lives, despite the fact that they've been stricken with ALS, and I follow them on Instagram. I root for them and keep them in the back of my mind and heart every single day, because I don't want them or their loved ones to go through what Erin and we went through. If you do frequent, or not-so-frequent, Instagram, check out Steve Dezember's story; the page, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/hopieannc/" target="_blank">@hopieannc</a> , </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">is curated and
maintained by his wife Hope (they started dating weeks before his
diagnosis, fell in love, married, and haven't looked back) </span>and the photos tell the story of his current fight in a very real and very candid manner. While you're there, go visit <a href="https://www.instagram.com/carbajalphoto" target="_blank">@carbajalphoto</a> and meet Anthony Carbajal, a gentleman stricken with ALS who, even as the disease continues to rob him of his facilities, is determined to continue seeing the beauty in life through photography and sharing it with us all. </span><br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Erin's Song - If Only Through Heaven's Eyes by *NSync</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i> </i></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>The Ice Bucket Challenge continues to make good.</i> In November (almost a year after Erin's official diagnosis), researchers discovered that <a href="https://medlineplus.gov/druginfo/meds/a686018.html" target="_blank">Pimozide</a>, a drug used to treat schizophrenia, seems to slow the progress of ALS in both animal and human models, at least for the short term. Clinical trials still have to be run, but it is an absolute beacon of hope for those with the disease who need it. <a href="https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/11/171116104804.htm" target="_blank">Click this sentence to read more about it.</a> </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">For my birthday, instead of presents, I chose to raise money for ALS research. I set a simple and attainable goal, and my friends truly came through. We raised $250 in October, and stay tuned - because I'm not done raising money or awareness yet. In fact, if you are so inclined, be sure to visit <a href="http://alsa.org/donate">alsa.org/donate</a> since it is the 11th and Erin's Day for ALS Awareness and donate something in her memory on the anniversary of her passing.</span><br />
<br />
<h3>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">What's Next? </span></h3>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The plan, babies, is to continue to raise awareness of the hateful disease that stole my best friend and to make Erin's memory count for something. I've said it before, and I'll say it again - Erin Danielle Nelson (aka Queen Saphire of the Universal Zulu Nation) was the embodiment of unconditional love, unwavering support and, all around, a living angel. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">This new year will hopefully be comprised of a series of moments in which I honor her memory and continue to make her proud. So find me <a href="http://www.facebook.com/author.samantha.anne" target="_blank">on Facebook</a>, sign up <a href="http://samantha-anne.us16.list-manage1.com/subscribe?u=d9ffbd05938caad92455e27e1&id=4db634871e" target="_blank">for the mailing list</a>, shoot <a href="mailto:samanthaannebooks@gmail.com" target="_blank">me an email</a> - because while my soul sister is gone, I've got plenty more to give. Not just for my own sense of accomplishment, but because Erin would want me to. </span><br />
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<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small;"> </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small;">Erin Danielle Nelson 9/4/77 - 1/11/17 </span><b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> </span></b></div>
Samantha Annehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11112846815986912223noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9197241187843007892.post-78730543733633534592017-10-29T21:33:00.001-05:002017-10-29T21:33:47.739-05:00NaNoWriMo is Coming, and I'm Ready to Write All The Words<h2>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">NaNoWriMo is Coming. </span></h2>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">My fellow writers and I are three days away from the all-out, bang-up word brawl that is National Novel Writing Month. While some men grow their creepiest mustaches (Sorrynotsorry, the only truly rockin' mustache will ever belong to Tom Selleck), writers the world over will be fleshing out plot maps, following their most meticulous outlines or, in some cases, spewing verbs, nouns, adjectives, and adverbs by the seat of their pants. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I am normally the spewer. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">However, I have broken from tradition and actually wrote a synopsis from which to work. I'm pretty proud of myself, I stand to hit the word count goal this year! 50,000 words works out to about 1667 words daily - if you write every single day. It's not for the faint of heart, but I've seen some of the most amazing writers hit this goal and pass it several years in a row. Given that I once wrote 50,000 words in 12 days, I plan on being no exception. Here's a brief summary of <b><i>The Wedding Caravan</i></b>, the project I chose to focus on during this epic writer's month: </span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbaidug__wWEj1LoYFuufXcOavKx3lk2eEg-Nhz7lMb07ILqz2m9bPsHeWSiKClslfa9lmwie45q5HyAIJGlqoW5ddVyXRccszjTcKG548nLBue4YKKhrzNegIAwu3H50OqxCNqeMstGPC/s1600/IMG_7148.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="955" data-original-width="750" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbaidug__wWEj1LoYFuufXcOavKx3lk2eEg-Nhz7lMb07ILqz2m9bPsHeWSiKClslfa9lmwie45q5HyAIJGlqoW5ddVyXRccszjTcKG548nLBue4YKKhrzNegIAwu3H50OqxCNqeMstGPC/s200/IMG_7148.jpg" width="156" /></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> </span><br />
<span style="color: red;"><i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">A funny and successful city girl, as she nears her 30th birthday, has a super dynamic best friend who is getting
married in 3 weeks, and the whole gang is returning to the bride’s
childhood stomping grounds to plan a fabulous quickie celebration. Can
said city girl make it to the big day in a town without pity, achieve
her pre-set summer goals, keep her own happily ever after thriving, and
still have her sanity in tact when all is said and done? </span></i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Interested? Well, I'll let you in on a little secret:<i> '<b>The Wedding Caravan</b>' is actually just half of the working title.</i> As I close in on 50K, I'll reveal the rest of the title along with what I plan to do with the completed manuscript. Are you excited, 'cause uh... I am! </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">As I said, I am ready to write all the words. I'm in a good place right now, and ready to start November off right. Falling on my face is not an option - oh, don't mistake me, it's a possibility - so I'm going into this month strong and planning on coming out the same way. Writer buds, how are you amping yourself up for this year's NaNoWriMo? Have you gotten your banner up yet? Are you doing writing exercises to keep the brain loose? Are your wine stores replenished, for Goddess' sake?!</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Let me know what you're doing for November, and hey - let me see your Halloween costumes! I'll be announcing the winner of my birthday giveaway on November 1st, the day NaNoWriMo begins, so if you haven't entered by sending a birthday video, get that in before the end of the contest on the 31st. Best of luck, NaNoWriters! </span><br />
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Samantha Annehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11112846815986912223noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9197241187843007892.post-35388708154694519052017-10-08T07:00:00.000-05:002017-10-08T07:00:24.807-05:00I'm Doing A Giveway For My Birthday and Trust Me, You Want In. <h2>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">My Birthday is on the 18th, but I want to give away a present!</span></h2>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">This year is a
pretty important birthday for me, and what I want more
than anything is to hear music from the people that mean the most to me.
My friends, my family, my readers... all of you fit into one or more
of these categories so I'm appealing to you personally. </span><br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1w-67S5X9tnaSlCrADQQrHQY1mQ6Iwl-1bxAx8gmNWYqeZn1RT4y1rqipy5zJy0L1hcwYA1WbGqeUtGd9FTMQ_Ux407GFjm0DUifxIGDOJ5S8WERdWWyRe2nPFfipfOdaJ_Fk73165VNY/s1600/Kirby_Cover_RoneNom.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="310" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1w-67S5X9tnaSlCrADQQrHQY1mQ6Iwl-1bxAx8gmNWYqeZn1RT4y1rqipy5zJy0L1hcwYA1WbGqeUtGd9FTMQ_Ux407GFjm0DUifxIGDOJ5S8WERdWWyRe2nPFfipfOdaJ_Fk73165VNY/s200/Kirby_Cover_RoneNom.jpg" width="130" /></a><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">This year, post a video of
you (or you and your friends, or you and your cat!), <a href="http://www.facebook.com/author.samantha.anne" target="_blank"><strong>on my Facebook page</strong></a>,
singing for my birthday. The song is 'Rainbow Connection', but I
certainly wouldn't love you less for a rousing rendition of 'Space Oddity'
or something off your personal playlist. Whatever you choose to do, have fun with it! </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">My favorite video will win a
signed paperback copy of <a href="https://www.facebook.com/KirbybySAnne/" style="-ms-text-size-adjust: 100%; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; color: #2baadf; font-weight: normal; mso-line-height-rule: exactly; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank">'Kirby'</a>, my first romance novel published by <a href="http://www.crimsonromance.com/contemporary-romance-novels/kirby/" style="-ms-text-size-adjust: 100%; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; color: #2baadf; font-weight: normal; mso-line-height-rule: exactly; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank">Crimson Romance in 2013</a> and a box full of homemade treats, not to mention a couple of samples
of new merchandise that I'll be putting in my 'Little Shop of Cool Isht' when
it debuts on my website in the coming months! You need this box of goodies, I
promise - so be sure to post your video between now and the 18th, which is when my Momma birthed me and also marks the end of the contest! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> </span></h2>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> </span></h2>
<h2>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Once all the gift wrap is tossed and the gifts are put away, there's a little matter of NaNoWriMo</span></h2>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEyTuHWbL5Hx8FklO_VLgsyN3WkoDLZ-mFhyIFvAWeHNkEW06PXLDyRKJZV2JPmi1P4BYwVtgJ17oyi80mXMln3psIe1BMxJh61IdewQkwRCl7Y5SLWnvyGZFzE32JIogreXJYY77nUxMN/s1600/IMG_7148.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="955" data-original-width="750" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEyTuHWbL5Hx8FklO_VLgsyN3WkoDLZ-mFhyIFvAWeHNkEW06PXLDyRKJZV2JPmi1P4BYwVtgJ17oyi80mXMln3psIe1BMxJh61IdewQkwRCl7Y5SLWnvyGZFzE32JIogreXJYY77nUxMN/s200/IMG_7148.jpg" width="156" /></a><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">That's right, babies - it's that time of year again! Every November, while men are growing out their creepiest mustaches (the only mustache I've ever been able to tolerate sits above Tom Selleck's upper lip and I'll maintain that forever), millions of writers from all over the world hunker down in front of their laptops (or papers and
pens) with glasses of wine, cups of tea, mug cakes, and Dammit Dolls and
attempt to complete a 50,000 word novel in the span of 30 days. I am
participating this year and, in preparation, I've begun a wild race to
get my current Work In Progress completed and sent off to my publisher. I think that officially puts me on two deadlines and also makes me an absolute lunatic. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Keep your eyes peeled on October 19th (don't worry, I'll remind you again) - I'll be visiting <a href="http://thewritewaycafe.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">The Write Way Cafe</a> and reflecting on my birthday and feeling like I'm growing up all over again as a creative in this day and age. Hopefully you'll stick with me throughout November to cheer me on. And hey, if you need a cheerleader, shoot me an email and tell me all about it; I wanna make sure I put up a shout out and throw some good vibes into the Universe for you!</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Until next time... stay creative!</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">xo,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Sami </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: arvo,courier,georgia,serif;"><span style="font-family: arvo,courier,georgia,serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: arvo,courier,georgia,serif;"></span>Samantha Annehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11112846815986912223noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9197241187843007892.post-83188786141247804102017-08-12T11:47:00.002-05:002017-08-12T11:50:45.279-05:00Erin's Day For ALS Awareness<h2>
Erin's Day For ALS Awareness</h2>
I've been trying to wrap my ahead around the task I've set for myself - keeping Erin's <br />
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memory alive, raising awareness for the disease that took her (including figuring out and holding myself accountable for whether or not ALS is actually a disease or a disorder, and whether or not there's even a frickin' difference when all is said and done. Putting a pin in the fact that my last sentence was probably maddeningly long to read, I do want to spread awareness and raise money for research on the disease that I've heard too many people ask, after I tell them about Erin's Day, "What's ALS?"<br />
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It's always interesting when news pops up about something when you're constantly thinking about it and researching it. Radiclava, the first new treatment for ALS approved for sale in 20 years, showed up in the news mere months after Erin died, inciting hope for living fighters for the first time in far too long. A week ago, I read an article on People.com about <a href="http://www.facebook.com/hope4steve" target="_blank">Steve and Hope Dezember</a> - Steve had been diagnosed with ALS shortly after meeting Hope and they have been fighting together ever since. And with the recent loss of <a href="http://www.people.com/sam-shepard-dead-als-what-to-know/" target="_blank">Sam Shepard to a hard fought battle with ALS</a>, it seems that the disease is front and center for now.<br />
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This search for information has shown me a lot - I officially have a <a href="http://www.pinterest.com/RTsamianne/alsawareness-ripqueensaph" target="_blank">Pinterest board dedicated to ALS-related pins</a> - and it's also thrown me for a loop. To clarify, I'm dealing with a little bit of guilt right now, because the information has really been out there all along - and if it's been invisible to me, then it's invisible to plenty more, because in many ways I'm about as 'basic' as they come. So, if nothing else, this last month has strengthened my resolve to raise awareness and continue to raise dollars in Erin's name.<br />
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Additionally, I've been blessed to have my Goddaughter (Erin's eldest daughter) Danielle and her daughter (my tiny little Sweet Pea of a grand-niece) with me for the last couple of days - they'll be here only another week or so, but it had been since Erin's funeral that I hadn't seen them in person. Erin raised a brilliantly strong woman before she passed on, and I don't doubt for a second that Danielle makes her mother proud daily as she continues to fight the good<br />
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fight in her own personal life. I'll admit it's also been a little tough watching those little mannerisms that scream 'Erin' - my heart sings and breaks every time Danielle smiles or chuckles because... well, there's Erin. And looking into Dani's eyes? Erin. Danielle even holds her daughter the way Erin held Danielle was Dani was the same age. I think Dani must have seen the pain in my eyes (sorry about that, Munch) because she confessed a couple of days ago that she tried to turn away so that I wouldn't see how she cuddled her daughter, knowing it was the way Erin comforted her. I told her I'd rather see Erin in her every single day than to forget what my best friend looked like.<br />
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So, about that video...</h4>
To you, reader, I ask - have you made your video yet? Have you challenged your friends? The only way to spread the word is to actually spread the word, right? So make your video, babies. SING. SPREAD THE WORD. DONATE. #ALSawareness #ASongForErin #RIPQueenSaphire<br />
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<a href="http://www.alsa.org/donate">www.alsa.org/donate</a></div>
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RIP Erin 1977-2017</div>
Samantha Annehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11112846815986912223noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9197241187843007892.post-3429848549497663542017-07-23T01:01:00.001-05:002017-07-23T01:01:21.746-05:00I Should Spend My Life At 'Nerd' Cons<h2>
I Should Spend My Life At Nerd Cons</h2>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpNZnhYtjMHeJx-_AyeX_QaTeB1PJKq0g_f1YqkEBNDWk4es4ZJhywi6glvjDscA4USdP4H0EW19WKxP5QuQwFhkWckj_GzL3SX_Ysu5KXhKxW-zgHUVWDpXUTt8ChszUIrtlWFddj41Px/s1600/Photo+Jul+15%252C+4+33+41+PM.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpNZnhYtjMHeJx-_AyeX_QaTeB1PJKq0g_f1YqkEBNDWk4es4ZJhywi6glvjDscA4USdP4H0EW19WKxP5QuQwFhkWckj_GzL3SX_Ysu5KXhKxW-zgHUVWDpXUTt8ChszUIrtlWFddj41Px/s200/Photo+Jul+15%252C+4+33+41+PM.jpg" width="150" /></a>...among other things. I saw, won, swooned over, and bought the coolest shit at Arlington's Annual ArlingCon, a friendly neighborhood Con that's seen a surge of popularity during the last couple of years. Nerds from all over Texas and beyond don their best cosplay and basically peacock in the most amazing way among some of the most fun indie-style vendor booths and typical 'nerd pros' ever. Seriously, guys? I was in Heaven for most of Saturday - typical of me to have forgotten that it was running at UTA's E.H. Hereford University Center in Downtown Arlington, TX until its last day.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6fsT7g2fr3uOOUs_GD_jXfuWJIC7x182xM0n8mH-2oBJouMSCJJRZGoQeg3qGDso4FJHZydrHK0J38-10oN553X-qUdYN9POW1Vsgo0McUkT2cbwr26CGWUIbxoDW_WRdykhH2qzuwu5_/s1600/Photo+Jul+15%252C+4+37+46+PM.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6fsT7g2fr3uOOUs_GD_jXfuWJIC7x182xM0n8mH-2oBJouMSCJJRZGoQeg3qGDso4FJHZydrHK0J38-10oN553X-qUdYN9POW1Vsgo0McUkT2cbwr26CGWUIbxoDW_WRdykhH2qzuwu5_/s200/Photo+Jul+15%252C+4+37+46+PM.jpg" width="150" /></a>The cosplayers were out - in full detailed garb, thank you very much - in droves, swarming the place in small clusters of unadulterated awesome while my sister and I spent the better part of the early evening walking around in awe of their craftmanship and attention to detail. I missed quite a few photo opportunities because my brain was pretty much on overload (Western Captain America & His Majorette, I think I regret missing you the most... oh, wait. There was also Groot. I should have grabbed Groot.), but rest assured I'll be back next year fully prepared. </div>
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I wanted to spend the rest of this blog thanking and shouting out the uber cool folks I got to spend a little time with while I wandered around the Vendor area, and I definitely wanted you guys to know they existed so that you'd storm the interwebs and buy their stuff - like, now!</div>
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</h3>
<h3>
Go Indie, Find Cool Shit: You Can Link Up With Amazing People At Cons</h3>
And who doesn't like finding cool shit? I walked around the vendor tables pointing and smiling, <br />
chattering with my sister about needing to get business cards for this one and that one so that we could both spend our respective paychecks on the fun merchandise they had been selling. Everyone's on Etsy, know what I mean? Anyway, I met some amazing people who seem to genuinely love what they do - and man, are they good at it.<br />
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<h4>
Tea Punk Teas: Civility in Every Cup</h4>
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This company stole my heart from the second I saw the gorgeous looking tins and their punchy steampunk design. I can't say I'm a tea aficionado, but I know my green leafs from my black leafs; I know a Chai when I smell one. Lloyd greeted us immediately - the draw of all the pretty tins were drawing us in, but we wanted to make a lap of the vendor tables before we committed, so we were kind of standing away from the table - and encouraged us to step closer, promising us a whiff of their carefully curated loose leaf teas. And man, did he deliver - from their <a href="http://www.teapunkteas.com/store/p56/%22ExperiMint%22-_Mint_Green.html" target="_blank">'ExperiMint'</a> green blend to an amazingly delicate but robust Chai (dubbed 'My Chai' because it is his own personal blend of leaf meant to suit how he feels a Chai should taste), my nose made its way to utopia on a train of tiny little lip balm containers filled with dried leafy goodness. When all was said and done, I went with their special <a href="http://www.teapunkteas.com/store/p1/%22Duchess%27_Dream%22-_Earl_Grey_de_la_Creme.html" target="_blank">Earl Grey De la Creme</a> - a mix of Ceylon Black Tea, China Black Tea, Bergamot, Cornflower Petals, and Vanilla. Yes, babies - it is <b>exactly</b> as awesome as it sounds. Their prices range from $10-$20(ish) dollars and are worth every penny. They even have a code on their website that provides free shipping for all orders over $50. And when I want to own a tin for every day of the week, spending $50 doesn't seem out of the ordinary at all. <a href="http://www.teapunkteas.com/" target="_blank">Visit their website</a>, and <a href="https://www.instagram.com/teapunkteas/" target="_blank">check them out on Instagram</a> - if you're a tea lover, you'll be glad you did.<br />
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<h4>
Fancy Dryad: Bits And Bobbles for the Fey Folk</h4>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy0nq_SdAsOhCxnKw_rnBOEXo3FXdvCBWiKdTF1RwaRrOTrv30YIgzVbp3c6WHZEtIVDKoKTMgUY3ej2X8m82pOTJtpJcYEmPSYJa0ErigxAE6ye6va1hX49ENesxCy09Cry8mvRCb9QmM/s1600/Photo+Jul+15%252C+4+45+12+PM.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy0nq_SdAsOhCxnKw_rnBOEXo3FXdvCBWiKdTF1RwaRrOTrv30YIgzVbp3c6WHZEtIVDKoKTMgUY3ej2X8m82pOTJtpJcYEmPSYJa0ErigxAE6ye6va1hX49ENesxCy09Cry8mvRCb9QmM/s200/Photo+Jul+15%252C+4+45+12+PM.jpg" width="200" /></a>While walking among the vendors (where I saw the phenomenal Groot cosplay that ensured I'd regret having an actual camera until ArlingCon comes around next year), my sister and I were stopped in our tracks by the sight of tiny lights, colorful glass stones, wings, and gorgeous flowery armbands. So fairy, much pretty! And then there was Amy. Probably the sweetest gal at the Convention, she showed us all of the pretty fairy-inspired baubles she had for sale, including fairy dust catchers that I immediately wanted to hang from every corner of my house and fairy lights, the adorable craze that I've so far seen in no less than six events this year. <br />
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The vibe of Fancy Dryad reminded me of being in a forest surrounded by tall grass and trees, where I'd certainly be sitting in the center of it all as quietly as I can, trying to see if I could actually spot a fairy or a sprite. And her business cards made my heart swell a little - handwritten, with a tiny gem at the corner, you could not ask for a more charming touch. Would you just go <a href="https://www.etsy.com/listing/529735831/fairy-wings" target="_blank">visit this girl's Etsy page</a>, please? She's too goddamn adorable and I want her to sell a million light up fairy dust catchers. <br />
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<h4>
Elia In A Box: Everything in Life I Didn't Know I Needed</h4>
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Guys, if you haven't heard of <a href="http://www.eliainabox.com/" target="_blank">Elia In A Box</a>, you need to know how cool this website is. Elia is basically a webcomic where its creator, Eliamaria, posts all sorts of content surrounding her artwork. She's not Jack Kirby or Robbi Rodriguez (names I only know because of my knowledgable nerd friends), but she brings a simple style to the table and presents it with an attitude that's all her own while being everyone else's attitude at the same time. I loved the edge to her work from the moment I saw it - the plan, at this point, is to get that 'Never Shank A Baby' (wise words, by the way!) in my living room ASAP. Go <a href="http://eliainabox.storenvy.com/" target="_blank">check her out on StoreNvy</a> and, if you like what you see, pick something up. It's beyond important that we continue to support local and indepedent artists. They work hard to live the dream - if anyone understands and battles for supporting the local scene, it would be me.<br />
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<h4>
I Never Remember How Much Fun I Have Until I'm There</h4>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpIt_2At5zAxg4HNKTvAJfjXyPSSN8ipWlY35F9CXbLdmm9y8vQELyMBp7462TJNz6DyQSmUYcaqTRdvrFNlPX-OCA9AbH8Qwl-ZzEh4c6Ae66qNue5UN-tqmGDamOppRGS3W4RkYjtL_P/s1600/Photo+Jul+15%252C+4+30+44+PM.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpIt_2At5zAxg4HNKTvAJfjXyPSSN8ipWlY35F9CXbLdmm9y8vQELyMBp7462TJNz6DyQSmUYcaqTRdvrFNlPX-OCA9AbH8Qwl-ZzEh4c6Ae66qNue5UN-tqmGDamOppRGS3W4RkYjtL_P/s320/Photo+Jul+15%252C+4+30+44+PM.jpg" width="240" /></a>True story, babies. I love cons, I do. And I never remember how much I love them until I'm there and all is said and done. I've gotta participate more - there's a whole other world out there beyond the spangly trailers, crowds, and massive troll population at SDCC and NYCC. Easy there, I'm not knocking the major leagues at all, I'm just saying that it's worth it, if you're a Fanboy, Fangirl, Gamer, or just Nerd-In-General, show some love for the smaller conventions. You probably won't get to stand in line for six hours to meet and greet a celebrity, and you definitely won't get to catch a sneak peek of the latest trailer in the MCU. But the people that participate in these conventions work hard, and love what they do - it's a guaranteed good time if you jump in with both feet and embrace all of the scrumptious nerdy vibes.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWNIvyyEto58Jvl0VAJC1fkfWozRm9N2bCCQt7F0YmfE63QHYIJAy8UMZ3nr6urYrjdVeCDaqHlsc7A_TycrDyCMePxIX66dfxIccUzFsO11_tKEFhouNXe59YSJJ76Pxh-PEPW01mFqjL/s1600/Photo+Jul+15%252C+4+18+34+PM.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWNIvyyEto58Jvl0VAJC1fkfWozRm9N2bCCQt7F0YmfE63QHYIJAy8UMZ3nr6urYrjdVeCDaqHlsc7A_TycrDyCMePxIX66dfxIccUzFsO11_tKEFhouNXe59YSJJ76Pxh-PEPW01mFqjL/s320/Photo+Jul+15%252C+4+18+34+PM.jpg" width="240" /></a>To the DFW Ghostbusters: I'm happy I found you. Probably more than I should be. <a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/325779294542740/?acontext=%7B%22action_history%22%3A%22[%7B%5C%22surface%5C%22%3A%5C%22page%5C%22%2C%5C%22mechanism%5C%22%3A%5C%22page_upcoming_events_card%5C%22%2C%5C%22extra_data%5C%22%3A[]%7D]%22%2C%22has_source%22%3Atrue%7D" target="_blank">Laser Tag on July 29th</a> sounds ridiculous - and I mean that in the best way possible. Readers, if you're in Texas - go see them. Or just <a href="https://www.facebook.com/DFWGhostbusters/" target="_blank">check 'em out on Facebook</a>, like everyone else does. <br />
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Shout out to the group of cosplayers who dressed up as the characters
from Five Nights At Freddy's - it was hot as fuck that day, and those
cats gave it their all and walked around in what looked like the
heaviest, most uncomfortable bundle of felt, cardboard, and moving parts
I've ever seen. They won 2nd place in the Cosplay Contest, by the way -
just behind a pretty cool looking Link who dropped his phone onstage
when he presented. I'm not hating on Link at all, but - look at those costumes! The walk across the stage looked... daunting, to say the least. Yeah, I'm regretting the 'not having a camera'
thing.<br />
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Oh well, ArlingCon - until next year. And I may or may not be looking
into having a booth for it - a few of my books... random merchandise...
some nerdy treats, perhaps? <b>CapCakes, anyone? </b><br />
xo,<br />
Sami</div>
Samantha Annehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11112846815986912223noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9197241187843007892.post-5395007579253898702017-07-11T13:06:00.001-05:002017-07-11T13:06:41.894-05:00Erin's Day for ALS Awareness<h2 class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> Erin's Day for ALS Awareness</span></h2>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVusJoL3-p-tUsZrlTVt4fq5rWA12SqxgDKdOFpSj-JTjcaSpzazMzm4Z3ewhtX871gI3KHe5eyQC_FrGiRnW4ckibuDIsU7ZCeuXreKE-4yYyBlhQQduy9aXDy3tOAP0L9Jdqepdst04G/s1600/saphire.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="960" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVusJoL3-p-tUsZrlTVt4fq5rWA12SqxgDKdOFpSj-JTjcaSpzazMzm4Z3ewhtX871gI3KHe5eyQC_FrGiRnW4ckibuDIsU7ZCeuXreKE-4yYyBlhQQduy9aXDy3tOAP0L9Jdqepdst04G/s200/saphire.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Today marks six months since my best friend's soul was released into the Universe. I cry less, but I miss her just as much. Her absence still hurts, but I still see her everywhere. I'm not surprised, because our souls are tethered, but it's always a delight when she appears from seemingly out of nowhere. And my reaction is almost always the same. My eyes flutter shut; I smile. I can feel my center glowing. And then I say, "Hi, Ren."</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Six months months of trying to cope with the most painful loss in my life to date. Six months of wanting so much to make Erin proud and keep her light shining, only to be (sort of) held back by random crying spells, crippling depression when my brain refused to let my body move. I wanted so badly to learn more about the disease that took her, and to figure out how to get my brain to figure out a) how to make sense of it all and b) how best to educate and raise awareness about what ALS and similar neurodegenerative diseases like it do to those affected, both directly and indirectly. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">First, I learned the root of the terminology - something I'm sure Erin did way before I thought to do it. The origin of the word, according to a couple of sites, is Greek (<span style="color: #cc0000;"><i>fam, did you hear Erin quote directly from 'My Big Fat Greek Wedding'? I totally did.</i></span>). And, based on the infograph below (which seems to be the accepted word breakdown), <i>Amyotrophic</i> translates to <i>'No Muscle Nourishment'</i>. Then of course, the word <i>Lateral</i> refers to the <i>area of the spine that is attacked</i>, while <i>Sclerosis</i> refers to the <i>hardened state of the spine in the disease's advanced stage</i>. There you go - words telling you exactly what ALS does. </span><br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL3WAsEfLW82dTq83GsCB7_lPAP1wKxE3PlYlJ41v34l9LanEvStHxLkfRt4b06QFXQssNSEw_IgUQcFzLDE-XE8GwYdWAN3NEoWXuR0lCvhX3VgnAUHsCeHe719LLBqCgbCQqscwPIfQl/s1600/als-infographic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="349" data-original-width="620" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL3WAsEfLW82dTq83GsCB7_lPAP1wKxE3PlYlJ41v34l9LanEvStHxLkfRt4b06QFXQssNSEw_IgUQcFzLDE-XE8GwYdWAN3NEoWXuR0lCvhX3VgnAUHsCeHe719LLBqCgbCQqscwPIfQl/s400/als-infographic.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">image credit: cbc.ca</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Second, I learned that Erin's type of ALS (likely familial) only occurs in 5% of all cases, which means that 95% of the 30,000-33,000 diagnosed are completely sporadic. What causes ALS? According to MDA.org, while scientists do know that it isn't transmittable, the idea that people are pre-disposed to having it, but only develop it after coming into contact with an environmental trigger is still just a theory. The spiral I spun into wondering what that trigger was for Erin left me in a fog for days. Additionally, it is believed that some folks who have been diagnosed with a sporadic case may carry ALS-causing genetic mutations that can be passed on to offspring. It weighs heavy on mind that the string of ALS related deaths in Erin's family could have potentially began with a single sporadic case and grew to become the equivalent of a fucked up family heirloom. It makes my heart hurt, and it makes me fear for my Godbabies - I don't understand this life, and how things like this come to be, but that's another post for another time. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">ALS occurs the world over with no racial, ethnic, or socioeconomic boundaries, so not only is it important to keep the conversation going about the existence of neurodegenerative diseases (which, with the rapidly increasing use of chemicals in our food and water supplies, said diseases are becoming more common) like ALS so that research and medical advances can continue, but it is super important to know the warning signs as early as possible to prolong life. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Currently: </span><br />
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<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">50% of those affected with ALS live at least 3 or more years after diagnosis.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">20% live more than 5 years, and</span></li>
<li><i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Only up to 10% will survive more than 10 years </span></i></li>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0GuWJppGlm-W_jQyAT5Zo8ORpF4mrJMgw8g_N372iZxdAFnZmwQsTFRU98dDSYbAHY_reomaOebSemXyP1o6Xm8b8J9kedKOXfYqwk1kg_E_UJzqGrcSkw84P3AUL2UH84QHDGJKmZK0F/s1600/ren5mos.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="240" data-original-width="163" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0GuWJppGlm-W_jQyAT5Zo8ORpF4mrJMgw8g_N372iZxdAFnZmwQsTFRU98dDSYbAHY_reomaOebSemXyP1o6Xm8b8J9kedKOXfYqwk1kg_E_UJzqGrcSkw84P3AUL2UH84QHDGJKmZK0F/s1600/ren5mos.jpg" /></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">We can help change the conversation. Through awareness comes donations, and through donations comes continued research and, eventually, advancement. And with advancement, maybe someone else's sibling or parent can be save. Maybe, somewhere down the road, someone's Erin won't have to die. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I thought long and hard about how to continue to spread ALS awareness and it brought me back to the Ice Bucket Challenge. It was fun, it was inclusive, and it raised a record amount of money that certainly could have helped lead to the <b><a href="http://www.cnn.com/2017/05/06/health/new-als-drug/index.html" target="_blank">FDA's approval of the first new treatment drug in 20 years</a>. </b></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvfMR9gjWKAd_2IyLK8a808Xo6aq3Te3Rq_-TJx57Kabn1cCdBEVjxG4e_Kt9-4D-ug-y6AnW0uVpS6KPOjDHf-fxRdEuAG1WH9gJxMiKjJo2TKN8RfP48bmdxwBHtSIz3ZCphAf-rXfJq/s1600/soulsisters2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="453" data-original-width="604" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvfMR9gjWKAd_2IyLK8a808Xo6aq3Te3Rq_-TJx57Kabn1cCdBEVjxG4e_Kt9-4D-ug-y6AnW0uVpS6KPOjDHf-fxRdEuAG1WH9gJxMiKjJo2TKN8RfP48bmdxwBHtSIz3ZCphAf-rXfJq/s200/soulsisters2.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Songs were happening here.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">That's when it hit me: Erin loved music. And she couldn't exactly carry a tune, but she loved to sing and let the music take her away - especially when The Snack Pack was involved. And one of the beautiful things about her was that she was everyone's biggest fan; she admired and uplifted anyone and everyone passionate enough to put themselves out there and present their art to the world. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>So my campaign is simple</b>: Sing. The genre doesn't matter (Erin loved them all, for the most part), whether or not you can carry a tune doesn't matter. The message is love, the message is awareness - whether it's karaoke, CARaoke (hint hint), or accapella with a couple of friends in front of your desktop. Then make a video - it can be a full song or half a song. The script is simple: </span><br />
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<i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">"Everyday an average of 15 people are diagnosed with ALS and, while there are treatments to prolong life, there is still no cure. So Sing. Spread the Word. Donate."</span></i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcjFDjVV-wd7YM3UO0TQa1Duo9Z3rcCeYIDEbphoSs33Kk8qNaBKHHS5CJ_FPa04HSsX1e8yxm9dBk2VnKURBl6AREwlyOxlgcZj9_ia0JYIK4cweCl46cuPwTnkXLkJVyo88baXvCVqxA/s1600/ALS+Button.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="117" data-original-width="170" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcjFDjVV-wd7YM3UO0TQa1Duo9Z3rcCeYIDEbphoSs33Kk8qNaBKHHS5CJ_FPa04HSsX1e8yxm9dBk2VnKURBl6AREwlyOxlgcZj9_ia0JYIK4cweCl46cuPwTnkXLkJVyo88baXvCVqxA/s1600/ALS+Button.png" /></a><i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>And donate.</b> </span></i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="http://alsa.org/donate" target="_blank">Visit ALSA.org/donate</a> to leave your gift before challenging your friends to do the same. The hashtags? #alsawareness #fuckals #asongforerin </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Here, I'll get us started:</span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Ren,</span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I know you're watching, and I know you're loving this already. I miss you every day. </span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">xo,</span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Manfa</span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small;">Erin Danielle Nelson 1977-2017 </span></i></div>
Samantha Annehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11112846815986912223noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9197241187843007892.post-15070779497298185512017-06-12T09:09:00.003-05:002017-06-12T09:09:50.772-05:00Erin's Day for ALS Awareness<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfJZ0jZbRaKjDMsBOpZKwlUf2eHmKpwNHN2HuGZEivFR-551ml8BosrtmV-MBvSceuUOhYKArwSDnykSICJhpY7aMyPBGmzQQIta0_6cKrKFmaQdFR2OoIWaAdKKVWwbgVYL8TkVFjtGBl/s1600/ren5mos.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="240" data-original-width="163" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfJZ0jZbRaKjDMsBOpZKwlUf2eHmKpwNHN2HuGZEivFR-551ml8BosrtmV-MBvSceuUOhYKArwSDnykSICJhpY7aMyPBGmzQQIta0_6cKrKFmaQdFR2OoIWaAdKKVWwbgVYL8TkVFjtGBl/s1600/ren5mos.jpg" /></a><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">The 11th seems to come around more quickly these days. And I missed a blog post. But bear in mind, I did not forget. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Life just got away from me this month, and I didn't get to do the level of research I wanted to. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP9cVI0nPNONZTIvAb6lESKMU8q53i5JeoImx2f1XVeBe31mp8bwrc87BBIq63K4DljYkxi0yBALlXFhe2LxiNPkpC_J_y7M0PFPpE09YNt6C8Z5xLbiUqIjniwsAJ9_gyxBL4dyVbvIZ7/s1600/ALSFacts.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="791" data-original-width="845" height="299" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP9cVI0nPNONZTIvAb6lESKMU8q53i5JeoImx2f1XVeBe31mp8bwrc87BBIq63K4DljYkxi0yBALlXFhe2LxiNPkpC_J_y7M0PFPpE09YNt6C8Z5xLbiUqIjniwsAJ9_gyxBL4dyVbvIZ7/s320/ALSFacts.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">But
I'm happy to report that Erin's UZN Chapter had their annual barbecue
in the Bronx, and they displayed a sweet tribute (see above). Next month's post will
include information, but for now I remember my sister. Please visit <a href="http://www.alsa.org/">http://www.alsa.org/</a> and donate if you can. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>Did you know?</b>
Caldwell B. Esselstyn, MD was Lou Gehrig's personal physician after his
diagnosis. He founded The Rip Van Winkle Foundation (dba The Lou Gehrig
Society), an organization devoted to identifying and promoting
policies, techniques, and programs that prevent disease. Visit <a href="http://www.lougehrig.com/rvwf/rvwf.html">http://www.lougehrig.com/rvwf/rvwf.html</a> for more info. </span></span><br />
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<b>Ren. 1977-2017</b></div>
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Samantha Annehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11112846815986912223noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9197241187843007892.post-54334436014071032352017-06-01T09:00:00.000-05:002017-06-01T13:03:27.550-05:00Becky Flade Takes Us Back To Trapper's Cove & I Want To Move There<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Weird title, I know. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">But when you get to know an author's literary town and the people in it, you end up wanting to have coffee with all of them. And yes, Trapper's Cove, MN has seen it's share of drama and danger, as proven in Fated Souls and Fated Hearts. But its delightful quirk and charm have left this girl ready to pack up her silver hatchback and head the hell on out. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Fated Desires, Becky Flade's latest offering from within the borders of this tiny, peculiar town, introduces us to Jenna Gavin, a divorcee who ends up there by way of a search for a new life and new beginnings. Add in a sexy young baseball player named Gabriel and... well, you can imagine the rest. One of my favorite things about romance novels is that you are guaranteed witty banter, new love, butterflies and, if you're lucky, a smattering of steamy sex scenes. And I'd lay my rep on the line to say that Becky, for me, has never disappointed. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Details, you need details. Well, Mama's got you: </span></span><br />
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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSAMIFZDmQtukN928a9XwFxsyqltjMOrctpX7EZaVIslfJ4zLGKKWBeH57bUu41Qm5BiDp8-qshB6CI15pMbcgQV06ErPsd_rnZB5K10qm_iP6x03QNcd59WeIS_JbEfqu5i2kOE2drtde/s1600/fateddesirescover.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1350" data-original-width="900" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSAMIFZDmQtukN928a9XwFxsyqltjMOrctpX7EZaVIslfJ4zLGKKWBeH57bUu41Qm5BiDp8-qshB6CI15pMbcgQV06ErPsd_rnZB5K10qm_iP6x03QNcd59WeIS_JbEfqu5i2kOE2drtde/s400/fateddesirescover.png" width="265" /></a><b>Fated Desires</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Jenna Gavin is searching for a fresh start and, more importantly, for
balance. Her heart, and perhaps the hands of fate, have led her and her son to
Trappers' Cove, Minnesota. Settling in the small, quirky town, she's not in the
market for a casual relationship but finds herself in one with the young
widower next door.</span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Former shortstop, Gabriel Foxx, is drawn to his difficult new neighbor.
The more the prickly divorcee tries to keep him at arm's length, the more
determined he is to break down her walls. He can't avoid the passion Jenna
inspires and his friendship with Finn has him yearning for family, but Gabe
won't allow himself to feel more.</span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">When friendship grows complicated by stronger emotions and mutual desire
just isn't enough, will love be worth the risk?</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Fated Desires</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="color: #444444;"><a href="http://amzn.com/B071NFHZ4W"><b>Amazon</b></a><b> | </b><a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/fated-desires-becky-flade/1126372054?ean=9781545450383"><b>Barnes & Noble</b></a><b> | </b><a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/fated-desires/id1235294541?mt=11&ign-mpt=uo%3D4"><b>iBooks</b></a><b> | </b><a href="https://www.blogger.com/Desires%20iBooks%20https:/itunes.apple.com/us/book/fated-desires/id1235294541?mt=11&ign-mpt=uo%3D4"><b>Kobo</b></a><b> | </b><a href="https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Becky_Flade_Fated_Desires?id=H5PTDgAAQBAJ"><b>Google Play</b></a></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2mXCYOnVHsQkAlbFDLk38aV8cLT7DJbhHR0QWpGrbfyQ_HLNVLJK7lmcKA_KXmEHhzJXu15l66eimplKO4k8ZuDYWZuBn-EY9dOOrERwuYvmDywNahzYKOV_IyxPNvkxHrPWEtE4qCjNa/s1600/beckyflade.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="353" data-original-width="359" height="196" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2mXCYOnVHsQkAlbFDLk38aV8cLT7DJbhHR0QWpGrbfyQ_HLNVLJK7lmcKA_KXmEHhzJXu15l66eimplKO4k8ZuDYWZuBn-EY9dOOrERwuYvmDywNahzYKOV_IyxPNvkxHrPWEtE4qCjNa/s200/beckyflade.png" width="200" /></a><b>The Bio of Miss Flade:</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Home is where
the heart is and I make mine with my very own knight in slightly tarnished
armor in southeastern Pennsylvania.
When I’m not busy living my own happily ever after, I’m writing about someone
else’s. </span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Contact
Details (cuz trust me, you want to find her):</b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="color: #444444;"><a href="http://www.beckyfladeauthor.com/">http://www.beckyfladeauthor.com/</a></span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="color: #444444;">
</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="color: #444444;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/BeckyFlade">https://www.facebook.com/BeckyFlade</a></span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="color: #444444;">
</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="color: #444444;"><a href="https://twitter.com/beckyflade">https://twitter.com/beckyflade</a></span></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>See</i> <b>Fated Desires</b>
on Pinterest <span style="color: #444444;"><a href="https://www.pinterest.com/BeckyFlade/fated-desires/"><b>https://www.pinterest.com/BeckyFlade/fated-desires/</b></a><b> </b> </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">and on YouTube<b> </b><span style="color: #444444;"><a href="https://youtu.be/_VD2F-RQzHA"><b>https://youtu.be/_VD2F-RQzHA</b></a></span><b> </b></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>Add</i> to Goodreads<b> </b><span style="color: #444444;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/35102061-fated-desires"><b>https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/35102061-fated-desires</b></a></span><b>
</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<h4 align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
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<h4 style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>Now enjoy the following excerpt from</i> <b>Fated Desires!</b></span></span></h4>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">
</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">
</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">She had drifted
closer to him. Or him to her. Jenna couldn’t be sure. But it would take only a
shift of balance to touch her body to his. Life was about balance. And the
shifting of worlds. In the space of a day her world had changed for better and
for worse. She’d spent the previous nine years trying to find her balance
again. </span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; text-align: left; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Jenna felt the
familiar kick of desire. She’d never understood the girls who spoke of
butterflies and stirrings. For her it was more akin to a donkey kick—pleasurable,
sure, like the first jolt of caffeine in the morning and as sure and swift and
strong. Her pulse sped up and she knew the vein in her neck would visibly
pulse; it did when she was angry and when she was aroused. Gabe was sure to
notice it. As she noticed his heart pounding against her palm in a rhythm she
found seductive.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; text-align: left; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">She raised her
gaze from the back of her hand. His mouth was aligned with her own. She hadn’t
realized how close in height they were. All she had to do was…shift.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; text-align: left; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">“This is the
longest conversation we’ve had.” Her voice was husky; she heard it, knew he
would. He shifted, imperceptibly but she sensed it. </span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; text-align: left; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">“Maybe this,”
his voice was husky too, “is why.”</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; text-align: left; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">She thought she
knew what he meant. The tension between them was awareness. </span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; text-align: left; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">“The day we met
I wanted to get close enough to see what color your eyes were. They’re gray.
Like storm clouds. Perfect.” </span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; text-align: left; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Jenna could
feel his breath on the flesh of her lips and her nipples tightened.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; text-align: left; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">“Mom!” </span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; text-align: left; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Finn’s shout
was punctuated by his feet drumming down the stairs. Gabe brushed his lips over
the curve of her cheek, his eyes conveying amused regret, and slipped out the
back door, barely making a sound. Jenna grabbed the counter and breathed. She
needed to settle herself before her son found his way to the kitchen. <a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="_GoBack"></a></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; text-align: left; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>What the hell?</i></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br />
<a href="https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Becky_Flade_Fated_Desires?id=H5PTDgAAQBAJ"><b><span style="font-family: "times new roman";"></span></b></a><b><span style="font-family: "times new roman";"></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
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Samantha Annehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11112846815986912223noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9197241187843007892.post-21511335307476317022017-05-11T23:39:00.000-05:002017-05-14T11:42:14.287-05:00Erin's Day for ALS Awareness<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoLDeAHxHtGs04MJXV_ogMRmtq3DBzULrwpRgmueD-EMhTfuCVOARCNtSqzF-9XVcdNFJchPQ0oD842yLdKil_1-G5njCyno4PMUSojtL-WEIVRXENPP8U5nZj786RzIyiLja2J5KVNIZk/s1600/saphire.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoLDeAHxHtGs04MJXV_ogMRmtq3DBzULrwpRgmueD-EMhTfuCVOARCNtSqzF-9XVcdNFJchPQ0oD842yLdKil_1-G5njCyno4PMUSojtL-WEIVRXENPP8U5nZj786RzIyiLja2J5KVNIZk/s200/saphire.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
Four months today. You're everywhere. In the eyes of your kids, in the hearts of your family and friends, and certainly in the eyes of your granddaughter. I wish I were an old hag writing this at the end of my life about a friend who'd already lived a long and full life. Instead, I'll be celebrating my next milestone birthday without your physical presence. And the one after that.<br />
<br />
You were supposed to be one of my bridesmaids, if I ever got married. I might have been your maid of honor, had you made it until summer well enough to marry the man you loved. Since your diagnosis, we were all prepared to band together and take one more road trip - your last ride, as it were. You were all for it, but looking back I think you knew it wouldn't happen. I would have wanted to know what you knew but still... thank you for sparing me. I know why you kept so tight-lipped about the severity of the situation.<br />
<br />
I said I'd honor your memory, and I meant it - I've been thinking about this blog post for days now. <br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitAUliEKDwD9IlAKPykDGwqXyeQZucZuWsEWCiTuqIL-klMKPy-Y8x42kzRW3HJ8W5Uk67TorY8Vn_qRckfWa3MmNHpE-pHEDD6pur_78TUhdYi-M3vUrIwcbbKbLr6rIkYGWoGipn3Qp4/s1600/erinmadedis.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="254" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitAUliEKDwD9IlAKPykDGwqXyeQZucZuWsEWCiTuqIL-klMKPy-Y8x42kzRW3HJ8W5Uk67TorY8Vn_qRckfWa3MmNHpE-pHEDD6pur_78TUhdYi-M3vUrIwcbbKbLr6rIkYGWoGipn3Qp4/s320/erinmadedis.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Erin, in one of her hand-knitted sweaters. So truly talented!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
How can I continue to bring to light the awful nature of the bastard disorder that took you from me, from us all? I struggled to figure out where I'd go with this one, as I usually do when I sit down to write. Then I read an article through a link posted by a wonderful guy who has been fighting ALS successfully for quite sometime. A new drug was approved for treatment - the first in twenty years, it said. Then I thought back to the links we sent each other when we were waiting for the goddamn doctors to diagnose you -- I thought for sure it was a trial we had discussed. Whether it was or wasn't doesn't matter. What matters is a new drug was approved. This is incredible news for those who are here, and I know that. But again, I was seized by a selfish human moment.<br />
<br />
Filled with anger and sadness, I cried all the way home. I stayed the fuck off Facebook, because I couldn't deal with anything else. In the moment, it wasn't fair. Had the drug been approved sooner (because who knows how long it took -- what was it you'd said? They're quick to stuff us with man-made preservatives and additives that'll rot us from the inside out, but they can't see their way to give us a cure for anything.), would you have made it? Would we have gotten to keep you for weeks more? Months more? Years more?<br />
<br />
I'm having a real problem, even now, understanding the ways of the world and why things happen the way they do. I struggle to stay present, to push forward. I miss you. Our crew - the Snack Pack? - isn't balanced without you in this world. We feel you and we feel your absence at the same time. It's surreal. And just when I think I can't cry anymore, the tears come. And yet, because I know it's what you'd want, I will keep fighting the good fight.<br />
<br />
<b>The Link:</b><a href="http://www.cbsnews.com/news/new-als-drug-approved-for-lou-gehrigs-disease-radicava/" target="_blank"> http://www.cbsnews.com/news/new-als-drug-approved-for-lou-gehrigs-disease-radicava</a>/<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWw919fpbWafsqLVF1FAkV9l4Mi0bmeLrhL0MrVOnJVUWnKQ5GlonUKRfBYZLu_GI9Yq5eKC88IXo8vg_8MpXkE0fzS-A_pVn4O92_uFH5zHIGSyqYxT4Y2ll3Vf6glEr_OtuM10huNNIy/s1600/ALS+Button.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWw919fpbWafsqLVF1FAkV9l4Mi0bmeLrhL0MrVOnJVUWnKQ5GlonUKRfBYZLu_GI9Yq5eKC88IXo8vg_8MpXkE0fzS-A_pVn4O92_uFH5zHIGSyqYxT4Y2ll3Vf6glEr_OtuM10huNNIy/s1600/ALS+Button.png" /></a>A new drug, <b>Radicava</b>, became the first drug in 20+ years to be approved for the treatment of <b>ALS. </b>I feel like, despite the victory, we should all be concerned that this amazing new <b>treatment will cost $145,524 a year</b>, according to the manufacturer. I wonder if such an organization exists that helps those suffering with funds to cover the cost of treatment, or at least to aid in paying household bills. It's not a cure, but an effective treatment used to prolong the lives of those fighting. <br />
<i><br /></i>
<i><u><b>Readers:</b></u> A new treatment is great, but there is still no cure. If you are so inclined, please donate to the ALS Foundation to help further research. Visit ALS.ORG for more information.</i><br />
<br />
<h3 style="text-align: center;">
<i>I love you, Ren. </i><i>1977-2017</i></h3>
<br />
<br />
<br />Samantha Annehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11112846815986912223noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9197241187843007892.post-41475992803286905342017-04-10T23:00:00.000-05:002017-04-10T23:00:26.852-05:00Erin's Day for ALS Awareness - Fighting ALS is a Full-Time Job<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>for further information or to donate to the research that can help locate treatments and, someday, a cure for Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), please visit <a href="http://als.org/">als.org</a> -- and please continue past the end of the article for a brief memory of my soulmate Erin, the amazing woman to whom this post and future posts like these are dedicated. </i></span></span></span></div>
<h1>
<span style="font-size: large;">The ALS Association: Fighting ALS is a Full-Time Job</span></h1>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSkQoU6jY2ad3XfSQFwDVO4snmC_M9utoU1fktmk2MKzRLba42p6x0EnXyZogmWSta7EvfsZLfXzIkg4KlihZCjd_3uGL1Ki0FLW-AOMUFADJKAlcdQRGALlmKuH7IkBbq57oKJ2QVhzRQ/s1600/ALS+Button.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSkQoU6jY2ad3XfSQFwDVO4snmC_M9utoU1fktmk2MKzRLba42p6x0EnXyZogmWSta7EvfsZLfXzIkg4KlihZCjd_3uGL1Ki0FLW-AOMUFADJKAlcdQRGALlmKuH7IkBbq57oKJ2QVhzRQ/s1600/ALS+Button.png" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Make your donation at <a href="http://als.org/">ALS.org</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">The ALS Association symbolizes the hopes of people everywhere that
Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis will one day be a disease of the past -
relegated to historical status, studied in medical textbooks, conquered
by the dedication of thousands who have worked ceaselessly to understand
and eradicate this perplexing killer. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
</span><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
Until that day comes, The ALS Association relentlessly pursues its
mission to help people living with ALS and to leave no stone unturned in
search for the cure of the progressive neurodegenerative disease that
took the life and name of Baseball Legend Lou Gehrig.
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">As the only not-for-profit voluntary health agency dedicated solely to
the fight against ALS, we direct the largest privately-funded research
enterprise engaged to uncover the mystery of a disease that affects as
many as 30,000 annually. With more than 5,600 people diagnosed each year
- an average of 15 new cases each day - our mission is urgent. The
search for answers knows no bounds. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
</span><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
The ALS Association's far-reaching efforts extend to Capitol Hill and
some of the world's finest research laboratories. To date The ALS
Association has supported over $80 million in ALS research. We've
brought the ALS community the historic Medicare waiver of the 24-month
waiting period and a 100% increase in funding since our advocacy
campaign began. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
</span><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
But nowhere does this battle reach deepest than in our work with ALS
patients and their families. We embrace thousands of those stricken with
the disease with the world's most comprehensive program of care and
services. Our nation-wide network of chapters coordinates services with
care and compassion - making a difference in the lives of people with
Lou Gehrig's disease. Our hallmark of quality is exemplified in centers
and clinics that deliver advanced care and meet The ALS Association's
rigorous criteria for certification.
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
</span><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
Our accomplishments are made possible by the generosity of others.
From the smallest donation to the largest gift, donors touch the ALS
community with hope for the future. This terrible disease knows no
racial, ethnic or socioeconomic boundaries. It can strike anyone at any
time. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
</span><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
Despite the mysterious nature of ALS, breathtaking advances in
science, medicine and technology are shaping a future of unparalleled
hope for those with ALS. The ALS Association is at the forefront in this
new world, encouraging young scientists to combine new thinking with
these advances to unlock the mysteries of ALS - to push the envelope in
therapy and scientific research. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
</span><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
The ALS Association is waging the war against this killer 24/7. Every
90 minutes, an American dies of ALS. Time isn't on the side of those
afflicted. Fighting ALS is a full-time job. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"> </span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">The following article can be found in its entirety at <a href="http://als.org/index.php?page=about_us">http://als.org/index.php?page=about_us</a></span></span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
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<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnFMQeaD5HuEOMm2hWi0MyF1A8AHnBkpL2B85oufh5PuiNhMC_u1ZiwAT6B-abSmh9UrO5JIOvb5M7rLJvorXAxw7BGLxwSYBmEqA7pmuziQXd-xbSziRe7hcWG2wFz7oj2OXm-ZK1_SyL/s1600/longlivethesnackpack.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="305" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnFMQeaD5HuEOMm2hWi0MyF1A8AHnBkpL2B85oufh5PuiNhMC_u1ZiwAT6B-abSmh9UrO5JIOvb5M7rLJvorXAxw7BGLxwSYBmEqA7pmuziQXd-xbSziRe7hcWG2wFz7oj2OXm-ZK1_SyL/s320/longlivethesnackpack.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"></span><i><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"> </span></i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><i><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">We were #squadgoals before Taylor Swift claimed it - we rolled together strong, we uplifted one another and, whenever one of us was in crisis, we'd walk from anywhere to be wherever the other needed us. We embraced the darkness together, we embraced the light together, and we laughed and loved everything in between. We gathered around beer, music, projects (shared or solo)... but mostly food. (smile) So, we called ourselves the Snack Pack. And wherever we were together, we were the center of attention. We made everyone around us part of our crew, and we loved to make everyone around us laugh and smile. The three of us that remain vow to keep Erin's light shining, and to keep spreading the love we used to when we were a quartet of magical sisters. </span></i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<i><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">Long Live the Snack Pack. </span></b></span></span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
Samantha Annehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11112846815986912223noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9197241187843007892.post-25366066729686001552017-03-10T23:30:00.000-06:002017-03-11T00:29:03.211-06:00ALS Stole My Best Friend<br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Two months ago today, my soul sister Erin lost a brief, but hard fought battle with ALS - it came in, robbed her of her vitality and then robbed the rest of us of the incredible privilege of having her in our lives. A day hasn't gone by where I haven't thought of her, and wondered what I can do to keep her amazing light shining. To know Erin was to be in the presence of love, and I need to share some of her light in order for you to understand the impact that her passing has had on me and (legitimately) hundreds of others. </span><br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGwF1aa2mZTnGdisp2_yuc50hxnbeX9tyZUVokTUWqTesEo5ibj8ANAs_tQwBW4jyBDezGxKWnG_Vpn3CyS6srLZAZ8BjIjV5Sq0AGuO4QSLjMDaBoDI-c6ZjVY91-vhTtwue4IeemEsbV/s1600/00erin.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGwF1aa2mZTnGdisp2_yuc50hxnbeX9tyZUVokTUWqTesEo5ibj8ANAs_tQwBW4jyBDezGxKWnG_Vpn3CyS6srLZAZ8BjIjV5Sq0AGuO4QSLjMDaBoDI-c6ZjVY91-vhTtwue4IeemEsbV/s320/00erin.jpg" width="175" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">Erin aka Saphire, 9/4/77 - 1/11/17</span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Erin (also known as Saphire) was an active member of the Universal Zulu Nation (crowned Queen, on the Council of Elders, and a curator of all of the Nation's vast stores of knowledge), and had been since the mid-90's. She worked tirelessly for the nation to disprove the 'gang' label that had wrongfully been placed on them since their inception in the 70's. She operated with love, and understanding - she was a Queen in all rights, always displaying the most open heart, the most open mind, and the most beautiful soul. She inspired everyone she met to be better version of themselves and, as a result, people everywhere loved her. In fact, during her final days, members of the Universal Zulu Nation were actively driving across country and traveling across the ocean to have the opportunity to say one last goodbye to their Queen. And when she left us, there was barely a space to breathe in the funeral home - it seemed the entire world came to pay their respects. And that's how I knew it would be: a fabulous farewell fit for a dignitary, a glorious outpouring of love for a woman whom I considered an inspiration and a living angel. Erin was love. Erin was light. And she always will be. </span><br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcUjGwvPRJcrXK2E-CL533Ea0wYmGf0a711nG71iGpAC_TrRzb_9QUrS9BzRBAFG2Vpy0VoOctDWO-QXR8I8qjvl5OcYRM5YLfWBYb_wfd7ysPNTfn_7eNoroLdPvmKRNSUyEAerPsvi6l/s1600/rensam1992.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcUjGwvPRJcrXK2E-CL533Ea0wYmGf0a711nG71iGpAC_TrRzb_9QUrS9BzRBAFG2Vpy0VoOctDWO-QXR8I8qjvl5OcYRM5YLfWBYb_wfd7ysPNTfn_7eNoroLdPvmKRNSUyEAerPsvi6l/s200/rensam1992.jpg" width="131" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Me and Erin, 1992-ish.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Growing up, she knew this was a possibility. We'd spend hours talking about anything and everything, some of which included her fear that she'd end up developing ALS the way that her biological mother had. I can remember her saying that if she made it to 30, she'd feel like she could count herself safe - and on her 30th birthday, we privately breathed a sigh of relief. But life had different plans. It was just over a year ago that her voice began to slur, she began to lose weight, and she couldn't keep food down. She retreated within herself and didn't say much to anyone, despite the fact that the signs had begun to pile up. She was always the woman who preferred to take care of everyone else and never wanted folks to make a fuss over her. So she began to make peace with the world around her, packing in as much life as she could while she awaited the inevitable diagnosis as quietly as she could (so that she wouldn't have to send anyone into a panic). And while ALS ultimately claimed her roughly four months after her 39th birthday, I'm happy to say that she got to take the long road trip she wanted, and she got to, above all, hold her first grandchild. </span><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">There's so much I wanted to experience with her, with all of my soul sisters. And to hell with it, I'll be honest - I was clueless about her suffering toward the end. Going about my life 1600 miles away after moving to Texas, I had no idea how bad it was. Whenever I asked for more detail, she never gave it to me. She only let me know she was fighting, trying to get through it. I can remember my heart cracking straight down the middle when I asked her sometime <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYjomiNic2GCwMPRieV5yyzMklTpoUP5Qk9PSPopW_BgLTj8MGjp8wurLC4Ha1gInwqunp6CkT25JzcREC1lNPqA3S4t3QO0uOY73E67yMpGB6q_mWPX46Xwdvo36feL-zGlmIXVOAt5LN/s1600/soulsisters2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYjomiNic2GCwMPRieV5yyzMklTpoUP5Qk9PSPopW_BgLTj8MGjp8wurLC4Ha1gInwqunp6CkT25JzcREC1lNPqA3S4t3QO0uOY73E67yMpGB6q_mWPX46Xwdvo36feL-zGlmIXVOAt5LN/s320/soulsisters2.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">l to r: Me, Krystal, Lo, Erin - aka 'The Snack Pack'. </td></tr>
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in December how she was, and she simply responded, "I'm tired" - it speaks volumes to me now, in hindsight. All I could do was remain steadfast in my support, even though I was far away; all I could do was send words of encouragement, and try to keep as much hope in her heart as possible. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">It wasn't until her final return to the hospital in December that I realized she was actually dying; that it wasn't coming eventually, it was coming for her immediately. I'm thankful for things like Facebook Video Chat - her fiance gladly held his phone to her face while I sat on the other side with tears in my eyes. She looked me in the face and I told her I loved her. I have to believe she heard me. I prayed daily for her; the last text I sent her before she slipped into a state of unconsciousness was to ask, when she got out of the hospital and was in better health, if she'd like to take a nice long road trip with our sisters Krystal and Lorraine - our last big trip together had been in 2008. She answered that she'd love it. The thing is, I had no idea. None. I believed she'd get better. At least well enough to handle the road trip, as long as we were prepared to care for her (and we would have been). And thinking about it now, she knew - I'm wondering whose sense of hope she'd been stoking when she answered, hers or mine. Maybe it was both. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSHbE604_ZQXuI3ctefv9bqxAj3y-QvBSvXLRTy9lAEPODAngYud0sukrYxYGaDYKnOBvEAWCv6vKGMeuas8XinQY4XyGa9H_c2WlDf0G-WQw4xx0fFvTVElO-TJkJn2QR_2nkGX2mOvF5/s1600/saphire.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSHbE604_ZQXuI3ctefv9bqxAj3y-QvBSvXLRTy9lAEPODAngYud0sukrYxYGaDYKnOBvEAWCv6vKGMeuas8XinQY4XyGa9H_c2WlDf0G-WQw4xx0fFvTVElO-TJkJn2QR_2nkGX2mOvF5/s320/saphire.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A tribute created by a member of the Universal Zulu Nation. </td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">On January 11th, I sat straight up in bed at 7am - I gasped for air, my heart racing. Blindly, I reached for my phone. The message was already there - one of my best girls, one of my soulmates, one of my true sisters, was gone. The world had already been thick and scary - it was a lingering feeling of pending doom that had been hanging in the air for a month or so since she had first gotten really sick. I wasn't sleeping, I wasn't dealing with people well, I couldn't focus, I couldn't write. And when she breathed her last, it didn't get better. The days after leading to her funeral and burial were surreal. I couldn't handle that she was gone, that I'd never see her face again - at least, not in this lifetime. It's odd to feel such a painful sense of loss while not feeling like I'd never see her again. Call me crazy, but I know she's one of my soulmates. I've been blessed to have found them all - and I walk every life with them. I know I'll see her again, but right now I'm being human and selfish: I want my sister here. And since then, I've been chaotic, for lack of a better word. How do I deal with this? How do I honor my best friend? How do I honor the memory of the girl who, in high school, stood at my back when I was about to be jumped by three girls with no questions asked? How do I keep this amazing, selfless, loving, truly beautiful woman's light shining? And all I can think is to start with awareness of the disease that claimed her life. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">ALS - Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, also known Lou Gehrig's Disease - is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and the spinal cord. (<a href="http://als.org/">ALS.org</a>)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">There are actually 3 forms of ALS, described as follows on the ALS Association's Website: </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>1.</b> <u><i>Sporadic</i></u> - this is the most common form of the disease in the US - 90 to 95% of all cases are diagnosed as a sporadic form of ALS. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>2.</b> <u><i>Familial</i></u> - this form of ALS occurs more than once in a family lineage and accounts for only 5-10% of all cases. This was most certainly the form that afflicted Erin. A member of her family told me recently that every woman on her mother's side of the family lost their lives to the disease. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>3.</b> <u><i>Guamanian</i></u> - an extremely high incidence of ALS was observed in Guam and the Trust Territories of the Pacific in the 1950's. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKDMonTOxKWtauqz_0prxQxClQQGyiMg_Wq5MJgtpSxDKtZTsoI_itgrBhH978cSckYi_mHNR6OW92vQ1DcrtgdpxD0uv5lToYLVqw7pWHOvLvD0w7tf4o1f0sbjTrzCeZ0Q3A2Zs0HzNS/s1600/ALSFacts.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="299" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKDMonTOxKWtauqz_0prxQxClQQGyiMg_Wq5MJgtpSxDKtZTsoI_itgrBhH978cSckYi_mHNR6OW92vQ1DcrtgdpxD0uv5lToYLVqw7pWHOvLvD0w7tf4o1f0sbjTrzCeZ0Q3A2Zs0HzNS/s320/ALSFacts.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">ALS - Facts You Should Know</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">According to ALS.org, early symptoms are so slight that they are frequently overlooked. Depending on their appearance and how progressed the illness actually is, the course of ALS may include: </span><br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">muscle weakness in the hands, arms, legs, or difficulty swallowing, speaking, or breathing. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">muscle twitches and cramps, especially in the hands and feet, arms or legs</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">"thick speech" and difficulty projecting the voice</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">in more advanced stages, shortness of breath, difficulty in breathing and swallowing.</span></li>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Diagnosis is important in prolonging the life of someone with ALS, and following treatment 100% to the letter is also crucial. However, the disease itself is so sneaky and rarely diagnosed in time, that it's often too late to treat successfully to add more than a few months onto a person's life. It is very difficult to diagnose, and frequently what a doctor does (at their own discretion) is rule out diseases whose symptoms are similar before they arrive at the diagnosis of ALS. Testing includes electrodiagnostics (electomyography and/or nerve conduction velocity), spinal tap, x-ray/MRI, myelogram of the spine, and blood/urine studies. At this time, though the ALS Association is working diligently to learn more about this disease and how to stop it, there is no cure and the disease will eventually lead to death. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Just as awareness of any disease is crucial to developing new methods to diagnose, treat, and ultimately prevent or cure, so is awareness of this debilitating condition. ALS Awareness month is in May, and has been for the last 24 years. During that month, the ALS Association sponsors the Nation ALS Advocacy Day and Public Policy Conference, leading a delegation of people with ALS, their caregivers and other advocates to Capitol Hill to urge legislators to support measures to help find treatments and a cure. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The ALS Awareness Challenge began in 2013 with Pete Frates and Pat Quinn, both diagnosed with the disease in 2012 and 2013, respectively. It involved challenging friends to either dump a bucket of ice water over your head, or donate to the ALS Association within 24 hours of the challenge. The challenge spread far and wide, and eventually celebrities got involved, divulging in the comedy of dumping a bucket of ice over their heads while still donating to the organization. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://secure2.convio.net/alsa/site/Donation2;jsessionid=59F6FDF296ADE20294387D1D6111AA90.app296b?df_id=34360&34360.donation=form1" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_pkV_hFokinsm0v4y2PuxaWZ1eOPMa7CoAqgR92atvDvUkWSEcBTw9OcmcsrNa7ZFyJhfb4KJJm8_JzQh5sPzD6g_A4NF1VAIZd-DeadhscRMt7hFgZZ1QZsqKcgEXaAKzTzQSDZ0sB0k/s1600/ALS+Button.png" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://secure2.convio.net/alsa/site/Donation2;jsessionid=59F6FDF296ADE20294387D1D6111AA90.app296b?df_id=34360&34360.donation=form1" target="_blank">Please donate! Click here. </a></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">So, please - I beg. If you can <b><a href="https://secure2.convio.net/alsa/site/Donation2;jsessionid=59F6FDF296ADE20294387D1D6111AA90.app296b?df_id=34360&34360.donation=form1" target="_blank">donate</a></b>, do so. I invite you to learn about ALS and post links to your blogs or Facebook pages encouraging others to do the same. This is a rough world we live in, and the hope is that the ALS Association can continue their work to successfully find ways to deal with this life-stealing disease. And maybe, just maybe, convincing others to care about this will cause a domino effect, and they'll start caring about everything else too. Dare to dream? Maybe, but - like Erin did, and frequently sought out - I believe that there is good in us all. And a tidal wave of hope and love can often happen out of nowhere. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">For now, I continue my struggle to find ways to make Erin proud and to make sure her memory lives on. She deserves immortality - she's <i>earned</i> it. I feel and see her presence every day - in music, in the outdoors, in movies and books, and on the faces of her children (my Godbabies). But I want her here, so badly. All I can do today is say out loud, "I love you, Erin. And I won't let you down."</span>Samantha Annehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11112846815986912223noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9197241187843007892.post-63694031920949169162016-01-11T12:28:00.000-06:002016-01-12T08:54:08.225-06:00COVER REVEAL: What The Bachelor Gets by Kristina Knight<h2>
Cover Reveal: What The Bachelor Gets by Kristina Knight</h2>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I really love doing these posts. I have so many talented pals who write the most amazing material that I feel like I'm constantly celebrating book releases and cover reveals. This post is no exception: Kristina Knight has a new book dropping on February 8th, and the cover is pretty much sexy af. And yes, that is a legitimate, professional descriptor. (smile)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Be sure to read through the blurb and, if you like what you read, pay <a href="http://www.kristinaknightauthor.com/" target="_blank">Kristina Knight</a> a visit and get the deets on where to pick up her latest read!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Vegas Nightly just named local property developer Gage
Reeves its Sexiest Bachelor, not a title he likes, especially when it brings
showgirls, local socialites and entertainers to his doorstep 24/7.<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Callie Holliday has a plan: make her day spa the hottest
ticket in Vegas. The problem? She's saddled with a bad location and a zero
account balance. A chance meeting with childhood friend Gage Reeves offers one
solution: setting up shop at his new development.<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Gage's ordered life twists out of control when he begins to
fall for his childhood friend because Callie is determined to keep things
business like. She doesn't like to depend on people, but Gage makes it hard to
remember exactly why…</i></span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">And here's a special sneak peek at What The Bachelor Gets:</span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Callie unlocked the front door but didn’t move to go inside.
Instead, she stood beside him as if waiting. Their bodies didn’t touch, but he
could feel a slight hum that seemed to connect him to her.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> “Good
night, Gage.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> “Good
night, Cal.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> This time
she moved, toward him. Gage stepped forward, too, and leaned in to press his
lips to hers. She was soft, her full lips steady beneath his, and she tasted
like the Corona and lime she’d been drinking. Gage slipped his hands to her
neck to play his thumbs against the sensitive skin beneath her jaw, and Callie
stepped forward again, this time bringing her body in full contact with his.
His dick jumped in his jeans.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> Her hands
pressed against his chest and then pushed up around his neck. Callie slanted
her head and opened her mouth to him. Gage pushed her against the doorframe,
insinuating his leg between hers as he took the kiss deeper.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> She drew
him in, deep into the depths of her, and Gage didn’t care if they kissed like
this for the rest of the night. He wanted to be near her. Wanted to feel her
against him. Wanted to go on tasting her until he was positive he’d never
forget any of it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> Finally, he
broke the kiss, panting, his lips millimeters from hers.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> Callie
swallowed, and he watched the muscles in her throat slide down and then up
slowly. She blew out a breath.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> “Good
night, Gage?” It was a question, and he didn’t want to answer it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> “Good
night, Cal,” he said. “I’ll call you tomorrow.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> Before he
could talk himself into her condo, Gage returned to the truck. He sat in the
cab for a long moment, watching until Callie went inside and closed the door.
Then he looked at his jeans and said, “Cold shower, buddy, ice-cold shower.”</span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">No Buy Links yet, But...</span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Visit Goodreads and add <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/28382438-what-the-bachelor-gets?from_search=true&search_version=service" target="_blank">What The Bachelor Gets</a> to your 'Want To Read' shelf!</span></div>
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Samantha Annehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11112846815986912223noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9197241187843007892.post-7070734676921441002015-11-21T08:00:00.000-06:002015-11-21T08:00:06.697-06:00CHECK THIS OUT: Modern Magic: A Quartet of Fractured Fairy Tales<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
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MODERN MAGIC: A Quartet of Fractured Fairy Tales</h2>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I'm gonna cut to the chase. My publisher, Crimson Romance, put out a call for 'Fractured Fairy Tales' earlier this year - I was all over it, of course! My synopsis didn't make the cut, but the result is this incredible bundle of short stories that you have to (HAVE TO) read. Take a look at Modern Magic: A Quartet of Fractured Fairy Tales - you'll be glad you did!</span><br />
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The Stories Have Changed A Little...</h2>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaQ9B5grefxCFznoVbB_BkF9FEA5VUauuIb7upwEPB8GZyPWKho7M1X8Ktrr6K1lXa5feEzhsy_IMLbeiuzUpxHxJIKk3DU25MTV69S6rIGKwedDLUoCJQH2nroH6eBLtD_ZfUWyt-HN8A/s1600/Modern+Magic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaQ9B5grefxCFznoVbB_BkF9FEA5VUauuIb7upwEPB8GZyPWKho7M1X8Ktrr6K1lXa5feEzhsy_IMLbeiuzUpxHxJIKk3DU25MTV69S6rIGKwedDLUoCJQH2nroH6eBLtD_ZfUWyt-HN8A/s400/Modern+Magic.jpg" width="258" /></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal;">What if Cinderella
ditched the prince's ball and sent her fairy godmother to find love in her place?</span></h2>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Suppose a streetwise
hero hired to steal an all-powerful Genie (stuck in a flash drive rather than a
brass lamp) for a tech company ended up running for his life with the CEO's
gorgeous, intelligent daughter?</span></span></h2>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Or what if the bed that
a certain golden-tressed girl accidentally napped in belonged to the hot and
famous middle brother of a notorious boy band?</span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Can you envision the
sparks that might fly if a bitter and downright beastly wheelchair-bound woman
propositioned a handsome bookseller to stay with her in exchange for her rare
book collection? <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">This spellbinding
anthology features modern and sexy spins on four classic fairy tales that will
enchant you by Jennifer DeCuir, Stephanie Cage, Andrea R. Cooper,
and Nancy C. Weeks.</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">This set of short stories is a charming little collection; <b>Modern Magic</b> pretty much embodies the Crimson Romance logo, to say the very least - <i>Strong. Smart. Satisfying. </i>With the winter months approaching, you're gonna need a collection of stories with which to snuggle! And since both Kirby AND Company Ink are already on your virtual shelves (smile), you should definitely add this digibox set!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Buy Links</span></h3>
<span style="font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', serif;">Download your copy today - don't miss out on this one of a kind group of Fractured Fairy Tales:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Amazon: <a href="http://amzn.to/1Pyo4pn">http://amzn.to/1Pyo4pn</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">B&N: <a href="http://bit.ly/1Lk6Fc6">http://bit.ly/1Lk6Fc6</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Kobo: <a href="http://bit.ly/1kCFbcT">http://bit.ly/1kCFbcT</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;">About The Authors</span></h3>
<div style="background: white;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><span style="color: #333333;">Jennifer DeCuir, author of <i>A Late-Blooming Rose</i>,</span></b><span style="color: #333333;"> grew
up in a small town in Maine, which provides the basis for Scallop Shores, the
fictional town in Drawn to Jonah. She's busy raising two kids and a husband.
She loves including children and babies in her stories, as her own provide
endless story ideas. Currently residing in rain-soaked Washington, she can
usually be found working on her latest book in a local Starbucks.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="background: white;">
<b><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Where to find Jennifer DeCuir:</span></span></b></div>
<div style="background: white;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="http://www.jenniferdecuir.com/">Website</a><span style="color: #333333;"> <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="background: white;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/JenniferDeCuirauthor">Author Facebook Page</a><span style="color: #333333;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="background: white;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="https://twitter.com/jenniferdecuir">Twitter</a><span style="color: #333333;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Stephanie
Cage, author of <i>Music to Her Ears </i></span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">is
a British romance writer, author of 'Perfect Partners' (Crimson Romance) and
'Desperate Bid (The Wild Rose Press). She studied English Literature at Oxford
University and Creative Writing at Bath Spa. One of her most exciting writing
moments was winning a holiday to Sicily in the Woman's Own Short Story
Competition. More recently she won the Yorkshire Ridings Magazine's Romance
Story competition. Oddly, both short stories were set in the same location in
Yorkshire.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Where
to find Stephanie Cage:<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="http://www.stephaniecage.co.uk/"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Blog</span></a><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="http://www.facebook.com/stephaniecagewriter"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Stephanie
Cage’s Author Page</span></a><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="http://www.twitter.com/stephaniewriter"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Twitter</span></a><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">
<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Stephanie-Cage/e/B00AP616GG/"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Amazon
Page</span></a><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">
<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="http://uk.pinterest.com/stephaniecage90/"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Pinterest</span></a><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">
<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Andrea
R. Cooper, author of <i>Fairy Trouble</i></span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">
writes fantasy, paranormal, historical and romantic suspense. Her favorite
childhood memories revolved around creating vibrant characters for her friends,
and then acting out their adventures. Inside her fantasy worlds of darkened
forests, dragon-filled glades, and iced islands, nothing was banned. From the
ethereal Elvin to the most maligned Vampires, all were welcome in her fictional
realities, a stark contrast to her home, where the magical and mythical was
forbidden.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Where
to find Andrea R. Cooper<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="http://www.andrearcooper.com/"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Website</span></a><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="http://andrearcoopersubscribe.instapage.com/"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Newsletter</span></a><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">
<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="https://twitter.com/AndreaRCooper"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Twitter</span></a><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">
<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Nancy
C. Weeks, author of <i>His One Wish</i></span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">
has loved happy-ever-after romances since she was in her early teens. While
still in college, she met and married her hero. She spent the next several
years honeymooning and working overseas. Today, she lives in suburban Maryland
with her husband of more than thirty years. With her two grown children out of
the nest, she loves spending her days on her deck writing as the local bird
population keeps her company.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Find
Nancy C. Weeks:<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="http://nancycweeks.com/"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Website</span></a><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">
<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/NancyCWeeksAuthor"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Facebook
Author Page</span></a><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="https://twitter.com/NancyCWeeks"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Twitter</span></a><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">
<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="http://www.pinterest.com/nancycweeks/"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Pinterest</span></span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Samantha Annehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11112846815986912223noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9197241187843007892.post-52084697667833508002015-10-06T18:41:00.002-05:002015-10-06T18:41:53.964-05:00Dear Trophy Boyfriend... (A Tuesday Kind of Photo Blog)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjixwItLXA7G2RrHF9lyyfYq4wklxWISNCM_JnJjO0ISCR2jltbRHrf0Hi4bSrnoLgXXdWwJMiONFuSpGS1RTqllr51ycul-FXSlPwVur1rdWUbOHFIqM52xxh4tcPZAOwobH9jS2J8Vl96/s1600/uktv-daybreak-kellan-lutz-01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjixwItLXA7G2RrHF9lyyfYq4wklxWISNCM_JnJjO0ISCR2jltbRHrf0Hi4bSrnoLgXXdWwJMiONFuSpGS1RTqllr51ycul-FXSlPwVur1rdWUbOHFIqM52xxh4tcPZAOwobH9jS2J8Vl96/s400/uktv-daybreak-kellan-lutz-01.jpg" width="312" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Dear Trophy Boyfriend,</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Your arms are about to burst through that shirt... you should probably just take that off. Please? </span><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">xo,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">S. </span>Samantha Annehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11112846815986912223noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9197241187843007892.post-46378077397642686422015-10-03T08:00:00.000-05:002015-10-03T08:00:00.112-05:00CHECK THIS OUT: Call Me, Book Three in the Anthem Series by Kristina Knight<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Well -</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Lateness and delay aside, I'm continuing my spotlight of Kristina Knight's <i>Anthem</i> series by bringing you the lowdown on <i>Call Me</i>, the 3rd in the three book collection. If time and space ever let me leave a review for these books (I'm admittedly one and a half books through), then that's exactly what I'll do. Don't forget - check books out and, if you like what you read, leave a review anywhere you can. Authors need love too!</span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU6abQB3lqmPpA-siXIFTgwQFw-hceSgEJBb7wQrbdMfozm8rSI5BX9OZjU6l1mK3MrssXJ5eEKPBk5HsYDPpplQ7MSnKkF2OF3NEX7u5p51NtBprpiLIGyk0DUd9U97CrCYdl36IfdYlQ/s1600/Call+Me_COVER.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU6abQB3lqmPpA-siXIFTgwQFw-hceSgEJBb7wQrbdMfozm8rSI5BX9OZjU6l1mK3MrssXJ5eEKPBk5HsYDPpplQ7MSnKkF2OF3NEX7u5p51NtBprpiLIGyk0DUd9U97CrCYdl36IfdYlQ/s400/Call+Me_COVER.jpg" width="250" /></a></div>
<h2>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></h2>
<h2>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Call Me by Kristina Knight</span></h2>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Katrina Phillips is itchy. The
job that has always challenged her seems stifling, her friends are all pairing
off and she's been without male companionship for seven long months. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Josh Hanna is paying off a debt:
fly to LA, play backup for the house band during the season finale of Star
Power and then back to his boring - and sober - life in San Francisco.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">But five years hasn't been long
enough to douse the flames between them, and its hard to remember why things
went so badly in the first place...</span><o:p></o:p></div>
</div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<h3>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> </span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> </span></h3>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> </span></h3>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></h3>
<h2>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Here's an excerpt from <i>Call Me</i>, courtesy of Kristina!</span></h2>
<div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">“Hello, Josh,” she said, echoing
his tone from a few minutes before.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> He
blinked and then sat up straight. “What the hell are you doing in my car, Kat?”
His smooth baritone slid over her senses and, just like that, she was pulling
herself back from the abyss she’d been in five years before. This was just a
one-night stand. Nothing to get excited about.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> Okay,
one thing to get excited about. He knew all her secret places. She knew how to
push him to the edge. And in the past few years, they’d probably both learned a
few new things.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> “What
do you think I’m doing here?” she countered, crossing her legs and spreading
her arms over the back of the seat. “You practically invited me.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> The
car began moving. Well, at least he hadn’t kicked her out of the limo.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> “I
said hello.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> “You
told me not to leave on your account.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> “And
then you did.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> “I
thought you might want a little more privacy.” She slid across the side bench
to Josh’s seat, bent her leg to sit sideways and rested her head against her
elbow. “This is pretty private, I’d say.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> He
watched her for a long moment. “You’re here for sex.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> Kat
nodded. “I don’t usually go for casual, but since we have a history, this isn’t
your typical one-night stand.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> “This
isn’t what I expected when I came down here tonight.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> “This
isn’t what I expected when I showed up for work tonight.” She reached out to
trace her finger along his jaw. That contact zinged along her nerve endings
straight to the butterflies flapping around in her belly, electrifying their
beat.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> “I’m
headed straight to the airport.” He leaned toward her.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> “LA
traffic’s a bitch no matter what time of day it is.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> “You’re
not the girl I remember.” This time he reached for her, his hand drawing a path
of fire down her arm. “The girl I remember—”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> She
cut him off before he could get started on the girl she used to be. The girl
who was of so little importance he felt no qualms about walking away from
without a single word. Well, she’d grown up since then. Had other
relationships. Sure, none of them as serious or deep as what she thought she’d
had with him. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">But then, she’d never really had
him, had she?</span><o:p></o:p></div>
</div>
</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Pick Up the 3rd book of the Anthem Series at the following links:</span></h3>
<div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Amazon: <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Call-Me-Anthem-Book-3-ebook/dp/B013S6IHPM/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8">http://www.amazon.com/Call-Me-Anthem-Book-3-ebook/dp/B013S6IHPM/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">BN - <a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/call-me-kristina-knight/1122509743?ean=2940152323542">http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/call-me-kristina-knight/1122509743?ean=2940152323542</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">iB - <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/call-me/id1029779472?mt=11">https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/call-me/id1029779472?mt=11</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">KO - <a href="https://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/call-me-13">https://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/call-me-13</a></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">One more time, babies - I know that all three titles make you think of the tuneage! On that 'note': </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="344" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/aH3Q_CZy968" width="459"></iframe></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">And if I haven't included a bio on Kristina yet (and more information on how you can link up with her), here it is now: </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Once upon a time, Kristina Knight
spent her days running from car crash to fire to meetings with local
police--no, she wasn't a troublemaker, she was a journalist. Her career took
her all over the United States, writing about everything from a serial killer's
capture to the National Finals Rodeo. Along the way she found her very own
Knight in Shining Cowboy Boots and an abiding love for romance novels. And just
like the characters from her favorite books, she's living her own happily ever
after.<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Kristina writes sassy
contemporary romance novels; her books have appeared on Kindle Best Seller
Lists. She loves hearing from readers, so drop her a line!</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Author Links:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><u>Website</u>: </b>http://www.kristinaknightauthor.com<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><u>Facebook</u>: </b>http://www.facebook.com/kristinaknightromanceauthor<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><u>Twitter</u>: </b>http://www.twitter.com/authorkristina<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><u>Pinterest</u>: </b>http://www.pinterest.com/authorkristina/<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><u>Goodreads</u>: </b>https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5827833.Kristina_Knight<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><u>Google+</u>: </b>https://plus.google.com/+KristinaKnightAuthor/posts</span><o:p></o:p></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Stay creative!</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">xo,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">S.</span></div>
</div>
Samantha Annehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11112846815986912223noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9197241187843007892.post-48013461106160179002015-09-29T08:28:00.000-05:002015-09-29T08:28:24.647-05:00Dear Trophy Boyfriend: (A Tuesday Kind of Photo Blog)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhplYHqvvTvsCo60zxcT8FCBVLTy__-p6RLp6RwJRtOEzFKZvXjXzNpMVePTinfNxdEazRgQfRZFza6d4Pco5ccBRQAxS5zZpy_xFtshF3W9zjgtd8MY0tgSvvO6dgiqu9X-CEHQYNoxJtd/s1600/tbt_kellanselfie_7themes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="photo cred: 7themes.com" border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhplYHqvvTvsCo60zxcT8FCBVLTy__-p6RLp6RwJRtOEzFKZvXjXzNpMVePTinfNxdEazRgQfRZFza6d4Pco5ccBRQAxS5zZpy_xFtshF3W9zjgtd8MY0tgSvvO6dgiqu9X-CEHQYNoxJtd/s400/tbt_kellanselfie_7themes.jpg" title="photo cred: 7themes.com" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Dear Trophy Boyfriend,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Every time you send me a selfie while I'm at work, I get a little further away from punching someone in the face. Thank U. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">xo,<br />S. </span>Samantha Annehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11112846815986912223noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9197241187843007892.post-59116525914938472742015-09-26T08:00:00.001-05:002015-09-26T08:00:02.431-05:00CHECK THIS OUT: Start Me Up, Book Two in the Anthem Series by Kristina Knight<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Well -</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Lateness and delay aside, I'm continuing my spotlight of Kristina Knight's <i>Anthem</i> series by bringing you the lowdown on <i>Start Me Up</i>, the 2nd in the three book collection. If time and space ever let me leave a review for these books (I'm admittedly one and a half books through), then that's exactly what I'll do. Don't forget - check books out and, if you like what you read, leave a review anywhere you can. Authors need love too!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGvqd7nHEk_sPeYwVLfOfqiYiilxKIixyM0xJD6cRf2X_FYI_7IJp_YgzMkurwLpadZ3Jw3r2nzK5AOm3K4LDph1t2puZnC-zE56TZvNu5rwJOhESMh-XXiJG6meu5oJ1BQjwXOr9hs74E/s1600/StartMeUp_COVER.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGvqd7nHEk_sPeYwVLfOfqiYiilxKIixyM0xJD6cRf2X_FYI_7IJp_YgzMkurwLpadZ3Jw3r2nzK5AOm3K4LDph1t2puZnC-zE56TZvNu5rwJOhESMh-XXiJG6meu5oJ1BQjwXOr9hs74E/s400/StartMeUp_COVER.jpg" width="250" /></a></div>
<h2>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></h2>
<h2>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></h2>
<h2>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Start Me Up by Kristina Knight</span></h2>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Matchmaker Nina Wright might work
in LA but she keeps Hollywood types off her client list. She doesn't need their
drama and she doesn't like the way so many of them exchange lovers like last
year's accessories. But she needs one happy, high-profile client to get her
business off the tabloid pages and back on solid ground.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Hollywood hottie Chase MacIntyre
wants the gossip surrounding his lastest fling to stop and he knows exactly how
to do it: show up on his next red carpet with a new woman and once he meets
Nina Wright he knows she is the woman to stop the presses. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The problem? Once they're under
cover, this business-only agreement is definitely too hot to handle…</span><o:p></o:p></div>
</div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<h3>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> </span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> </span></h3>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> </span></h3>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></h3>
<h2>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Here's an excerpt from <i>Start Me Up</i>, courtesy of Kristina!</span></h2>
<div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">She sat back, crossing her arms
over her chest. "You can't be serious."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> His
posture was the exact opposite of hers. Everything about him was opposite.
Where she wore a pretty Stella McCartney blouse and prim pencil skirt, he wore
ripped jeans and a tight black tee. Her strappy Manolos hadn't a single
scratch. His Dr. Martens had to be from 1999 and looked like they'd cleaned up
after one too many groupies in the green room.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> You're
in control here, Nina. You're the professional. He's the client. Shoo him away
like the ass he really is.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> Oh,
but what a fine ass he has, the part of her brain she was definitely not
listening to today said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> "I
assure you I'm serious. I need a non-clingy, well-proportioned date for a gala
fundraiser in two days and I'd prefer she have no illusions as to what this is
about." He sat forward in his chair and Nina was sure she saw his abs
ripple. She caught her breath and then forced her gaze from the spectacle and
back to those blue-blue eyes. And promptly forgot to breathe again. "The
money raised will keep music programs in at least fifteen local schools. To
keep the cash coming I need the headlines to be about the event, not my social
life."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">"Then you should go
alone."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">"Going alone will keep the
gossip rags talking. What I need is a pretty date for a one- night-only
performance."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> Nina
blew out the breath she'd been holding. She didn't believe for a second this
was a mercy date situation. More like a mercy hookup. She didn't do hookups.
Her business set up marriage minded people who were matched based on an
algorithm her aunt developed ten years before. An algorithm that had made the
company a go-to in Los Angeles.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> She
shot a glance out the window at the press corps on the sidewalk below her
window.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> Well,
until this morning, anyway.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">"I think you've got my firm
confused with…something else entirely, but for future reference—" she
typed a few words into the search engine on her computer and flipped the screen
to face him "—I am a matchmaker. A noun, meaning one who arranges
relationships or marriages." She opened the next tab and gestured to the
computer screen. "I am not a madam, although madams are also nouns. There
is a very large, very cavernous area between matchmaking and houses of
prostitution.".”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Pick Up the 2nd book of the Anthem Series at the following links:</span></h3>
<div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Amazon - <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Start-Me-Up-Anthem-Book-ebook/dp/B013S2SBIO/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8">http://www.amazon.com/Start-Me-Up-Anthem-Book-ebook/dp/B013S2SBIO/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">BN - <a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/start-me-up-kristina-knight/1122509752?ean=2940152157291">http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/start-me-up-kristina-knight/1122509752?ean=2940152157291</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">iBooks - <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/start-me-up/id1029778830?mt=11">https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/start-me-up/id1029778830?mt=11</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Kobo - <a href="https://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/start-me-up-12">https://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/start-me-up-12<o:p></o:p></a></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">And because I know, between the 1st title and the 2nd title, that you're thinking about it, I'm just gonna leave this here: </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="270" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/SGyOaCXr8Lw" width="480"></iframe></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Be sure to come back next week (for real this time) to get more information on the 3rd book in Kristina Knight's Anthem series! Stay creative!</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">xo,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">S. </span></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;">***please forgive the lateness of this post!***</span></i></div>
Samantha Annehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11112846815986912223noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9197241187843007892.post-14243908281200077182015-09-12T08:00:00.000-05:002015-09-12T08:00:03.555-05:00CHECK THIS OUT: Light My Fire, Book One in the Anthem Series by Kristina Knight<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Well babies, summer's just about over. And my TBR list just gets longer and longer. I'm juggling a few projects again, thanks to my overactive brain and its incessant need for instant (okay, obviously not instant) gratification. We've got a third book in the hopper, plus a screenplay that I wrote long before I began Kirby - I'm so in love with this script that I'm starting to wonder if I can build the kind of team that would be able to get a movie funded and filmed in time for next year's film festivals. Dare to dream... </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">But back to the TBR list - my 'Check This Out' posts always feature works that have sparked my interest enough to tell you guys that I'm excited about them and that you should be too. I feel like I should tack a disclaimer onto the things I recommend, because I try to find awe in everything. And before that turns into a debate, let me just get started on this three part blog that will spotlight Kristina Knight's Anthem Series over the next three weeks! First up, <i>Light My Fire</i>. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<h2>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQRqFBfJRIV1QoiFLZDlzunLE0hlonEgkNYhmZJ8JQCJe3tEQs3HXHRgQ6tFZWGQqtTye8bA9eXt56wrmBk2dtgeDZEfSDTOQpzzJLnN-_ojmk4Kb0qdqkSIIXSaMt7JRGAdYAWHiaU2RA/s1600/Light+My+Fire.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQRqFBfJRIV1QoiFLZDlzunLE0hlonEgkNYhmZJ8JQCJe3tEQs3HXHRgQ6tFZWGQqtTye8bA9eXt56wrmBk2dtgeDZEfSDTOQpzzJLnN-_ojmk4Kb0qdqkSIIXSaMt7JRGAdYAWHiaU2RA/s200/Light+My+Fire.jpg" width="125" /></a><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> </span></h2>
<h2>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Light My Fire by Kristina Knight</span></h2>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> Lily MacIntyre's life is
offtrack, and she knows exactly how to right it: shed her America's sweetheart
image in a big way. Getting down and dirty in a limo with rocker Nate Lansford
seems like the perfect solution. Plus, she's had a mad crush on him practically
since birth. The only problem? Nate is her brother's best friend…and he doesn't
see her as anything other than a surrogate little sister.</span><o:p></o:p></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<h3>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> </span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> </span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> </span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Here's an excerpt from <i>Light My Fire</i>, courtesy of Kristina!</span></h3>
<div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Nate smiled at her. “Still
putting on a show?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"> She
could only shake her head.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"> “Because
I’m about through watching it.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"> Her
belly twisted at the innuendo. “Sometimes you have to be part of the sh—”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"> He
put his index finger over her lips. “No quippity-quips. Not now, Lil. Let’s
just dance, okay?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"> Her
lips burned under his finger, but she nodded and slid into his arms as the DJ
switched from bass-thumping fun to guitar-sensitive slow. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"> Nate
slid his hands beneath her coat and reached under the camisole to play with the
sensitive skin at the small of her back. And she melted into him. Lily rested
her head below his shoulder and twined her fingers with his. She sighed at the
rightness of being in his arms, even in the middle of a crowd and fully
clothed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"> He
played his fingers along her sides like a piano and then worked his way around
to the small of her back again, burning her from the outside in. Lily
swallowed. She might want Nate, but she wasn’t ready for him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"> Wasn’t
ready for whatever this was building between them.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"> A
small part of her still wanted the Nate she remembered—the boy who stood up to
school-yard bullies for her, who smiled at her and only her while he performed
before the rest of the student body in talent shows. The boy she shared her
lunch with, the boy who took her to the senior prom when Bailey Yeardley stood
her up at the last minute. She had so many memories with Nate, and almost all
of them also involved her brother. What if whatever this was messed up not only
her friendship with Nate, but also Chase’s?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"> Her
waking up a year ago and realizing the boy she’d grown up with had become a
heart-stoppingly attractive man didn’t mean a thing . He was still her
brother's best friend. He might be the guy who would give the reporter's
something to talk about besides her show being cancelled, but that wasn't a
good enough reason to act. Not if they couldn’t salvage their friendship when
this lust train arrived at the next station.</span><o:p></o:p></div>
</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<h4>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Pick Up the 1st book of the Anthem Series at the following links:</span></h4>
<div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Amazon - <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Light-My-Fire-Anthem-Book-ebook/dp/B013S2S6IO/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1439896313&sr=1-">http://www.amazon.com/Light-My-Fire-Anthem-Book-ebook/dp/B013S2S6IO/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1439896313&sr=1-</a>1&keywords=light+my+fire+by+kristina+knight<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Barnes & Noble - <a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/light-my-fire-kristina-knight/1119640966?ean=2940152154252">http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/light-my-fire-kristina-knight/1119640966?ean=2940152154252</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Apple Store - <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/light-my-fire/id1029779462?mt=11">https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/light-my-fire/id1029779462?mt=11</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Kobo - <a href="https://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/light-my-fire-23">https://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/light-my-fire-23</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Be sure to come back next week to get the lowdown on the 2nd book in Kristina Knight's Anthem series! Stay creative!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">xo,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">S. </span><o:p></o:p></div>
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Samantha Annehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11112846815986912223noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9197241187843007892.post-77715725693655754202015-09-08T12:11:00.000-05:002015-09-08T12:11:05.430-05:00Dear Trophy Boyfriend... (A Tuesday Kind of Photo Blog)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://images4.fanpop.com/image/photos/18700000/kellan-people-magazine-kellan-lutz-18751166-502-744.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="photo cred: fanpop.com" border="0" src="http://images4.fanpop.com/image/photos/18700000/kellan-people-magazine-kellan-lutz-18751166-502-744.jpg" height="400" title="photo cred: fanpop.com" width="268" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Dear Trophy Boyfriend,</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Verry niice... how much?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">xo,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">S. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;"><i>(buy yourself a pack of oreos if you got the movie reference in today's love letter!)</i></span></div>
Samantha Annehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11112846815986912223noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9197241187843007892.post-33553139353013126422015-09-01T17:30:00.000-05:002015-09-01T17:30:29.036-05:00Dear Trophy Boyfriend (A Tuesday Kind of Photo Blog)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBQixVwVnL_c1sedAuXq_k8IEnqcrOKfgyXVlQeTz-Jr9eGNZSCk8Du0JPvV0tkAO161RWlex6F-0apX2HjuscOgluZEnxu4EDZCmcx4I68cavHF_M5CqkEzq-heA7lJtlEwzVivRIzVwk/s1600/tbt_usmagazine.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="photo cred: usmagazine.com" border="0" height="313" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBQixVwVnL_c1sedAuXq_k8IEnqcrOKfgyXVlQeTz-Jr9eGNZSCk8Du0JPvV0tkAO161RWlex6F-0apX2HjuscOgluZEnxu4EDZCmcx4I68cavHF_M5CqkEzq-heA7lJtlEwzVivRIzVwk/s400/tbt_usmagazine.jpg" title="photo cred: usmagazine.com" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Dear Trophy Boyfriend,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I mean... it's five o' clock somewhere. Get hammered, then come home and do some hammering of your own. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">xo,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">S. </span>Samantha Annehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11112846815986912223noreply@blogger.com0