Tuesday, December 27, 2011

Free Kindle Ebook!

I have enrolled two of my Ebooks into Kindles new lending program to try it out. So, to promote my lastest Ebook, Flashes of Fiction, I am offering it FREE! from today through Dec. 31st.  Ally Ally Oxen Free is the other Ebook in the program, so prime members can borrow it as well.

I haven't blogged for a while. I am still very busy with work, writing and home life. :)  I've also been trying to decide whether I have the time to keep Fictitious Magazine up and running, but at this time I don't. I hate to close it down, but I may have to, especially if I decide to go for my master's degree. I'm not sure at this point if I'll just go on hiatus or completely close. Whatever happens, I do appreciate all the readers and authors who have joined me in my journey.

Happy New Year and Happy Reading!

Thursday, December 8, 2011

Lots of news...

I have been extremely busy the last couple of weeks. Plus, the hard drive went out on my computer for a second time. I did have most of  my files backed up, so that helps, but I'm forced to use my old laptop and it is slow.

The December issue of Fictitious Magazine has been postponed until next year, and submissions are closed as well. I want to get everything back on track before trying to get the issue out. I still have all the email submissions and will download them again. I did loose my notes for the magazine when I lost my hard drive.

I did manage to release, Flashes of Fiction: Volume 1, and it is now availabe on Kindle and Smashwords for $1.99. Volume 1 contains 5 short stories that are quick and fun reads. Stories included in this first volume include:
Metro Dome
Viral Smiles
Operation Onion
Shannon Elizabetht Riley
The Handbag
Click here for Smashowords
Click here for Kindle

The book will also be available in print soon!





"Ally Ally Oxen Free" has done so well on Kindle, so if you liked that story, you will also enjoy Flashes of Fiction.

I recently had an invterview on Kathy's blog, I Am A Reader, Not A Writer, and listed two books  in the Hairington series for a giveaway. The winners are:

A copy of Attack of the Dust Bunnies: Brooke Anne Roberts-  Texas
A copy of The Peanut Buttor Tweatment: Sarie Grobler- South Africa

Look for the newest story, I'm not a Tangle, in early 2012.

I will have those in the mail ASAP! :) Thanks to all who entered.

Happy Reading!

Wednesday, November 23, 2011

New review and more...

One of the winners of the Goodreads giveaway, Carly Chambers, read and posted a review of the Peanut Buttor Tweatment. The best part of the review is that her 3-year old daughter Lily enjoyed the book as well.  It put a smile on my face.

You can read Carly's review  by clicking here

The Peanut Buttor Tweatment and Attack of the Dust Bunnies are both available at Amazon.com and Createspace. 

A Goodreads giveaway starts on November 30th and runs through January 30th for two copies of Attack of the Dust Bunnies. Feel free to enter.

Happy Reading and Happy Thanksgiving!

Friday, November 18, 2011

Attack of the Dust Bunnies now available

I managed to get the pictures reformatted and all the kinks out- hopefully :).  So, now Attack of the Dust Bunnies is available from Createspace and soon on Amazon.

I am working on the third book in the Hairington series, I'm Not a Tangle. I originally planned to release it in December, but with the setbacks with the second book, it will most likely be ready for release in January 2012.



If you haven't already don't forget to check out my interview and giveaway at I'm A Reader Not a Writer. I am giving away one copy of The Peanut Buttor Tweatment and one copy of Attack of the Dust Bunnies. Click here to check it out! All the information of how to enter is included in the blog post.



I have been working on Solitude, so for now it is unavailable until I get a few things worked out. It will be back on Kindle by early December if all goes well. I hope to have time to work on it during Thanksgiving break.








Tales from Imagination's Closet is available on Kindle and in print from Amazon as well as print and HTML and PDF formats from Melange-Books. This is the perfect book for people who like to read quick stories. There are 29 in all. So, if you like quick reads and speculative/science fiction or know someone who does, check it out.





Happy Reading!

Saturday, November 12, 2011

My Picks for Liebster Blog Award and other news...

 I have chosen the top 5 blogs that I enjoy reading so that I can pass on the Liebster Blog Award. They are:

Unwritten
The Joys of Writing: Teresa Jones
Good Book Alert
Adventures of the Cautionary Tale
Heroines with Hearts

It's been a busy week. Lots of work and little time for anything else, but I did manage to reformat the pictures for Attack of the Dust Bunnies and now I am awaiting the proof. If it checks out okay, I'll release it later this week. *fingers crossed*

Stop by and read my latest interview and book giveaway at Kathy's blog- I Am A Reader, Not A Writer- I am giving away one copy of the Peanut Buttor Tweatment and one copy of Attack of the Dust Bunnies. One winner will be chosen for each book. So, stop by read my interview and enter.

You can read the latest review of The Peanut Buttor Tweatment  by clicking here. 

Have a great weekend, and Happy Reading!

Friday, November 4, 2011

Liebster Blog Award


I was pleased yesterday to find I had been awarded the Liebster Blob Award. It feels good to know that there is  someone out there who enjoys reading my blog and finds my ramblings interesting. I want to thank Jay Taylor  for choosing me as one of the top 5 blogs he enjoys reading. His blog is The Fiction Hole.
Now, I have the honor of awarding the Liebster Blog to the top 5 bloggers of my choice. I will choose the five over the weekend and post my choice at that time.
For now, thank you Jay and ...

Happy Reading!

Saturday, October 29, 2011

A setback and other news

I did get Attack of the Dust Bunnies all put together and uploaded to Createspace, but I've had a setback. I have to work on the images. If they aren't the correct dpi they may be blurred in print, so I have to work on that and upload the files again. This new program I'm using is a bit confusing, but I'll get it worked out.  So, this delays the release. Now, I am aiming for November 10th.  *fingers crossed*

Halloween is just around the corner, so if you are look for some good, spooky reads check out the October issue of Fictitious Magazine- click here!

Also, "Ally Ally Oxen Free" is a scary little story for all ages and available on both Smashwords and Kindle for $0.99. I am still giving away three free Smashword Ebooks on the 31st, so let me know if you are interested.
Click here for Kindle edition
Click here for Smashwords edition

If you are looking for a whole collection of stories, Tales from Imagination's Closet, is now available on Kindle as well. Click here


Happy Reading!

Saturday, October 22, 2011

Attack of the Dust Bunnies and other stuff...



Happily, I am still on schedule to get Attack of the Dust Bunnies released next week. Tomorrow I will upload it to Createspace and as long as there are no problems, it will be good to go. Yay!

I will be having another giveaway along with an author interview soon, so I'll keep you posted when and where.









I have children's stories in two other places online if anyone is interested in reading.
Click here to read "Gordon Bunker~aka Gorilla Face" on Stories that Lift.

Click here to read my latest, "Sofa Monster," on Kids'Magination.

And below you'll find a couple of children's poems suitable for October.

Pumpkin Seed


Big Sis told me it was a pill
I swallowed it while I was ill
Later she admitted with glee
It was a seed planted inside me.

My heart raced, I had to know
Would this seed inside me grow?
I felt my belly begin to rise
I imagined myself made into pies.

I screamed, I cried, I went frantic
I hollered for Momma in a dreadful panic
She raced to see what the fuss was about
I hollered, “Momma get it out!”

Momma  sat at the edge of my bed
And calmed me down by rubbing my head.
What is that has you filled with such fear
I pointed at my belly, “A seed in here.”

Momma laughed and said you’ll be fine.
A seed won’t grow without soil and sunshine.
I looked up at her asked, “Is this true?”
She smiled and asked, “Would I lie to you?”

She was right about Momma’s not lyin’
I wiped my tears and stopped my cryin’
I’d get even with Sis for her litte trick
Just wait til’ next time she gets sick.

Jack-o-Lantern

They call me Jack-o-lantern

And how did I get this way?
I swallowed a pumpkin seed,
one breezy autumn day.

Some may pity me
And say it is a shame
But I’m not really Jack-o-lantern
Cause Harold Kershaw is my name.



Happy Reading!

Friday, October 21, 2011

"Sofa Monster" at Kids'Magination Magazine

 My children's story, "Sofa Monster," is now up at Kids'Magination Magazine Click here to read. I love the illustration of the sofa monster!

Happy Reading!

Tuesday, October 18, 2011

Some recent reviews I've done...

I've been doing some reading when I have time to squeeze it in. Here are some recent reviews I've done for books listed by authors on Goodreads.

Jenny Twist’s Take One at Bedtime is an awesome collection of short stories. If you like surprise endings and twists along with interesting characters and engaging plots, then you will love this book.  I enjoyed each story, but my favorites were “Margaret’s Ghost” and “Victim of Fortune.”

 Rating ***** 5 stars







I loved the character Rain. She's smart, quirky and a tomboy, but she is like other girls her age and  wrestles with her inner critic. Rain is a character that all girls budding into womanhood can relate too, and she retains a sense of self throughout the story, making her a good role model for girls as well.

The story was a fun, quick read, and I think any young lady would enjoy it.

Rating ***** 5 stars




 Mysti Parker does an excellent job bringing her fantasy characters and world to life. She also uses a method of switching points of view to tell the story, which helps the reader get inside different characters' heads. Parker does an excellent job with this method and keeps the story moving beautifully while switching the point of view. She is a talented writer and brings beautiful imagery into the story that brings forth three-dimensional characters and a sense of scenery.

Having said that, the story was not my "cup of tea" so to speak. I do believe that readers who enjoy a fantasy/romance type novel will get absorbed into the fantasy world Parker creates in A Ranger's Tale. So, for those who read and enjoy this genre, Parker's novel is an excellent choice.
Rating *** 3 stars

Happy Reading!

Saturday, October 15, 2011

News...and a giveaway for Halloween

The Goodreads giveaway for The Peanut Buttor Tweatment is over. There were 802 entries and the winners are:
Carly Chambers
Betty Braden-Fisher
Jennifers Childers

I will have the books in the mail soon. Thanks to everyone who entered! You can still buy a copy by clicking here!

"Ally Ally Oxen Free" is doing very well on Amazon Kindle. I just want to thank the readers for their support and I hope those who read it, enjoyed it. I am so pleased that I will have a giveaway on Smashwords. If you would like to enter to win a free Ebook leave me a message here or on my Facebook page.  I will give away three copies on Oct. 31st. Since it is an Ebook giveaway, winners will receive an email containing a coupon to use on Smashwords for a free download.

Don't forget to check out "Solitude." 

I have made a Facebook page for the Hairingtons. The second book, Attack of the Dust  Bunnies, will be available soon. Check it out.  Click here

Happy Reading!

Friday, October 14, 2011

Writing today...

I have an children's story in my head that I must write today. I've had this idea for a while, but it's ready become more than an idea-- it's ready to be a story. :) I think I enjoy writing children stories more than adult stories. There seems to be no limit to the imagination when writing or children--just about anything goes.

I have also been looking through the old files again and found this piece of dialogue I write a couple of years ago for a contest on Writing.com. It is called True Genius and it is a couple having an illogical conversations. I hope it makes you smile. :)

True Genius


“Did you hear what that television said just now?”

“Tom, televisions don’t talk.”

“If they don’t talk , Margret, how come I can hear it?”

“Oh, you have a point there, so what did the television say?”

“Women can become men, and men can become women!”

“No way, that’s impossible.”

“Think about it, Margie, what if a woman had dangling parts, would she be a man?”

“I don’t know.”

“If you put a pecker on cat, would it be a rooster?”

“How am I supposed to know? There has to be some sort of rules. Things can’t be changing into other things just by swapping parts.”

“If we cut off our heads and traded them, would you be me, and me you?”

“What? You can’t be me, I’m me.”

“But I’d have your head, your brain.”

“You’d also have my body, a woman’s body.”

“I know that’s what I’m sayin’, I’d be you.”

“What a minute my head would be on your. . . “

“I’d be you, really.”

“I guess you’re right, I mean, you’d have my body. That is the biggest part of me.”

“See, I am a genius. I need to send a letter to those doctors who make men into women and women into men, let them know  that all they have to do is find a woman that wants to be a man and vice versa, cut off their heads, and switch ‘em.”

“Why, Tom! You are right. That would be so much easier than making new parts and taking off the old. I’m going to get some paper and a pen right now.”

“Margie, what if I write them doctors a letter and they steal my idea?”

“You’re right, maybe we should just keep this to ourselves, so no one can steal your brilliant idea and make millions from it.”

“You better promise to keep our secret, Margie.  We’re the only two that know, so if word gets out, I’ll know it was you. I’ll be keeping my eye you.”

“What if it wasn’t me? What if it’s you, and you blame me?”

“Oh, I guess I better keep an eye on both of us.”


The End

Happy Reading


Thursday, October 13, 2011

Solitude now on Amazon Kindle

Just a quick post to let everyone know that "Solitude" is now available on Amazon Kindle - click here
Also available on Smashwords and available in many different formats, even PDF and HTML.







Happy Reading!

Wednesday, October 12, 2011

Getting illustrations done :)

Two things on the agenda for today- getting "Solitude" on Smashword and Kindle and finishing illustration for Attack of the Dust Bunnies. 

I want to edit Solitude again before uploading to Kindle and Smashwords. I know everyone says "never edit your own work", but I don't have a choice when I am self-publishing and cannot afford to pay someone to edit stories for me, so I do what I can. :)

Here is one of the pages from the Attack of the Dust Bunnies. In this picture the Mom is telling Dad he has to go clean the attack. (not the wording in the book of course) But you get the idea.
I am using GIMP this time and trying to give the characters a softer look, so hopefully this turns out the way I envision it. *fingers crossed*
Right now I am still on schedule to release the book later this month. Yah!



The Goodreads giveaway for The Peanut Buttor Tweatment ends on the 15th, so there is a few more days left to enter.

Happy Reading!

Monday, October 10, 2011

Coming Soon!


I have a new short story coming later this week to Smashwords and Kindle. "Solitude" is a story about a girl who is fed up with the world around her and desperately wants to be left alone. Her friend, Flora, gives her charm that allows her to inter into a world without people...













Attack of the Dust Bunnies is just about ready for release. This is the second in the series of Hairingtons Look for it later this month on Createspace and Amazon.com.

I'm Not a Tangle is the third in the series and scheduled for release in December.





I am still working on Remain Calm and Flashes of Fiction. These will be out early 2012.

 I had to move Remain Calm back a bit to get other projects done. I had originally planned its release in November of this year, but with all I have going on, It won't be ready until next year.

Flashes of Fiction is  the first in a series of  books containing 10 short stories. I will more information and a cover soon!

I will keep the blog updated with any changes, so check back.

Happy Reading.

Monday, October 3, 2011

October issue is up!


Just a short post to let everyone know that the October, horror/scary issue of Fictitious Magazine is ready to view. I hope everyone enjoys this issues. We have some returning authors, including Ray Busler and T.A. Branom. Click here to go the site.

Happy Reading

Friday, September 30, 2011

A busy Friday ahead



I won't bore you with my to-do list, but I have a busy day ahead.

I have the cover finished for the October issue of Fictitious Magazine. Yah! One step closer. I'll start archiving the last issue's stories this afternoon, so you can a still read them and any other stories that have appeared in the magazine.
Brace yourself for some fabulously scary stories.










I will moving "Operation Onion" from a single story on Kindle and Smashwords to an upcoming collection of short fiction stories. But...if you are looking for a scary little story for all ages, check out "Ally Ally Oxen Free" on Smashwords and Kindle. 




Tom is fascinated with bones, human bones. He wants to study them and gets his chance when Mr. Dukes allows home dig in the vacant lot behind his store. What Tom unearths makes the neighborhood kids tremble with fear. "Ally ally oxen free!" These four little words can bring anyone out of hiding. 


If you'd like to read a review of the short story click here.







Also, if you haven't had a chance yet, click here check out my interview at The Fictional World of Jennifer Steen.

Happy Reading!

Tuesday, September 27, 2011

One of my firsts...

I was going through some old stories I've written. I do that from time to time. You never know when something you wrote or started to write can be expanded or given new life. I'd like to share this one with you everyone. I wrote it for a flash fiction contest of 300 words or less  on Writing.com many years ago. Enjoy!

The Day I Lost My Best Friend 



Every time I stroll over the old wooden bridge to cross Clover Creek it brings back memories of the summer I lost my best friend. I was a bit younger then, and he had been there all my life, hunting, fishing and messing around in the woods. At first I blamed myself; if only I we had watched him closely, he wouldn’t have wandered away. 
           
He was killed by a hit and run driver who came barreling down the old country road, and I guess didn’t have control of his car as it careened across the gravel. The driver’s horn blared right before the accident. I called out a warning to my friend, but he didn’t attempt to move. He turned to look at me, his floppy ears swinging as his head swung my direction. Duke had a sparkle in his brown eyes and a dead possum clutched in his teeth. 

“NO! Duke!” I screamed as his body flew through the air and into the cornfield next to the road. The car made no effort to stop and continued on, quickly disappearing in a thick could of dust. I raced to him, tears streaming down my face, but it was too late.
           
Old Duke enjoyed sniffing out the occasional dead animal, and he never passed up the chance to chew on a dead possum or squirrel, especially one easy to catch - dead. He was the best friend a man could ever have.  I’ll never forget our adventures and the way he sloppily licked my face while we lay together in the grass, resting after a long day. It has been around 10 years ago now, but that surreal memory will stay with me forever.



Happy Reading!

Saturday, September 24, 2011

Working on October issue of Fictitious Mag

I'm getting a late start on the October issue of Fictitious Mag. I still have a few submissions to read and respond to before putting it all together. I may have to schedule it to go live on Oct. 5th, so that I have time to get responses out and back. I am still working on the cover art as well.

I plan to make it though the rest of the submissions this weekend, so if you've submitted and not heard from me by Monday, feel free to send me a query.

I've had a lot of freelance work lately and this has put me behind schedule a bit. I am also working on putting together Attack of the Dust Bunnies, so I can release it sometime next month.

Publishing news! Kids'Magination Magazine has accepted my children's story, "Sofa Monster" for publication. I will know more when I receive the contract later this week.

Happy Reading!


Tuesday, September 13, 2011

Finally Kindle!

The Peanut Buttor Tweatment is now availabe on Kindle. Yah! click here


I am super excited!










Happy Reading!

Monday, September 12, 2011

Yes...Success

I found where I made my mistake with the children's picture book formatting. I followed the instructions on a blog by Curtis Taylor- click here  to read his instructions. They help you through the process by telling you how to format pictures and how to put the book together.
The mistake I made was not putting my picture folder that contained my HTML into a compressed zip file, so I could upload it to Kindle. If you don't do this, there are no pictures.
I did not  use Adobe Dreamweaver. I used Microsoft office 2007 to make the webpage and drag the pictures over. It worked fine. It can be a time consuming process. Reformatting pictures and embedding the  text take a while, but the results are worth it.
My advice:
First format all your picture to 900 x 1100 pixels and work with larger pictures. Kindle reduces the size during the conversion. Embed the text with the picture, so you words stay with the picture. Remember to zip your file containing your pictures and your the webpage you create before uploading.
The Peanut Buttor Tweatment is in review on Kindle now and hopefully ready to be released soon.

Happy Reading!

Saturday, September 10, 2011

Still working...

I have been working on formatting The Peanut Buttor Tweatment for Kindle today.  I think I know where I went wrong. I have all the pictures the right size and have embedded the words with the pictures. The next step is making the HTML document with the pictures. This is where I messed up last time, so wish me luck...I'll probably need it. I have downloaded a 30 day trial of Adobe Dreamweaver because that is what the person giving the instructions used to format his picture book for Kindle. So, hope it goes well. I have never used that program before.

A bit of good news. My short stories have been selling well on Kindle. Thank you to those who have bought them and I hope you're enjoying the read. I have several more projects in the works for Kindle and print.

I just finished reading James: The Magi by Joaquin Santiago. I really liked it and I think it is a great book for the YA readers out  there. Click here to visit Joaquin's website for the book.

Happy Reading!


Friday, September 9, 2011

No Breakthrough!

The breakthrough I that I had in formatting my picture book for Kindle bombed. I followed the instructions, but  I ended up with no pictures when the book was converted to Kindle format. I must have messed up when creating the HTML document. I will go back and try again. I know these steps must work because the person that posted them has several picture books on Kindle,so he knows what he is doing...I don't. :)

So, its back to the drawing board. I am determined to accomplish this task and do it correctly.

Wish me luck.

Thursday, September 8, 2011

Kindle, Smashwords, Contests and more...

New giveaway! for those of you without a Goodreads account and still want to enter to win a copy of The Peanut Buttor Tweatment I am having a giveaway here on my blog and my Facebook. You can leave me a message here that you'd like to enter or Click here to go to my Facebook author's page and leave me a message there. Either way you will be entered in the contest. The giveaway will start today and run though October 15th.

I am still working on formatting The Peanut Buttor Tweatment for Kindle. I think I made a breakthrough. :) *Fingers crossed* My main issue has been getting the pictures and words to stay on the same page when converted to Kindle format. But, I have done some research and hopefully it will be available for Kindle soon.

Now, both "Operation Onion" and "Ally Ally Oxen Free" are available on and Kindle and Smashwords. Smashwords offers the short stories in several formats including Kindle, Epub,  PDF,  and other formats for online reading.

I am still working on two projects.

 Attach of the Dust Bunnies - if all goes well- will be released by the end of October.












.

Remain Calm is a novelette Ebook. It is a comedy based on the idea that the insane never question their sanity. If everything stays on track, it will be available in print, on Kindle and Smashwords by mid November.


I've added a small excerpt below.







Solitary confinement—a padded room with a little window at the top of a three-inch thick door. Nothing to do but write on this paper with a crayon, because they can’t trust a crazy person like me with a pencil. Who knows what I might write if I had a real pencil. My genius intimidates them all. I don’t belong here, and I’m not just talking about this room; I shouldn’t be in here with all these loonies.

You wouldn’t believe the people I  tolerate in this place.  The most annoying is Mumbles. It’s not his real name. I assigned it to him after spending each and every night trying to make out what he was saying. He ‘s always talking, his lips always moving, but the sounds are incomprehensible. I can’t stand not knowing what someone is saying. What if he’s talking about me and everyone else can understand him. Then, they all laugh at me behind my back. I know how secret languages work.

The other person I have deal with is Mothman. Another name assigned by myself. You should see this guy running toward light, burning his face when it touches the hot bulbs, and letting out that horrible screeching sound. Moths don’t screech, I know, but they do tend to migrate toward light. Hence, the name. 

Both of these men are pawns in the institution’s game of chess with me. And now, they’ve succeeded—check mate. I have no moves left. I will never get out of here.

How did they use their pawns to make such a clever move?


Happy Reading!  

Tuesday, September 6, 2011

Cover for Attack of the Dust Bunnies



I have completed the cover for the second book in the Hairington's series, Attack of the Dust Bunnies. In this second book, Dad decides to finally clean the attic--a task he has put off or a while--and discovers the attic is overrun with dust  bunnies.  These dust bunnies are harmless, but they do attach themselves to hair. So, chaos ensues as the family calls in Dr. Follicle to rid Dad of the dust bunnies and the exterminator to rid the attack of dust bunnies. But don't worry...no harm comes to the little dusty creatures. They are set free in Dust  Bunny Fields.
The Goodreads giveaway continues to win a copy of The Peanut Buttor Tweatment. I am planning a giveaway for those not on Goodreads and it will start October 1st. I'll  post more details on this later in the week.

If you haven't checked it out yet, stop by Unwritten, a blog by author Mysti Parker, and enter her contest "All Creatures Great and Small." You have a chance to win one of several books either in print or Ebook form. Click here visit Mysti's blog.

Happy Reading!

Monday, September 5, 2011

My Interview today...

You can read my latest interview today at The Joys of Writing -  a blog by author Teresa Jones. click here to read

The Goodreads giveaway continues to win a free copy of The Peanut Buttor Tweatment. It runs through mid October, so there is plenty of time to enter. The second book in the series, Attack of the Dust Bunnies, will be available soon. I will have more information posted in the coming week.

"Ally Ally Oxen Free" is now available for Kindle from Amazon .com. for .99 cents! click here.

Wednesday, August 31, 2011

Goodreads Giveaway Winners

The giveaway for a copy of Tales From Imagination's Closet is over. Congratulations to the following three winners:
Kendra Mitts
Stephanie Standifird
Michelle Randall

Expect your books soon!

Happy Reading!

Sunday, August 28, 2011

Lots of good stuff going on...

I haven't blogged much this week because I had a lot of freelance assignments, which is good money-wise, but not time-wise. However, I do did have lots of stuff going on this week. First, Mysti Parker is having a contest over at her blog Unwritten- click here . She is giving away books as prizes, one of them mine, Tales From Imagination's Closet. If you're an animal lover check it!

Second: I have some new reviews to share.

 Cassie at Gathering Leaves Reviews, read and reviewed The Peanut  Buttor Tweatment- click here to read

Amy  read and reviewed both "Ally Ally Oxen Free" and "Operation Onion" at Goodreads- Click here and here to read. Amy is and editor check out her site The Eyes for Editing .

Amy review of "Operation Onion" suggest that it be expanded and there is more to Samuel's stinky story, so this may turn into something bigger. When I first wrote it, I thought I'd leave the reader knowing Samuel is okay and there is hope,but maybe the reader needs more...

The Goodread's giveaways for Tales From Imagination's Closet and The Peanut Buttor Tweatment continue, so there is still time to enter.

Happy Reading!

Tuesday, August 23, 2011

Operation Onion at Smashwords for $0.99

My short story, "Operation Onion," is available in Ebook format at Smashwords. It was first published in Spectacular Speculations.

It is a short piece of speculative fiction. Samuel was born with a strange condition. His body emits various offensive odors based on his moods. Samuel's mother says that God doesn't make mistakes, but could she be wrong in his case. Can Samuel find his place in the world? 




You can Click here to read an excerpt.











"Ally Ally Oxen Free, " is a horror/scary story for a younger audience, but also may give older readers the chills.

Tom is fascinated with bones, human bones. He wants to study them and gets his chance when Mr. Dukes allows home dig in the vacant  lot behind his store. What Tom unearths makes the neighborhood kids tremble with fear.  

"Ally ally oxen free!" These four little words can bring anyone out of hiding


Click here to read an excerpt











'Remain Calm' is a novelette Ebook coming soon to Smashwords.

The insane never question their own sanity.













Happy Reading!

Monday, August 22, 2011

Ally Ally Oxen Free for $0.99 at Smashwords

 I have a short story eBook available at Smashwords. "All Ally Oxen Free" is mystery/horror story available in several Ebook formats including HTML, Kindle, .Epub, PDF, .RTF, Palm Doc and plain text. Purchase and download for .99 cents.

Ally ally oxen free! These four little words can bring anyone out of hiding.




Happy Reading!

Tuesday, August 16, 2011

Another Giveaway?!?!

Yes! You can win a copy of The Peanut Buttor Tweatment by entering the Goodreads giveaway. I have posted the details to the right =>

Three copies are available and the contest runs through October, so there's plenty of time to enter.

The giveaway for Tales From Imagination's Closet continues through August 31st. Still time to enter if you are interested.

Good luck and
Happy Reading!

Sunday, August 14, 2011

The Peanut Buttor Tweatment now on Amazon

You can purchase The Peanut Buttor Tweatment on Amazon.com- click here

The book still isn't available on Kindle at this time. I am looking into some other publishing options before publishing in eBook format. I will keep you posted!

The Goodreads contest to win a signed copy of Tales From Imagination's Closet continues though August 31st.  I will have a Goodreads giveaway for The Peanut Buttor Tweatment very soon. Watch for it!

Happy Reading!

Wednesday, August 10, 2011

I made the switch...




I know have The Peanut Buttor Tweatment available from Createspace for $10.99. I have changed the link to the right to go to Createspace to purchase when you click on the cover. I have also made the changes on Goodreads.

I am still working on the formatting for Kindle. I have been too busy to sit down and really get into it, so hopefully I can this weekend. :)

Happy Reading!

Tuesday, August 9, 2011

My review of Domingo's Angel by Jenny Twist






Once I began reading Domingo’s Angel, I was unable to put it down. Ms. Twist does an excellent job of bringing her characters to life and placing the reader into the setting. I felt as though I knew these people and everything about their village.  Twist uses flashbacks brilliantly without interrupting the flow of the plot, and this allows the reader to understand and care about the characters. My favorite character is Rosalba. She is the matriarch of the village, and she has sort of a ‘mother’s intuition’ when it comes to happenings in the village. On the outside she is tough, scares some and intimidates others, but inside she has a heart of gold.

The story begins when a stranger shows up in the village and at first no one knows what to make of her. She looks and talks differently, but as the village comes to accept her, Angela brings changes to the village and the people become the family she longed for and prompt changes in her as well. The characters and their struggles during a time of oppression and poverty make for a very engaging story.

I enjoyed the story and recommend Domingo’s Angel to anyone looking for a heartwarming, engaging read.  I look forward to reading Jenny Twist’s other title, Take One At Bedtime.

To learn more about Jenny Twist and her writing click here to visit her Melange-Books author page. 

Two Reviews...

Two Reviews for Tales From Imagination's Closet by Joaquin Santiago and Jenny Twist.

Click here to read Joaquin Santiago's review on Goodreads. Joaquin is the author of James the Magi. Read more about it here.

Click here to read Jenny Twist's review on Goodreads. Jenny is the author of Take One At Bedtime and Domingo's Angel, read more about them here. 

Happy Reading!

Saturday, August 6, 2011

I feel like sharing today :)

As you all may know, I have an online magazine, Fictitious Magazine, and while reading through the piles of submissions, this past few weeks, one writer has caught my attention, Ray Busler.

I accepted his short story, "Strawberry Moon,"(click on the title to read)  for publication in the August issue, and I've accepted three of his very short stories for the October issue. And, this morning he shared two  links with me for two of his short stories on Shortstoryamerica.com; they were both wonderful, and chosen as story of the week on the site.

Ray has a gift for writing short stories, and I want to share his beautifully written stories with other readers and writers. I know you will enjoy his stories as much as I do.

Tuesday, August 2, 2011

A New Review!

The lovely author of  A Ranger's Tale, Mysti Parker, has posted a review of Tales From Imagination's Closet on her blog Unwritten. Click here to read.


Happy Reading!

Monday, August 1, 2011

Lots of news today...

First the August issue of Fictitious Magazine is ready to read. Stop by and enjoy some beautifully written short stories and poems.

The Goodreads giveaway starts today to win a signed copy of Tales From Imagination's Closet. Looks like there are already quite a few entries. :) I have a link to the right for those who want to enter =>

Update on The Peanut Buttor Tweatment! Got my files formatted for Createspace and waiting on a proof copy. I may publish through there instead of Lulu. I can sell the books at a cheaper price, which makes me happy. I am still working on Kindle or eReader formats when I can. I've spent my whole morning working on a terribly time consuming monster of a freelance assignment that I will never do again unless I am paid more for it. It just wasn't worth my time.

Sorry! Starting to rant!

This afternoon I plan to work on the stories for my next anthology of short stories, Stories to Wrap Your Mind Around. Look for it next March!

Happy Reading!

Friday, July 29, 2011

Working on Issue 3 of Fictitious Magazine

Wow! It's almost August already? I am working on the August issue and it should be live on Monday. I have archived all stories and poems from the May comedy issue. I am still taking submissions for the October horror/scary theme. Stories can be a mixture of comedy and scary or romance and horror-I like to read experimental and unusual genre combinations. Suprise me!

I am considering publishing The Peanut Buttor Tweatment on Smashwords. They offer publishing in all the e-reader formats, not just Kindle. Looking into this weekend! I've downloaded the formatting guidelines  and I'll see what I can do.

Don't forget, on Monday the Goodreads giveaway of Tales From Imagination's Closet begins. Feel free to enter--3 copies available!

Happy Reading!

Thursday, July 28, 2011

The Peanut Buttor Tweatment is available now!

 Yes, it's true! The book is ready for release and available now on Lulu. I have a link to the right that takes you direclty the page where you can buy The Peanut Buttor Tweatment.  In the coming weeks it will also be availabe on Amazon as well.  I am still working on Kindle formatting. It is so much different than print format, so I will continue to learn and have it ready on Kindle soon.

Don't forget...the Goodreads giveaway to win a copy of Tales From Imagination's Closet starts on Monday, August 1st. Three signed copies available!

Happy Reading!

Wednesday, July 27, 2011

Giveaway Starts August 1st

I am giving away 3 signed copies of Tales From Imagination's Closet at Goodreads. Starting August 1st through the 31st you can enter.

If you haven't stopped by my website www.m-allman.com, you can stop in and enjoy some free reads. I will add two more stories this weekend.

I am still working on getting The Peanut Buttor Tweatment on Kindle. Formatting a book for an e-reader is quite different than regular formatting, so I am working on that, and hopefully-*fingers crossed*- I will finish it this weekend.

Happy Reading!

Monday, July 25, 2011

Stop by and read...

I have added four short stories to my site a www.m-allman.com. Click on 'Free Reads' There is short excerpt for each story and if decide you want continue reading just click 'read more.' I've post two children's stories-"Imagination Land" and "Sofa Monster" and two adult stories-"Metro Dome" and "Escape. " Stop by and read!

Happy Reading!

Saturday, July 23, 2011

It might be August...

I am still working on The Peanut Buttor Tweatment, and I know I keep pushing the date the back, but I do believe it will be the first week of August before it is released. I have the front and back cover done and ordered the proof today, so as long as there are no formatting mistakes, I can have it ready in about a week. *fingers crossed* Below is the front and back covers:





Now, that I am free from doing school work, I have more time to work on projects, so next one should go a lot smoother.

I am getting acquainted with Kindle, so I can have it availabe there as well. Hopefully, this is a not a complicated process. I'll keep you posted.

Remember to visit my website on Monday for some free reads!

Happy Reading!

Friday, July 22, 2011

Finished!

As of today, I have completed four long years of college. I will soon have my bachelor's in professional writing. Yay! I plan to spend this weekend working on my fiction writing projects and see how much I can get accomplished. I am also planning to add a new section to my author site M. Allman with free reads. So, on Monday stop by the site and you'll find some storeis to  read, and, I hope, enjoy.

I am planning to give away some copies of Tales From Imagination's Closet on Goodreads. The contest will start on August first and run though the end of the month.

I created a Facebook author fan page. Click here to visit.


Happy Reading!

Tuesday, July 19, 2011

New Interest...

I never thought I'd enjoy writing nonfiction, but I finished my feature writing class and I loved it. I don't care for the interviewing, but the personal commentary and life experience writing I did enjoy. I wrote one piece for class about my dad and an embarassing story about me, "The Blooming Dog Story," and it is scheduled to be published in an upcoming issue of The Woods Newspaper- Saint Mary of the Woods school paper. I do like to write about my family and funny stories from my childhood(there are so many), so this may lead to something in the future. Hmmm...

I still have that one project to finish for arts reporting class. I didn't think I'd like it either, but its okay. I didn't hate it, but it's not my favorite type of writing.

I noticed over the weekend that my anthology, Tales From Imagiantion's Closet, is availabe on Amazon.com but from a book seller on the site, and they $16.02 for it. The book seller is in the UK. There is no photo of the cover. I dont know why anyone would pay $16 when you can buy the book from Melange-Books for $13.50. It makes no sense. A lot of  other books are for sale with varying prices on the site though.

I am considering the addition of  free reads to my website M. Allman. I have a lot of short stories that I wrote for little contest for Writing.com and things that I think would make good stories for free reads on the site. It would give readers who have not read my writing a glimpse into my writing style. I may start that this weekend. I'll keep everyone posted.

Happy Reading!

Friday, July 15, 2011

More Progress!

I have all the editing done for The Peanut Buttor Tweatment. I've redone the cover - front and back, and now just waiting for the proof copy to make sure it all looks good.  I will upload the new cover soon. Once I am able to release this first book, the second, Attack of the Dust Bunnies, will be out this fall. This second attempt should a bit easier. I've learned a great deal from my mistakes.

Now, I'm looking into publishing the book on Kindle. I've done some looking around  the site and reading  advice found in articles and blogs from others who have successfully published in that format. So, I hope this goes well. Wish me luck!

Happy Reading!

Tuesday, July 12, 2011

The Peanut Buttor Tweatment Released Soon...

Finally, I have made some progress on getting the book formatted correctly. The plan is to release The Peanut Buttor Tweatment on Saturday July 30th. I am finished with school except for one little assignment and I plan to finish that this weekend. Yay!

Oh, and the cover is different so if you see it disappear at the right => It'll be back, new and improved.

I will be doing more interviews on other blogs soon to talk about Tales From Imagination's Closet.  I wll post dates here soon. I am also considering a virtual book tour. Haven't decided for sure yet, but now that I have the time it sounds like a fun way to promote and meet new authors and readers.

 I'm still working in my March 2012 anthology, Stories to Wrap Your Mind Around, its coming along real well, and I'm looking forward to its release next year. I am also working on two young adult novels and hope to find publisher for them as soon as they are finished. So, I'll keep you posted on that as well.

Happy Reading!

Saturday, July 9, 2011

What Else?

This week has not been a good one. My new computer, that I've only had a few months, needs a new hard drive. What!?!?  So, It is being sent to Gateway and will be gone about a week. I did not have have a backup, so this adds to the horrible week's events. I do have all my most important documents on a flash drive, so that's a plus. But, the Geek people at Best Buy told me I'll need to either contact Gateway or go online and get the software for my operating system. Ugh! Sounds fun, huh?

I'm back to using Howard [my latptop--yes, I give inanimate objects names ;) ] He's slow and his keyboard isn't what it used to be, but at least I have a spare. All this means I've gotten behind on a few things, but I'll stay positive, take a deep breath, and keep going. :/

Happy Reading!

Saturday, July 2, 2011

Reviews Forthcoming...

I will have more reviews posted soon for Tales From Imagination's Closet. Feel free to check out my page at Goodreads.

I've gotten my edits finished for The Peanut Buttor Tweatment--I think. ;) this had been quite a experience. I have more appreciation for publishers now that I realize all they do to get the book prepared and released. I don't know at this point if I will continue to self-publish or just concentrate on the writing.

 I do want to give self-publishing with Kindle a try. I'm considered offering short stories on Kindle instead of entire novels or anthologies. The question is, will readers want to buy one short story at a time? Hmmm...

Happy Reading!

Thursday, June 30, 2011

What is it about?

When I tell someone I've had a book pulished, this is the first question they ask, but Tales From Imagination's Closet is an anthology of short stories, so actually, it's about a variety of  things.

First, my writing is inspired by some of my favorite television shows,like The Twilight Zone, Tales from the Darkside and Alfred Hitchcock Presents.

Stories range from mysteries, like" Deja Vu" and "Existence," to sci-fi, like" Azure" and "Dark Prophecy," and then there are some bizarre plots, like "The Weed Whisperer" and  "My Freind, Clarence."

Comedy is also an element I like to add to my writing. Some of the stories like "Taste of Freedom" (dark comedy)," Inside His Mind" and "Laugh Like a Baby," have a little humor sprinkled throughout the story.

Some stories might also stir the emotions, like "Yesterday's Children" and "Reflections of the Past."

The anthology contains 29 tales from my- at times weird- imagination about a variety of things, which means there is something inside for everyone.


Happy Reading!

Tuesday, June 28, 2011

Viewpoint Books and...

Just a note to let everyone know Viewpoint Books, Washington Street, Columbus has 5 copies left of Tales From Imagination's Closet if anyone is interested. 

I have been working on a mystery novel off and on for about a year now, Hobo. I kept getting stuck, until last night the plot points I couldn't seem to figure out just came to me. I will be able to move forward now, and hopefully finish this novel by the end of summer. Hobo is mystery about a boy, a hobo, and a dark discovery. I'll have more info later. :)

Still working on The Peanut Buttor Tweatment edits and plan to have them done by the weekend. Then I have to wait on a proof copy before releasing the book, so look for it to be available in the next couple of weeks.

Happy Reading!

Sunday, June 26, 2011

My Light Is Bright...

Which is good, cause lately it's been flickering. I've been drawing a blank on new story ideas. I thought my bulb was bad, but luckily, in just the past few days, I've had numerous ideas for interesting, unusual plots and characters. At this point, I don't know if they'll turn into short stories or something more, but I've got a good start on a couple of them, a few more outlined, and still some free-floating around in my imagination.  I only have four more weeks left of school, then I'm going to work  daily to develop these new ideas.

The Peanut Buttor Tweatment is still undergoing some revisions, but I will have it ready for release in July. It's at the top of my to-do list. I am anxious to finish it and began illustrating the next book in the series, Attack of the Dust Bunnies. I plan to publish these for Kindle as well as print.

Still working story revisions for my next anthology through Melange-Books scheduled for March 2012. Stories to Wrap Your Mind Around--short stories in a variety of genres for this one. While Tales From Imagination's Closet is mainly spec-fic and sci-fi, this next anthology will vary, but still have some of those 'what if' kind of stories.

As always, I'll post all new information here.

Happy Reading!

Tuesday, June 21, 2011

I'm not going to make it!

As much as I wanted to have The Peanut Buttor Tweatment ready this month, it isn't going to happen. I still have some edits to make and then proofs to go over, so It will be July before the book is released. I'm hoping by mid-July. *fingers crossed*  This self-publishing project has been quite a learning experience.

Updates on Tales From Imagination's Closet:

I'm not sure why the Amazon.com listing is taking so long, but I'm hoping it will become available on the site soon.
There are still copies available at Viewpoint Books for those who live here in Columbus. I plan to contact other local bookstores soon about carrying the book. And, you can always find it at Melange-Books.

Happy Reading!

Friday, June 17, 2011

I'm so tired of hearing about Anthony Weiner!

And, is it just me or does he look a bit like Arnold Horshack without the seventies fro?


Just had to point that out!

Still writing!

Happy Reading!




Thursday, June 16, 2011

Proof Copies...

I got the proof copy for The Peanut Buttor Tweatment from Lulu today, and it looks pretty good. It's a 6x9 size book, but I am thinking that a childrens book should be larger, maybe a 8.5x8.5. I'll have to do some research on sizes before I decide. I haven't received a proof copy from Create Space, yet, so I'll do some camparisons when I get that one in the mail. I still think I can release this first book this month, though. *fingers crossed*

Happy Reading!

Tuesday, June 14, 2011

Unsure...

While waiting on the proof for The Peanut Buttor Tweatment, I discoverd a wonderful site called Create Space. Now, I'm not sure which POD publisher to use. So, my plan is to get a proof from each one and see which produces the best quality of book. This may push back the release a bit, but I think I can still have the book ready before the end of the  month. I really had no idea what all goes into self-publishing, but I am learning as I go. The next book should be a breeze to publish...right?


Happy Reading!

Saturday, June 11, 2011

The Peanut Buttor Tweatment will be available soon...

I've finally finished all the editing. Now, I'm waiting on the proof. Once I make sure it is error free the book will be availabe through Lulu.com and Amazon.com. 


Happy Reading!

Wednesday, June 8, 2011

On Schedule...So far

I've gotten the school assignments on track, so I'm going to spend the rest of the week editing and making sure The Peanut Buttor Tweatment is ready for publishing. This is my first self-published book, so I want to make sure everything is correct before releasing it. I should have a proof copy next week and have the book ready on schedule.

I am planning a contest to win signed copies in July, so get ready!



Happy Reading!

Friday, June 3, 2011

Ebook Sale @ Melange-Books & Still Working

Now and thru  June 15 you can get Tales From Imagination's Closet in e-book format for only $3.99. This includes html and pdf. only.  Visit Melange-Books for more details.

I have found some kinks that need worked out with my children's book. I've fallen a bit behind on this project once again. Classes began Monday, and the first few weeks are always busy, but I plan to get back to work this weekend and still release the book in mid June. :)


Happy Reading!

Friday, May 27, 2011

Still Working on The Peanut Buttor Tweatment!

I've completed more pages and continue to make changes as I work. Once I started putting it all together, I realized I needed a couple more illustrations, so I'll be working on those during  the long weekend. I have a picture that will go on the back cover of all the books in the Hairinton's series. (below)

This is Mom, Dad, Sis and Bub. Grammy is another character in this first book. Her picture is below.

The Hairingtons live in Dustycorners and Grammy lives in Creviceville, so she comes to visit them once a month and stays for the weekend, which she does in this first book.

I still plan to have the book ready for release by mid June. Once all the pictures are finished, I will  have more editing to do before the release.
Self-publishing is a great deal of work, but being able to put together a book exactly as I envision it is wonderful. I just hope the books will put a smile on the face of the children and adults who read it.

Happy Reading!