by Sarah | Aug 27, 2013 | All About Learning, All About Molly, Autism, IEP, Special Needs
Last week I got an email from Molly’s teacher.
In previous years this was always cause for alarm. We got emails (or phone calls) when there were issues.
So, it’s to be expected that I opened this email with a small amount of trepidation.
Within the 20 words the teacher blew me away, impressed me, and made me so happy Molly has ended up in her class. It read:
“I saw on Molly’s IEP that daily check-ins were in order so I apologize for
not getting to it last week.”
First off – you READ Molly’s IEP? Before you were asked to? Before we worked on adjusting it for the new year (and upcoming standardized testing)? Voluntarily and without any prompting?
SCORE – no teacher has ever done this before.
Secondly – you are ACTUALLY doing as asked? You’re taking daily notes to email to me a couple of times a week at least, with hopes of moving up to every day?
SCORE – no teacher has ever done this before either.
With one email I was able to breathe out a huge sigh of relief. The struggles and confusion of the previous few years of starting school is dissipated and made easier all around for everyone.
When we go in for our IEP meeting next week I’m going to make sure that Mrs. B doesn’t think that she must email me every single day, but a few times a week will work just fine. Mostly because I know she’ll do it, because she already has.
Either way I think this year is going to be Molly’s best yet. We’re getting there slowly, but we’re getting there.
by Sarah | Aug 25, 2013 | Books, Holiday, Tuesday Tales, Writing
The prompt this week is Wave.
Back with Deep Fried Sweethearts. Due to circumstance, my hero has undergone a bit of a name change. He is now Owen Montague – aka Tag. He’s still the same cute, sweet guy that applied for a job last week.
This week I jump to a bit later in the story…I haven’t written this far, but with the prompt of “wave”, this was one I got inspired by in not the usual way.
As always this is un-edited mostly, so forgive any errors:
Michaela gripped the phone buried in her coat pocket. She had no idea why she’d agreed to this. Her nose was cold, her toes were frozen, and she was nervous and fidgety and really, desperately wanted to check in on the shop again. Even though the game hadn’t started yet, the crowd in the arena performed the wave all the way around. She couldn’t bring herself to take part, though, her mind was back on The Midway.
“Here you go. One light beer.” Tag handed her a drink. “I got some nachos, a couple of hot dogs, some cotton candy and—”
“My God, Owen. What did you do, buy out the concession stand? I can’t even see your face.” She set down her beer in the cup holder and rose. From the top of the stack in his arms she grabbed the unsteady hot dogs and nachos off of the huge tub of popcorn.
He grinned and shrugged, nearly knocking over the popcorn and his own beer in the process. “I wanted to make sure we were set for the rest of the game. Now we just have to catch a beer vendor if we want more. I even got some subs in this box.”
When he lifted his hands she could see the box under the popcorn tub. In spite of herself, she laughed. “You’re insane, you know that?”
“I do. At least I know you can smile. I haven’t seen that in weeks.”
“Valentine ’s Day is in two weeks and I still haven’t come up with a good special candy for the holiday. Speaking of which, I should call.”
“No. No shop talk tonight. You agreed. You can’t call, you can’t text, you’re supposed to be enjoying yourself. I mean, come on. Look at these seats. Jake has the best season tickets, right in the neutral zone.” He managed to sit and settled the popcorn on the floor between them. “Now let me see your phone.”
“Oh no. You aren’t taking my phone.” She stuck her hand back in her pocket. “Not a chance. What if something happens?”
“Betty has my number, she’s going to call me.”
“No.”
“Kayla.”
Her protest died on her lips, and her heart skipped a beat of its own accord. “What did you call me?”
“Sorry.”
“No. Don’t be.” The familiar heat of a blush crept up her neck and she lifted her beer as a distraction. At least it was cold, and she could pass off the blush to the cold. “I just don’t know anyone that’s ever called me that before. It’s always Mikey.”
“I never liked that.”
“And I never liked Tag.” She sighed and leaned back in her seat.
“I promised you a night off, a night to relax. That’s what this is supposed to be about. You haven’t had a night off in three years. You’ve barely slept in the past year. Will you please give me your phone?”
“I don’t like this.” She begrudgingly pulled the phone out of her pocket. “But I do like the thought of relaxing for a change.”
“Good.” He took the phone and set it in his own pocket. When he opened his mouth next, the loud blare of the goal horn got the crowd on their feet to welcome the teams onto the ice. He shrugged and leaned in. “It’s not my favorite way to relax, but it’ll do.”
This time the fire of embarrassment climbed up her cheeks. Michaela ducked down in her seat and pulled the collar of her coat up high to cover it as best as she could.
*~*
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*~*
by Sarah | Aug 24, 2013 | Photography, Scavenger Hunt Sunday
Well I’ve done another huge time jump. I’ve been so insanely busy with writing that my photography sort of slipped away. I’m hoping it’s back to stay, but life is crazy and who knows where I’ll be next week. 😀
All taken w/ Canon Rebel XS or Droid Razr.
1. Back to School
I never let schooling interfere with my education. ~Mark Twain
2. Writing Utensil
If I don’t write to empty my mind, I go mad. ~Lord Byron
3. Favorite Subject
A home without books is a body without soul. ~Marcus Tillius Cicero
4. Lunch
There is no sincerer love than the love of food. ~George Bernard Shaw
5. Recreation
The bicycle, the bicycle surely, should always be the vehicle of novelists and poets. ~Christopher Morley
You can find more pictures over at my flickr account.
Scavenger Hunt Sunday is run by the beautiful Ashley. Head on over to see more Hunters.
by Sarah | Aug 23, 2013 | Book Spotlight, Guest Authors, Saturday Spotlight, Writing
Wild West Promise ~ book 3 in the Double D Ranch Tales series ~ a contemporary, western, erotic romance story with a hint of the supernatural set in Nevada and written for Evernight Publishing’s Romance on the Go line
~ Blurb ~
| [amazon_link id=”B00EDZQSEK” target=”_blank” container=”” container_class=”” ]Amazon[/amazon_link] | ARe | Evernight |
In life and the afterlife, on the Double D Ranch, one belief holds true—the power of desire changes lives.
* A rugged wrangler. A feisty Irish woman. A day full of promise. Times are wild on the Double D, and one ranch hand is in for the ride of a lifetime.
* Little does Maggie O’Hurley know her life is about to change. She visits the ranch to attend a friend’s bachelorette party and meets a wrangler named Kent. Her immediate attraction to him revs up her libido, and she plans to do what’s needed to snag the sexy cowboy…including making a decision she never thought she’d deal with again.
* As a workaholic, Kent Samuels hasn’t been with a woman in ages. When a bewitching redhead steps into his path, his world tilts, and she’s all he can think of. He doesn’t know if he’s able to give her forever, but he will give her what time he has. Once he does, he knows he can’t let her go.
* Past experiences war with ideas for the future, but can the pair make promises they can keep?
~ Excerpt ~
* The entrance to the cave had the most vivid red rock she’d ever seen. Cascading colors of orange, dark brown, and shades of grey slipped by beneath her as she climbed the ladder after Kent. When they’d reached the inside, he walked to a plywood wall that read Boys Only in big black letters. He opened a makeshift door, then slipped to the side allowing Maggie to enter full center.
* In awe, she cradled her sore thumb with her other hand and surveyed the space. “It’s quite the bachelor pad, wouldn’t you say?”
* Kent set the picnic satchel on a wooden table near a painted sign on the wall stating, ‘Girls stay out! This is the Dougan brothers’ place!’
* To the left of the table an array of ropes and riding crops of different shapes and sizes hung on the wall. Beneath them sat a chest with an engaged lock keeping it closed to inquiring minds. In the corner, a plastic crate full of flashlights and batteries lay next to a small generator. Something purple and wrinkly looking poked out of a hole of the bin. She screwed her mouth to the side and furrowed her forehead. Homing in on the item, she gained a better look and made an O shape with her mouth as understanding dawned.
* Kent glanced her way, down at the realistic looking dildo, and back at her. “The place caters to the grown Dougan men now.”
* No doubt. She advanced to the wall and ran her fingers through the dangling ropes. Stealing a look at Kent, she raised a brow. “I guess the stories about the Dougan men are true.”
* “They’re a feisty bunch for sure,” he muttered under his breath but loud enough for her to hear.
* “Feisty is good for the soul.” She made sure to lock gazes with him after the words left her throat.
* And finally, something she’d tried worked. Kind of. He stared at her, the amber in his brown eyes sparkling with untold secrets. A flutter started in her stomach then fanned out through her entire body. She ached to wrap her arms around him and kiss his lips. But she wouldn’t because, other than the passion in his gaze, the tell-tale signs that he thought of her in a sexual way were non-existent at the moment.
* Stubborn man. Still running hot and cold. I’ll have to rethink what I need to do to snag him.
* Resigned to enjoy their excursion as just a friendly gesture on his part, she sighed and moved to the back of the cave to survey the other goodies.
* A section of bottled water and a variety of other drinks caught her attention. Before she could open her mouth and comment, strong arms wrapped her body from behind silencing her mind and voice.
* “I struggled last night, and I’ve fought my feelings all morning to keep my hands off you,” his deep voice murmured against her ear. He pressed his pelvic region against her ass. “And as you may notice, I’m losin’ the fight.”
*~*
Bio: An eccentric and eclectic writer, C.R. Moss pens stories for the mainstream and erotic romance markets, giving readers ‘Worlds of Possibilities.’
Find C.R. Moss and her social links at http://crmoss.com/
~ Come out to the hottest readers’ conference in the west, Hot Mojave Knights, and meet C.R., RM & other great authors ~ Las Vegas, NV – October 2013 ~ http://www.hotmojaveknights.com/
by Sarah | Aug 22, 2013 | Friday Dialogues, Guest Authors, Guest Post, Writing
The Best and Worse Things about being an Author.
I am not a veteran author, not by a long shot. The fact is, I’m still learning the ropes as they say. My journey into the wonderful world of professional publishing began about three and a half years ago, when a very well established publishing company, Renaissance E Books Inc, picked up my first book Soulmate’s Touch.
My overzealous joy, as you can imagine, made me feel like a five year old on Christmas morning. I soon learned that it actually required a lot of work to actually publish a book and get it ready for the public. Yeah my excitement soon fizzled into anxiety and the fear of being rejected by readers.
You see I wanted everyone to like my book. I wanted to sell millions and have thousands of adoring fans. Boy was I b _ _ch slapped with reality very fast.
Now before I continue, let me say that my journey has been worth every single sleepless night, every single tear I shed, and most importantly every failure and every success I’ve been through so far.
This is what I have learned in my short, eye-opening career as an Author to date.
First off, as I mentioned before, I wanted love, I wanted fame, I wanted… hell I wanted all the positive things that comes from being a popular author. However, that is not what happened. Nope, not even close and here’s why.
W.O.R.K =
W-working your ass off, rewriting, editing, rewriting, editing, rewriting editing…see a pattern here.
O-owning your mistakes and learning from them. Yes that is correct. Sometimes as a new author on the scene we go into the public forums with the expectation of being recognized and praised. Gulp! No that is not what happens. Humility goes a long way here. I’ve learned the hard way that joining a popular online website for promoting your books, doesn’t always turn out the way you want it to. There are certain un-written rules that need to be followed.
Honestly I’m still learning these rules. But the most important one I’ve learned is to remain an observer. Wait until the public comes to you and starts up the conversation. Of course, not all sites are like this, but for the most part being humble and grateful is most effective. Eventually your readership will grow and readers will seek you out.
R-recognizing that because you are now published doesn’t mean you are the best of the best. In other words, like anything else writing takes practice and a lot of eating crow. If your editor, who has been writing for nearly two decades, is a multi published author, and whose books have been featured in USA Today magazine, tells you something sucks and needs to be revised, it probably sucks. So, swallow that sulking pity-me and FU attitude and fix it. Trust me a good editor will NOT coddle you. No, a good editor will kick you in the arse and make you work to be a better writer.
K-Knowing your flaws. This is where criticism is going to help you. Remember how I started by saying I wanted to be loved. Okay I still do. However, this does not happen overnight. Nor does everyone who reads your book praise you. Don’t expect them to. Everyone, especially people purchasing your books have a right to either hate, like or just be indifferent.
Do I want everyone to like instead of hate my books? Absolutely! But that’s not reality. The reality is critical reviews, mean reviews, and reviews that make you cry, are going to happen to most new authors. And so are good reviews that praise, encourage and make you feel like Queen/King of the hill.
Perception and the idea of what is good and what is bad, differs from one person to the next. So for every five or six positive reviews be prepared to get a critical one where the reader felt your writing and your book were less than stellar. See it for what it really is, an opinion, and all reviews are opinions. Some are more “colorful” (ahem), than others, but it still is the point of view and perception of the individual writing it. So how can this help you as an author?
First thing, it makes you realize that you are human and can’t please everyone. Secondly, it helps you grow a thicker skin. I hated that term, until I was forced to grow one of my own. And third, it helps you develop a better understanding of what readers want and what they don’t want. This is true for good and bad reviews.
To conclude I believe the most important thing that being an Author thus far has taught me is when you find your readership, and they take the time to contact you, friend you on Facebook or Twitter and let you know how much they can’t wait for your next book, makes the W.O.R.K we authors go through absolutely P.R.I.C.E.L.E.S.S. And that is why I write.
*~*
| [amazon_link id=”B004ZZT26E” target=”_blank” container=”” container_class=”” ]Amazon[/amazon_link] | Sizzled Renditions |
Vampires, Demons and Gargoyles are real. Joyce Davis has just found out that she is mated to one of them. Romiel is a gargoyle, an offspring of a Demon father and Vampire mother. Cursed by a powerful human wizard, Romiel and all Gargoyles are imprisoned in stone. And only the touch of a true Soulmate can free him. The moment that Joyce touches Romiel, she knows there is a strong bond between them. Although she tries to justify why loving a Gargoyle is wrong, her heart, soul and body refuse to listen.
Together she and Romiel face an uncertain future, as evil forces are unleashed on the unsuspecting humans. In the midst of an ancient war between the immortal vampires and demons, Romiel must unite with an old enemy in order to protect the human race against certain annihilation. As their love for each other grows stronger, Joy and Romiel must face evil head on to save humanity and the Gods themselves.
Last week I got an email from Molly’s teacher.
