Happy Halloween!

Halloween is fast approaching, so for all you furry, fangy, and freakishly fun ghouls out there, I send out a wish for a safe and happy one! If you're going out, be sure to go in a group, and if you'll be outside, wear something reflective so that cars can spot you. Take the little ones to one of the many fire stations doing free candy checks. (Or, if you're a mom like me, take some of that candy loot to a dentist who's offering candy buybacks!) There's lots of fun to be had out there if you celebrate this spookiest of nights, so take advantage, and have a great time. Boo!

Ain’t Technology Grand?

Skimming through my Twitter feed last night, I discovered a snippet posted by actor Ian Somerhalder (of “Vampire Diaries” fame), saying he would be streaming live from his living room.

What?!?

As it turns out, Ian was watching last night’s presidential debate, live, with some 10,000 of us and counting, and tweeting ongoing discussion-prompters regarding both parties’ statements. Very cool. Ian is very environmentally active, and his concerns included their views on clean energy and where we’re getting our energy from. He’s passionate about protecting our planet (see the Ian Somerhalder Foundation), and it was great to see him using his popularity to get people involved in the election process, regardless of their own political leanings. (There were the expected “I love you Ian” posts, but some of the folks commenting had interesting things to say about the environment, jobs, and healthcare.)

I’ll be honest, and say that I hadn’t been planning to watch the debate ... but watching it online, live, with 10,000 people certainly put an interesting spin on what the candidates had to say, and how people reacted to the discussion. I couldn’t stay on for the whole thing, but what I heard, from the candidates and listeners alike, sure got me thinking.

The Internet is full of fluff, it can’t be denied. But things like this make it cool again. I, for one, am going to start watching more of the election process online.

And this can’t be denied, either: it sure didn’t hurt that I was watching it with Ian Somerhalder. :D

How To Make A Smile

My husband made some kids very happy this morning at my son's before- and after-school program ... and he wasn't even there.

The kids at this program are given a choice of things to do during their stay, ranging from crayons and books to games. Many mornings, I find them gathered around an old wooden chessboard, playing chess. The board is missing a few of its pieces, so the kids had been making do with checker pieces and Legos as stand-ins for the missing chess pieces.

My husband, who loves chess, thought this was a shame, so off he went to a gaming store to buy an inexpensive, full set of chess pieces. When my son and I brought them in this morning, the teachers at the program were thrilled, and so were the kids. They left off every other thing they were doing to play chess. Lots of smiles and thank-yous all around. For under ten bucks, he made someone's day by being a little kinder. If only everyone would do something like that every once in a while, imagine how much nicer a world it would be!

Cover Art for THE SERPENT IN THE STONE!

Just a picture to whet your appetites today. This is Book One in the Gifted Series, THE SERPENT IN THE STONE, coming soon from The Wild Rose Press!

Juuuust Right!

Fate gets a bad rap sometimes, from folks who don't believe in it, and sometimes even from myself. For example, I recently had a two-week streak of rotten luck that left me wishing for the following Sunday. However, this past week, I'd have to say my luck turned around. I got a new car (a Honda Civic, which I adore), and my family got a new dog.

We had been talking about a second dog here and there, and one day we came across one that we loved. Unfortunately for us (but fortunately for the dog), he got adopted just before we arrived to adopt him. Then we saw a dog at a local shelter that we wanted, but she, too, was adopted. Rotten luck, like I said.

Then, my husband discovered a few pups on Petfinder, of the same breed as the first dog we'd seen. Turns out, she's exactly what our family needed. Macey is smart, obedient, housetrained, and a great companion for us, as well as our Beagle, who now has a companion while we're away at work. She's an Australian Cattle Dog, and while we had some reservations about keeping this high-energy breed stimulated during our long hours away from the house, it seems Macey is perfectly happy just with twice-a-day walks, runs at the dog park, and learning (fast!) whatever tricks we want to teach her. She's such a sweet girl that I've been entertaining ideas of training her as a therapy dog. So, it seems Macey was fated to be a part of our family after all!

Books 4 Less Closing

Sad news today: my favorite bookstore, Books 4 Less, is closing. Owners Margie and Dave have decided to close their doors, and are now selling off their fixtures and inventory at huge discounts.

Margie and Dave were kind enough to display my books on their shelves for in-store purchase, and have been a big support to me with sales and book signings. It's a huge deal for an author to have cheerleaders like that, who will champion her work and introduce customers to her writing. Margie and Dave were part of what has made my books a success, and I will always be grateful for that. While I'm sad to see the bookstore go, I'd like to say congratulations to Margie and Dave on deciding to retire and enjoy themselves. They've earned it! :)