tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-231421272024-03-12T21:33:49.642-05:00Long and Writing RoadThat's the journey of a writer, long and winding. Ups and downs, rejections, joys, acceptance, laughter, tears, community, and yet a sense of loneliness. The road is bumpy, often full of potholes, and yet it's one we gladly follow, for we are writers and writing is a part of our soul. Join me on my journey.Bailey Stewarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00639029254352011915noreply@blogger.comBlogger818125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23142127.post-22560623476926005052022-04-10T22:46:00.003-05:002022-04-10T23:57:58.827-05:00Hello and ... <p> Hello world, it's been a long time. I'm not writing any more ... well, I'm not writing any less either (sorry about the stolen line LOL). </p><p>I'm posting this because I want everybody to know what's going on ... why I'm no longer here, or writing, or ... </p><p>They call it Mild Cognitive Decline, and that's what the doctors and I are looking at, or will be as soon as I can get my health insurance going again. </p><p>Words ... oh gosh how to put this ... they aren't there. I'm not talking about a writer's block type of word-napping but more of my mind burying words in some graveyard in the recesses of my mind and - my scythe isn't quite sharp enough to get there anymore. </p><p>Words ... the wrong ones, a substitution of a "something" that has no connection to the word it was meant to be. A text to my sister-in-law the other day where I kept using the word "expansion" instead of "inspection". They don't go together unless the local fire department is going to expand on the inspection of the apartment complex. </p><p>Words ... it used to be that when I couldn't remember a word I could at least bookmark it somehow and keep going, but no - the mind won't move away from it and I become so obsessed in finding that word that I lose whatever train of thought I had, and I'm always hanging my train of thought on a thread anyway. Describe the word? Doesn't work either because I can no more describe the word than think of it - even synonyms won't work. If I can't grab the word close enough to see it, I can't grab it close enough to understand what it is. </p><p>Words ... I had a stupendous vocabulary, a plethora of nouns and their sisters pro, verb, and adverb. Forget about dangling participles because I can't remember from hence it dangles. Is "hence" right? It doesn't feel right and now I'm worried that the entire sentence makes no sense whatsoever ... </p><p>Words ... I start the sentence and forget it before I can even finish typing it ... and sometimes before I can even type "it" ... my train of thought jumps the tracks, heads down the side of the mountain and disappears in a fog at the bottom of the cliff. It's gone, it's not coming back ... </p><p>Anyway, that's where I am ... how I am ... who I am ... and what I'll never be again. </p><p>ADDED: I've edited, fixed and whatever the goofs I've made and probably didn't get most of them ... and this took a week to write so ... if there's more goofs, it's my mind ... and it's goofy ... </p><p><br /></p>Bailey Stewarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00639029254352011915noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23142127.post-74155337035434714502014-06-27T20:12:00.000-05:002014-06-27T20:12:19.225-05:00The Slow Burn of Silence<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfdDhpDb2HyfD0gTv3nNeEKkRlHL2UC1-QPCoOHHjweMueAZJsEJ3pVO4e1CAC0trQQBK72OzKEHObpDtaiB27HOmFgWAQ-ZFIxwgDCbqWWlBfGYT1M7CW-mJhXUIMQMtwHHkuQw/s1600/slowburnofsilence.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfdDhpDb2HyfD0gTv3nNeEKkRlHL2UC1-QPCoOHHjweMueAZJsEJ3pVO4e1CAC0trQQBK72OzKEHObpDtaiB27HOmFgWAQ-ZFIxwgDCbqWWlBfGYT1M7CW-mJhXUIMQMtwHHkuQw/s1600/slowburnofsilence.JPG" height="320" width="205" /></a></div>
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An artist fills the viewers mind with broad brushstrokes and
tiny smidges, colors vividly springing to life on the canvas in front of
them. </div>
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<i>When does something
begin and end? The ripples from a stone cast into a pond, do they start with
the smoothness of the pebble that first attracts the eye, the impulse to feel
it against the palm, to make it skip over water … do they end with the last
tiny lap of a wave on the distant shore …<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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Loreth Anne White fills the viewers mind with images painted
through the written word, each phrase dripping on the pages, oils and charcoal
the tools of her craft. </div>
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It’s not often that I refer to a mystery as poetical in its
prose, each word not to tell the story, but rather to put the reader into the
scene, walking along with each character.
Thomas H. Cook is the only other that comes to mind, a painter of
pictures of the mind.</div>
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<i>An Indian summer. He’d
forgotten the taste of it. The feel of it. The sound of it. The way the breeze
whispered in his ears with the voices of dead leaves, brittle grasses,
crackling twigs, the soft swishing of drought-browned conifer tips. It was a
dialogue that could only come after a killing frost. This valley was tinderbox
dry, ripe for fire, whispering for it. Or for rain.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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Jeb Cullen returns to Snowy Creek after serving almost 10
years in prison for a crime he never committed … or did he? With flashbacks indicating something violent
in his past, can he really be trusted? A review of the case gets him released by
the courts, but not technically “not guilty”. He comes home, his guilt still
evident in the eyes of the townspeople, in the doubting eyes of the woman he
once loved. The woman whose testimony
helped put him away. Jeb wants to reclaim, needs to reclaim, the life that was
taken from him … and the woman who has never left his heart. But could he face down a town full of hatred
and suspicion. </div>
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<i>But it was what he
wanted, a stark spotlight which under everyone would be exposed and held
accountable, under which he could stand up and show he had nothing to hide.
Where he could look into the faces of the men who’d lied, into the eyes of
those who believed in his guilt, and let people know he would not back down. It
was the only tool he had. Darkness bred shadows, secrets, easy violence without
consequence.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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Rachel Salonen lost her innocence and her soul mate on one
fateful night almost 10 years before, a night that she pushed back into the
recesses of her mind as she went on with her life; a life that included a fiancé,
a life that was happy. But then her sister
and brother –in-law die in a house fire and she becomes the guardian of their
little girl. A child she barely knows, a
child that ends up tying her to the one man she never dared see again.</div>
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<i>I try to swallow
against the tightness closing my throat. My skin is hot. Dark memories thread
into my mind like ink tendrils into water, swirling, curling, clouding the
present, blurring plans for the future with Trey. We’ve all worked so hard to
bury the past, the whole town has. But sometimes all one can do is plaster over
the cracks with the concrete of industry; because underneath the fissures
remain, waiting for some little tremor to open them up into black maws hungry
to swallow you up again. Like now.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<i>The Slow Burn of
Silence</i> is a book full of suspense, tension, danger and romance. From a writer with an exceptional grasp of
the English language, this book can finally move Loreth Anne White in with the
best romantic suspense writers today. Go
buy the book, you won’t regret it.</div>
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Slow-Silence-Snowy-Creek-Novel-ebook/dp/B00IJILY50/ref=la_B001HMNJRG_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1393009656&sr=1-1" target="_blank">http://www.amazon.com/Slow-Silence-Snowy-Creek-Novel-ebook/dp/B00IJILY50/ref=la_B001HMNJRG_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1393009656&sr=1-1</a></div>
Bailey Stewarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00639029254352011915noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23142127.post-8791436459339658892012-12-31T21:47:00.002-06:002012-12-31T21:52:42.011-06:00Goodbye 2012<iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/YLQMxgGW_YA" width="560"></iframe>
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<br />
<br />
Every New Year's I post the notable deaths of the year. Usually I'd post pictures with them, but unfortunately I've discovered that I can't really do that ... copyright and such. So here's the list ... of course it doesn't include everyone and there may be some you don't recognize but you can view the full list <a href="http://www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/celebrity/sns-2012-deaths-pictures,0,1525006.photogallery" target="_blank">here</a>.<br />
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In alphabetical order:<br />
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Richard Arlen Whitney
Houston</div>
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Neil Armstrong John
Ingle</div>
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Maeve Binchy Senator
Daniel Inouye</div>
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Ernest Borgnine Davy
Jones</div>
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Robert Bork Kathryn
Joosten</div>
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Ray Bradbury Rodney
King</div>
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Helen Gurley Brown Thomas
Kinkade</div>
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Dave Brubeck Jack Klugman<o:p></o:p></div>
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Frank Cady Jon
Lord</div>
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Hector “Macho” Camacho Tony
Martin</div>
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Dick Clark George
McGovern</div>
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<st1:city w:st="on">Gary</st1:city>
Collins Dorothy
McGuire</div>
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Don Cornelius Rev.
Sun Myrung Moon</div>
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Stephen R. Covey LeRoy
Neiman</div>
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Judith Crist Jerry
Nelson</div>
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Hal David Ron
Palillo</div>
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Richard Dawson Deborah
Raffin</div>
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Phyllis Diller Sally
Ride</div>
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Michael Clarke Duncan Ann
Rutherford</div>
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Charles Durning Steve
Sabol</div>
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<st1:country-region w:st="on">Chad</st1:country-region> <st1:city w:st="on">Everett</st1:city> Vidal
Sassoon</div>
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Al Freeman Jr. Gen. Norman Schwarzkopf<o:p></o:p></div>
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Robin Gibb Tony
Scott</div>
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Art Ginsburg Earl
Scruggs</div>
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Don Grady Maurice
Sendak</div>
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Andy Griffith Arlen
Specter</div>
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Larry Hagman Donna
Summer</div>
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Marvin Hamlisch Gore
Vidal</div>
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Levon Helm Bob
Welch</div>
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<st1:city w:st="on">Sherman</st1:city>
Hemsley Kitty
Wells</div>
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Celeste Holm Andy
Williams</div>
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<br />Bailey Stewarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00639029254352011915noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23142127.post-45910894958875850112012-09-07T15:17:00.000-05:002012-09-07T20:16:36.744-05:00My Old Man<b>Aidan </b>....<br />
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Isn't he beautiful? He wasn't always .. when I first saw him he was a scared short-haired little tuxedo kitten, so weak and pitiful; fleas were all over him and he walked/crawled with a limp. And he was very, very quiet. Unusual for a stray kitten in unknown territory surrounded by giant two-legged ones. But there he was in my co-workers cat carrier on his way to the pound. The pound. So tiny and helpless. She'd found him that morning in the trash dumpster at her apartment complex. She already had a big bully cat and couldn't take in another animal; hence the pound. I wasn't supposed to have any more cats, I was already owned by 2 .. but there he was ... looking at me through the bars of the case. Calm, quiet and ... I don't know .. but the next thing I knew I had convinced her to not take him in just yet. I wanted to run him by my vets office to find out what was wrong with his leg .. I wanted to give him a chance. It was my half-day at work so soon we were on our way. From the carrier, now strapped into the front seat of my car, he was still quiet ... laying in the back, sleeping. <br />
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<br />
<b>Mine</b><br />
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The vet said that his little back leg wasn't broken, but that someone had either kicked or hit him so hard that it was permanently damaged. And he was around 7 weeks old .. just a baby. The doctor sprayed him with flea stuff and you could just see them hopping off of this poor baby; they were killing him. Then Dr. Prewitt pointed something else out ... some of the kittens whiskers were very short, others curling. Huh? Wait .. let me rephrase that .. some of his whiskers were cut off and others had been burned. Beyond kicking/hitting this helpless little baby, someone had burned off some of his whiskers! The pound? It was the vet's opinion that they wouldn't do much with an un-adoptable handicapped kitten and would probably put this baby to sleep. I had a very easy decision to make.<br />
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<b>Our beginning</b><br />
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So I took him home ... and I had my lap kitty. Ever since the death of my Alexandria, I had wanted another lap kitty. Neither my then present cats Siobhan or Cassidy were lap kitties; they were lay-next-to-you-a-bit kitties. But this one curled up on my lap and slept and slept and .... yeah, you get the point. After his bath of course. And some food. But he was still so very quiet, not even much of a purr. The next morning, however, was something else entirely .. suddenly I had a somewhat active kitten. He was awake, rested and feeling much better. And you know what? He gave a little raspy meow. Then it hit me .. he had been in that trash dumpster long enough to scream himself hoarse. I didn't have a quiet kitten, I had one with laryngitis. Lap kitty? Oh hell no ... he was all kitten, scrambling up and down everything by the end of the day, bad leg not keeping him still one bit. Jumping .. leaping .. e.v.e.r.y.w.h.e.r.e .... BonBon hated him, Cassidy tolerated his presence and life went on ....<br />
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<br />
<b>Today</b><br />
<br />
That short-haired kitten? Oh no, not now, not long after another month in my home. It sprung. Fluff everywhere and oh my is it soft, silky. Turns out he's got a bit of Maine Coon in him. Did you know that their fur tolerates the cold/wet weather of New England because moisture slides down it .. doesn't get wet easily, therefore it cuts down on their freezing. See? I can teach you stuff on this blog. Anyway, I shudder now thinking about what would have happened to him had Carol not found him .. you see, he was about 1 hour from being picked up by the garbage truck. But because she did and because I was willing to take him in, this 11 year old fur-baby is alive and healthy today. <br />
<br />
<b>Miss Mousie</b><br />
<br />
Senior cats are interesting. Aidan is the oldest cat I have ever had. Watching the changes in him, the slowing down of his routine, has been a delight ... most of the time. We've had some scares .. his inability to groom himself as well anymore has led to big hairball issues for one thing .. but we are both learning what old age is for cats every single day of our lives together. I'm helping him and he's helping me. But you can help another senior kitty .. her name is Miss Mousie and she is the foster cat of Harlequin Romance author <a href="http://www.melissamcclone.com/p/meet-melissa.html" target="_blank">Melissa McClone</a>. Miss Mousie really needs TECA <span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 23px;">(Total Ear Canal Ablation) surgery and costs are up there ... $5,000. Melissa has put up a chip-in with funds going directly to <a href="http://wcghumanesociety.org/" target="_blank">West Columbia Gorge Humane Society</a> for the operation costs. Oh, and Miss Mousie has a FB <a href="http://www.facebook.com/HelpMissMousie" target="_blank">page</a> and a blog. The <a href="http://helpmissmousie.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">blog</a> is full of writers and their cats ... blog posts from the likes of Kay Hooper, Lorna Barrett and Sue-Ellen Welfonder. Great stories, great posts. If you are a published writer and you wish to help, contact <a href="http://helpmissmousie.blogspot.com/p/contact-us.html" target="_blank">Melissa</a> and let her know. And if you aren't and want to help anyway .. just sneak in posts on your own blogs and spread the word .... </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 23px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 23px;"><b>Don't hide away </b></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 23px;"><a href="http://helpmissmousie.blogspot.com/p/donate.html" target="_blank">Donate</a> .. help .... there's a senior kitty out there that needs you ..... </span>Bailey Stewarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00639029254352011915noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23142127.post-75462219040678018402012-08-31T12:02:00.000-05:002012-09-07T15:17:52.145-05:00For the Love of a Cat<br />
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His name was Devlin … </div>
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April 5, 2005 was like any other day, mom was still “mom”
and Alzheimer’s was just beginning to show it’s ugly head. And then it happened … one of the feral cats
left a newborn kitten on the back porch.
So tiny … so very helpless … so very much mine. Up every 4 hours for feedings, burping,
voiding the ol’ bladder …. Everything a momma kitty would be doing. And talking, cuddling .. I knew he couldn’t
see or hear me but I kept babbling at him anyway. Taking him to the vet for weekly weighing,
the tech would lay him on the table away from me and he would lift his nose in
the air and scramble around to get to me.
He smelled me. I was momma and he
was my only baby. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXbYMrV3P5qv43sIp__4RtmS6PVI-94_mhrdYqzFK6gcYw_5D8mY0GD8cgN_uy0Ov3DxCqBYWZ4RkWCgbkhYeyk0gnyXiwCi5mhBdV2GMwOLBtEAqjZThj1p93IFck2gs7sWa2hA/s1600/devbab.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXbYMrV3P5qv43sIp__4RtmS6PVI-94_mhrdYqzFK6gcYw_5D8mY0GD8cgN_uy0Ov3DxCqBYWZ4RkWCgbkhYeyk0gnyXiwCi5mhBdV2GMwOLBtEAqjZThj1p93IFck2gs7sWa2hA/s320/devbab.JPG" width="320" /></a><o:p> </o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDJ_Uk6j1GMUGwzWpIZfQYx6QUlIxxvI86eyOcRj7HGAHeBhGezdWjvwPgOBEeJv5_Zm_OHkFYIMyvqO06oZ5MqC4rZuiNEbAWLH3u3hugAq3dPWeoxXFPDdFP1IFlWYh1BjoRcA/s1600/blankie.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDJ_Uk6j1GMUGwzWpIZfQYx6QUlIxxvI86eyOcRj7HGAHeBhGezdWjvwPgOBEeJv5_Zm_OHkFYIMyvqO06oZ5MqC4rZuiNEbAWLH3u3hugAq3dPWeoxXFPDdFP1IFlWYh1BjoRcA/s320/blankie.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Fast forward to around July of that year. We’d hit a problem, he wasn’t growing and was
experiencing bowel problems. We fought, the
vet and me, and we got through it. Close
call though because money was extremely tight and we were already bursting at
the seams on the budget department.<br />
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March 2006 it began … seizures. Out of the blue he started experiencing
seizures. Running through the house at
full speed, stopping to bite his tail, sometimes every hour or so, other times
every fifteen minutes; and the battle began again. Money we didn’t have went out the door. The seizures intensified, despite
anti-seizure medication.
Specialist? No money for
that. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj-uNRpPgl5dCBNpjEUzME_D_jtfEMxvtBr3Qao9BuPtn8Zl3fSWG3mPPRrQtG0HXGnmPeg7_3C316wFx2KN_7zpLFkkEn0_fc0ww0oK0SkYuUXmbBlqGIIw3jpWfx5CBwRjJokA/s1600/Devlinsleep_001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj-uNRpPgl5dCBNpjEUzME_D_jtfEMxvtBr3Qao9BuPtn8Zl3fSWG3mPPRrQtG0HXGnmPeg7_3C316wFx2KN_7zpLFkkEn0_fc0ww0oK0SkYuUXmbBlqGIIw3jpWfx5CBwRjJokA/s320/Devlinsleep_001.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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April 11, 2006 was like any other day, mom was a little less
“mom” and Alzheimer’s was creeping up on us.
And then it happened … another seizure, this time worse than the
others. Up to the vet …. gone. I had to let him go. You see, mom was getting hard to handle and
there were no options like a Miss Mousie page for me. We had no money for further treatment. I had to let my baby go. </div>
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August 31, 2012 and I’m still bawling my eyes out over my
baby. His name was Devlin … and I vowed
the day he died that I would do whatever I could to help others not lose a baby
because of money. No animal should
suffer from lack of care because they don’t have the funds available. Melissa McClone has done this wonderful thing
for a foster kitty named Miss Mousie. </div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Please go <a href="http://helpmissmousie.blogspot.com/p/about-miss-mousie.html" target="_blank">here</a> to read about Miss Mousie … and please, help
if you can. Spread the word if you can’t
help financially. No animal should
suffer … always remember that.</div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
For Devlin</div>
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<br /></div>
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</div>
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You came to me so small</div>
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Tiny body perfect for the palm</div>
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Of my hand</div>
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No face you saw,</div>
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No voice you heard</div>
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My touch, my smell was</div>
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All you knew</div>
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<br /></div>
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Your cries I soothed</div>
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With a calming touch</div>
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A soft nuzzle</div>
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A gentle rock</div>
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I’d speak and croon</div>
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Though you could not hear</div>
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My lullabies for you</div>
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Whimpers to mews, </div>
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Crawls and scoots</div>
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To gangly legs</div>
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You grew through struggles</div>
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Not your own but natures grip</div>
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You fought the battle and won</div>
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The round, this time the victor</div>
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<br /></div>
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But death waits for no one</div>
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And the time</div>
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Came when the fight could</div>
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No longer be fought </div>
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And our time together </div>
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Had come to an end</div>
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Too soon</div>
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<br /></div>
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So I said goodbye</div>
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A soft nuzzle</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
A gentle touch</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
And I crooned lullabies</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Full of words of love </div>
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You could no longer hear</div>
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Sweet baby, goodbye.</div>
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Bailey Stewarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00639029254352011915noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23142127.post-38283611157570362932011-12-31T22:17:00.001-06:002011-12-31T22:17:10.458-06:00Goodbye .. 2011You know I do this every year, or at least I used to, once upon a blogger. So, on this New Year's Eve, I'll do it once more. Goodbye to some of the notables we lost in 2011. In no certain order:<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Harry Morgan</div>
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Alan Sues (Laugh-In) </div>
<div>
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-63o8NfrN538/Tv_Y4xQ3VZI/AAAAAAAAAso/C2gyDq-r7fU/s1600/alansues.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-63o8NfrN538/Tv_Y4xQ3VZI/AAAAAAAAAso/C2gyDq-r7fU/s200/alansues.jpg" width="133" /></a></div>
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Bil Keane (Family Circus)</div>
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Andy Rooney</div>
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Roger Williams</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/S81ehfwUrqw" width="420"></iframe>
<br />
<br />
Steve Jobs<br />
Cliff Robertson<br />
Nick Ashford<br />
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</div>
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/EmqUvzeX_OU" width="420"></iframe>
<br />
<br />
Bubba Smith<br />
Dan Peek<br />
<br />
<div>
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/IRDnEqW1vAc" width="560"></iframe><br />
<br />
Amy Winehouse<br />
Sherwood Schwartz<br />
<br />
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5h-eupaWHcE/Tv_b2_cSG5I/AAAAAAAAAs0/js3ueheBDLU/s1600/sherwood_schwartz_20110712182814.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="113" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5h-eupaWHcE/Tv_b2_cSG5I/AAAAAAAAAs0/js3ueheBDLU/s200/sherwood_schwartz_20110712182814.jpg" width="200" /></a><br />
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Betty Ford<br />
Peter Falk<br />
Carl Gardner<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/-cHB3Rbz1OI" width="420"></iframe><br />
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James Arness<br />
Dr. Jack Kevorkian<br />
Jeff Conaway<br />
Randy Savage<br />
Jackie Cooper<br />
Phoebe Snow<br />
<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/7OxTVxGhHFM" width="420"></iframe><br />
<br />
Geraldine Ferraro<br />
Elizabeth Taylor<br />
Jane Russell<br />
Betty Garrett<br />
Brian Jacques<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-RRnsGkd5lWs/Tv_dWfRUoVI/AAAAAAAAAtA/20BNa-IBPpI/s1600/brian+jacques+redwall.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="128" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-RRnsGkd5lWs/Tv_dWfRUoVI/AAAAAAAAAtA/20BNa-IBPpI/s200/brian+jacques+redwall.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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Jack LaLanne<br />
David Nelson<br />
Margaret Whiting<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/gnRGzlxnZ4A" width="420"></iframe><br />
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<br /></div>Bailey Stewarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00639029254352011915noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23142127.post-32245590400544505992011-12-07T07:57:00.001-06:002011-12-07T07:58:16.446-06:00We Will Never Forget ....<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4ii5AUTnPMEWGoDHGoI2s5K0O8QkRt45BPXzuodf5P_8U6hEq5hvmysAVxqc3vROrbfsJ193KbsGK0mg1DtbbSDU89QNkGlFB1tVDUxZ5zxh6CPXki9JEyC-zfprHLXBwsAJl_g/s1600/pearlharbor.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="536" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4ii5AUTnPMEWGoDHGoI2s5K0O8QkRt45BPXzuodf5P_8U6hEq5hvmysAVxqc3vROrbfsJ193KbsGK0mg1DtbbSDU89QNkGlFB1tVDUxZ5zxh6CPXki9JEyC-zfprHLXBwsAJl_g/s640/pearlharbor.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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DECEMBER 7, 1941</div>Bailey Stewarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00639029254352011915noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23142127.post-57897550791058858112011-11-17T20:07:00.001-06:002011-11-17T20:10:25.888-06:00Goodbye Regis Philbin<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOwwvj5VGUaOA2NCEPS6ltXtkbS6_bt83VxaEBavvoB8SgUq9pKz0jrSNoh1WACG4UqeUZahCcZVw0PJmiJJkf7SzbDeCSg_DflIKgaLzOTU573pPFY9pQe6bb5fc-d40S06MabQ/s1600/regisphilbin.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOwwvj5VGUaOA2NCEPS6ltXtkbS6_bt83VxaEBavvoB8SgUq9pKz0jrSNoh1WACG4UqeUZahCcZVw0PJmiJJkf7SzbDeCSg_DflIKgaLzOTU573pPFY9pQe6bb5fc-d40S06MabQ/s1600/regisphilbin.jpg" /></a></div>
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Regis who? My
response for a while, since I only really noticed him on the odd days that mom
was home from work. It wasn’t until mom
retired that I really started watching the show with her, and then still
periodically (confession, I couldn’t stand Kathy Lee). When I started taking care of mom it became a
morning staple. Besides, Kelly Ripa had
joined by then and I found myself really enjoying the show. So a morning routine was established. Mom would get up, I’d make breakfast, we’d
sit at the table until time for Regis and Kelly then move on into the den. They became a part of our lives. In fact, that’s how we found out about Sept.
11 … I had turned on the TV for the show and well, we know what. But anyway,
back to Regis, because it really is all about Regis. Mom had a bit of a crush on him, and as her
dementia deepened he remained a steady part of our lives. People’s names might disappear from her mind,
but never Regis. </div>
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I’d get mom up in the morning, help her get dressed. </div>
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She’d say “guess who came by last night?” </div>
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No, mom, who? </div>
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“Regis and Joy” (his wife for those that don’t know). </div>
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Oh they did? </div>
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“Yes” a giggle and a secret smile. </div>
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I’d say something like “why didn’t he mow the lawn while he
was here?” </div>
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<br /></div>
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Yes, Regis and Joy made many night time visits to my mom’s
room … and she was ecstatic about it, until the sister-in-law stepped in. Yeah, my sister-law Bev helped to take care
of mom. At some point mom started
calling her “riffraff” and acted kinda cold towards her. </div>
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<br /></div>
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“I don’t want that lady here” she’d say. </div>
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<br /></div>
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“<st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Beverly</st1:place></st1:city>?
Why?” </div>
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<br /></div>
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Mom would look at me and say “You know”. </div>
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“No mom, I don’t”</div>
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“She’s trying to take away my boyfriend.”</div>
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“Regis?”</div>
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“Yes”.</div>
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Always Regis … </div>
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So you see, saying goodbye to Regis is almost like saying
goodbye to mom again. I’ll be right in
front of the TV, and I’ll probably cry a little. No, I’ll probably cry a lot … so long Regis
Philbin, I wish you the best at whatever you go on to do. And I know that a lady up in Heaven will be
watching you too.</div>Bailey Stewarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00639029254352011915noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23142127.post-63556843009151059882011-10-18T07:39:00.002-05:002011-10-18T07:39:49.756-05:00Suddenly<br />
<br />
You're probably thinking ... where are those funny posts? Well, there are times when funny just has to wait. Monday a good friend of mine lost her husband ... suddenly. On Sunday she mentioned that he'd had severe heartburn for a few days and they would be going to the doctor on Monday. Monday morning we wake up to the news that he'd had a severe heart attack during the night, had coded in the ambulance where they almost lost him and that he had a 50/50 chance. That night I came home from work to the news that he was gone. 51. Yes, he was 51. One day he was there, the next he's gone and my friend Dorah is a widow. Of course, when I first heard of the heartburn, I thought of the heart but didn't say anything. Would it have helped - no. One artery was 100% blocked and they said they couldn't do anything about that at the moment; the other was 99% and did get a stint. But it was too late .. the damage was too severe. The DNR was signed and Eric was gone. I'm assuming that he had coded again. So at first I felt guilty because I hadn't said "go to the emergency room now" but then came the realization that those few hours wouldn't have made a big difference. Or so I've been told so don't tell me otherwise.<br />
<br />
But this is a reminder that death can come at any moment. That we never know when we may lose a loved one. We need to tell the people we love that they matter to us .. every single day, for we never know when that day will be the last.<br />
<br />
Death often happens ..... suddenly .....<br />
<br />
<br />
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<br />Bailey Stewarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00639029254352011915noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23142127.post-89710793086391770302011-10-14T10:03:00.000-05:002011-10-14T10:03:42.661-05:005 Years<br />
<br />
This is from <i>Love You Forever</i> by Robert Munsch. <br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
*The son went to his mother.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
He picked her up and rocked her</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
back and forth, back and forth,</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
back and forth.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
And he sang this song:</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
I'll love you forever,</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
I'll like you for always,</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
As long as I'm living</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
my Mommy you'll be.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
I can't remember your voice ... but I still remember your smell, the way your bones would creak as I laid my head on your shoulder. As long as I remember .... my mommy you'll be.</div>
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Mary</div>
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November 15, 1928 - October 14, 2006</div>
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*<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;"><i>Love you Forever</i> by Robert Munsch, Illustrated by Sheila McGraw, Firefly Books Ltd., Canada, 1989</span></div>Bailey Stewarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00639029254352011915noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23142127.post-81937994739689918352011-10-10T08:07:00.001-05:002011-10-10T08:07:43.163-05:00The WeekAnd so it begins, my own personal week from hell. Every year is different, every year I approach it from far differing emotional spectrums. But this year has been hard.<br />
<br />
I've known it was coming, aware of its significance for a few months. Five years since mom died, 11 for dad. As I was closer to mom it's that particular anniversary that is haunting me more. As I sat in a room full of writers Saturday night, my mind kept jumping "5 years from tomorrow mom went into hospice". Five years ago today .. I called Bebo in panic, I don't remember exactly why now, but something mother did while laying in her bedroom scared me. I didn't want to be alone when she died. Bebo left work and spent the week with me.<br />
<br />
But that's today ... and Friday ..... and .. tomorrow is about dad. Yes, 11 years ago he was in hospice too, had been forever it seemed. And therein lies the contrast ... the house was filled with family, food came from church and family members. I was never alone. With mom .. it was Bebo and myself. No food to help us through this time, no real support. Don't get me wrong .. Cathie was in a nursing home and David was in Missouri. But still, the difference was so .. stark. <br />
<br />
But finally, after a couple of weeks, dad passed late in the evening of October 11. I'll never forget my cousin Theresa's face as she listened through her stethoscope. After days of waiting for the pacemaker to give out, it had happened. I can still see the funeral parlor's hearse in the driveway, a dark silhouette against the street lights. Bebo, Theresa and I stood outside for a while and watched a falling star, a fitting end to a long life. I knew my dad was happy, free from the body that had failed him, had kept him virtually a prisoner in his own home. <br />
<br />
So my week begins ....<br />
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Harry</div>
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May 31, 1922 - October 11, 2000</div>
Bailey Stewarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00639029254352011915noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23142127.post-18368358924350925332011-10-05T00:00:00.000-05:002011-10-05T00:00:03.714-05:00One Knight Only<br />
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<em>A snarky Faery princess, a
Scottish knight with a gambling problem, and a murderous earl all add up to one
thing: Trouble. Maggie’s medieval education never prepared her for life in the
Middle Ages!<o:p></o:p></em></div>
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<b>I haven’t had the opportunity to read this book, but I had
the privilege of seeing portions while it was being written – enough to have developed a love for it. I found the characters engaging, the
storyline interesting and sprinkled with humor (a must in order to be on my
“must read” list). So I was delighted
when Michelle Miles agreed to join us again today to talk about her recent
release</b>.</div>
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<b>So Michelle, tell us a bit about <i>One Knight Only</i>.</b></div>
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Maggie is a modern day woman who is thrust back in time to
the mid-1300s into the bed of a very hot Scotsman, Sir Finian. She’s tasked
with keeping Finn alive at a jousting tournament by a snotty Faery princess in
order to get back to her time. Only, things never really go as planned once
she’s back in the Middle Ages. There’s jousting, chivalry, knights in shining
armor, faeries, medieval swearing, gambling, magic, romance, and an evil earl.</div>
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<b>How did you come up with this plotline?</b></div>
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It was a long time coming. I actually started the book in
2005 as a straight historical romance. I knew I wanted to set it during the
Middle Ages at a jousting tournament but the storyline never quite jelled. I
stopped writing. A few years later, I picked it back up again, rewrote the
beginning and decided it was a time travel and there were faeries involved and
eventually the story came together. Once I figured out the story, I wrote it in
a couple of months and sold it in a week. That was a great feeling.</div>
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<b>What compelled you to pick it back up?</b></div>
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I love jousts and the Middle Ages. There is something
romantic about it for me. I really wanted to finish the story, especially since
it is set during a jousting tournament. Even though I hadn’t been working on
it, it had always been on the back-burner as a project I really wanted to
finish. I picked it up again in 2008 and that’s when I changed it from straight
historical to paranormal. I added the time travel element and the Faery
princess. But it would still be two more years before the first draft was
completed. </div>
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<b>Will there be a sequel?</b></div>
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Yes! The second book will be Elyne’s and Derron’s (the two
Fae characters) story. At the end of the first book, Elyne is in some pretty
hot water with her mother, the Queen of Faery. She’s used magic in the human
realm which is against Fae Law and now she has to answer for her crimes.</div>
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<b>What’s your favorite scene?</b></div>
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There are so many! I think one of my favorite parts is when
Maggie actually jousts for Finn. You’ll have to read the book to see how she
gets into that predicament. ;) But there are a lot of other scenes that I love.
Here is one of my favorites:</div>
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<i>“Show off,” Elyne
muttered.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<i>“You know him?” Maggie
nodded in Sir Derron’s direction.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<i>“Oh aye. I know him
all right.”<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<i>Glancing at her,
Maggie could see the angry lines creasing her forehead. Angry lines? Or concerned
lines? Maggie couldn’t decide which. Sir Derron caught her gaze then, flashed a
bright smile and dismounted the horse, surrendering it to his young squire.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<i>“I see you decided to
make an appearance,” he greeted, bowing with a flourish to Elyne. “I’m truly
honored by your presence.” Dimples framed his mouth as he gave her a crooked
smile.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<i>“You endanger yourself
here and you know it.”<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<i>“Ah, but what other
time can I practice my skills than at tourney?”<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<i>“You don’t need to
practice any skills. You should be—” She paused, giving Maggie a sidelong
glance. “You know where you should be.”<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<i>“Court is so boring.”
Derron yawned to prove his point. “Why should I waste my time lounging around
there with those hangers-on who want nothing but to serve, serve, serve. It
makes me weary. And don’t get me started on all the bores in the rest of the
Otherworld.”<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<i>“It’s your duty.” Fire
flashed in Elyne’s eyes as she bit out her curt words.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<i>Maggie watched the
verbal volley between the two, trying to deduce exactly who Derron Chevalier
was to Elyne. Clearly, he was a Fae of some importance. And Maggie knew Elyne
was a princess. Was he related to her somehow? They argued as if they’d been
together a long while.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<i>“Humans are much more
interesting.”<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<i>Was Derron Chevalier a
Fae royal? Could it be possible? Maggie had lived nearly twenty-six years not
believing in faeries and yet in a fortnight she’d met two.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<i>Derron turned to
Maggie then, upping the charm. “Mine eyes hath seen nothing as bonny as you,
fair maiden, so pray forgive my rudeness.” He bowed low. “May I ask your name?”<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<i>“Lady Margaret.” Elyne
answered before Maggie could. Her gaze clawed him like talons. “And she’s none
of your concern.”<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<i>Clearly unflustered by
the irate princess, Derron took Maggie’s hand, kissed it with warm lips soft as
velvet. His touch sent a wave of desire right through her, shaking her to her
soul. “The pleasure is mine, Lady Margaret.”<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<i>Oh, she had a thousand
and one questions to ask the man. She had to know everything about him. She
wanted to know how he managed to win so many tournaments without so much as an
injury. Was it because he was a Fae he cheated death? How many hours did he
practice? What made him so good? If he was Fae, did he have magic like Elyne?
Did he use it to make him a god in the lists?<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<i>“I’m delighted to make
your acquaintance, Sir Derron.”<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<i>Still holding her hand
in his, he chuckled. It was a deep sound, rumbling around in a broad chest.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<i>“Shouldn’t you be
getting ready for the banquet?” Elyne ripped out her words impatiently.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<i>“All in good time,
dear Elyne. First I intend to get to know Lady Margaret.” He tucked her hand in
his elbow.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<i>Standing so close to
him, Maggie sensed something very ancient and otherworldly about him. It had to
be the Fae in him. Even so, her knees nearly buckled at the thought of spending
time, alone, with her idol. What could she learn? How she wished she had a mini
recorder.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<i>Still ignoring Elyne,
he said, “Will you be attending banquet tonight, Lady Margaret?”<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<i>She blushed, lowering
her gaze to the ground as a delicious shudder tingled her spine. “I will, sir
knight.”<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<i>“Then yes, I should
make my way posthaste to my tent and begin preparing to meet you again.”<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<i>“Stop using your Fae
charms on her,” Elyne demanded.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<i>He blinked, feigning
innocence, and Maggie suddenly realized that’s why she felt so weak and
lightheaded. He was doing something to her, on purpose.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<i>“Unhand her.”<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<i>The big booming voice
sounded through the practice field, turning heads. Derron kept his grasp firm
on Maggie’s arm, meeting Finn’s feral gaze as he charged across the field,
sword in his hand gleaming in the afternoon light.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<i>“Uh oh,” Maggie
whispered.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<i>“You’re not kidding,”
Elyne agreed.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<i>Finn stopped, pointed
the sword a mere inch from Derron’s face. “Release her.”<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<i>“I don’t think she
really wants to be released.” Derron offered Maggie an arresting smile, pulling
her closer. His ancient, spicy scent pressed into her, making her head spin.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<i>“I said, let the lass
go.”<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<i>“And then what? You’ll
take her under your protective wing?” Derron laughed. “Much like you did Lady
Juliet?”<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<i>“Oh, here we go.”
Elyne rolled her eyes.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<i>Maggie gasped. The
last person she’d want to make angry was Finn. He was the only one who could
keep her safe in this wretched place after all. She tried to pull free.
“Really, I should probably go—”<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<i>“Now, why would you do
that, Lady Margaret, when we’re just getting to know each other so well? You
don’t want to go with this brute of a man, do you?” Derron wasn’t even bothered
by the sword point in his face.</i></div>
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<b>Oh, love it!</b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b>Will <i>One Knight Only</i>
be available in print at some point?</b></div>
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The publisher decides what books go to print, but I’m told
it meets length requirements so hopefully it will. You’ll be the first to know.
;)</div>
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<b>Thanks Michelle!! </b></div>
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You’re welcome! Thanks for having me!</div>
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You can get a copy of <i>One Knight Only</i> at <a href="http://www.jasminejade.com/p-9619-one-knight-only.aspx">Ellora's Cave</a> or <a href="http://www.amazon.com/One-Knight-Only-ebook/dp/B005R12NZM/ref=sr_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1317774850&sr=1-3">Amazon</a> </div>
Bailey Stewarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00639029254352011915noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23142127.post-13477013392792006482011-10-03T00:00:00.000-05:002011-10-03T00:00:06.219-05:00I'm Fall - ing<br />
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Aww the arrival of fall .. how wonderful these last couple
of days have been.<span> </span>I didn’t have to turn
on the a/c on Friday or today .. just had the windows open all day.<span> </span>My regular readers know that I hate summer ..
actually, if summer had an average high of 72, I’d love it.<span> </span>So let’s just say that I hate heat.<span> </span>I really have mood fluctuations depending
upon the time of the year, but it’s not the normal SAD that everyone is familiar
with.<span> </span>SAD – Seasonal Affective Disorder
is normally referred to as the winter-time blues.<span> </span>It’s said that the body needs a certain
amount of sunlight in order to function properly.<span> </span>But there is a lesser known side of SAD –
those who become depressed during the summer months.<span> </span>Yes, me.<span>
</span>In fact, I’ve read some recent literature indicating a relationship
between bipolar and SAD, which is interesting to me since I am bipolar.<span> </span>In the summer, my windows are closed up
tight, blinds closed, heavy curtains drawn.<span>
</span>My rooms are dark, or as dark as I can get them.<span> </span>But in the cooler months, I love to have the
windows, blinds and curtains wide open.<span>
</span>F</div>
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So what about you?<span>
</span>Are you a Spring/Summer person or a Fall/Winter?<span> </span></div>
Bailey Stewarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00639029254352011915noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23142127.post-44562625780365988472011-09-30T11:40:00.000-05:002011-09-30T11:40:29.735-05:00Yeah?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, helvetica;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">So it's groaner Friday instead .. these are a few email funnies that I've been holding onto for just such a day. What day? The "I don't have anything else to post" day, that's what.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, helvetica;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: large;">When asked by a young patrol officer "Do You know you were speeding?"</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: small;"> </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: large;"><br />This 83-year-old woman gave the young officer an ear to ear smile and stated:</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: small;"> </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: large;"><br />"Yes , but .... I had to get there before I forgot where I was going."</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: small;"> </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: large;"><br />The officer put his ticket book away and bid her good day.</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: small;"> </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: large;"><br />Makes perfectly good sense to me. </span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0FAHWvPYsAA7QDG1fMo0jFMfa7a_ZlGmsJyu8Oy_FimwvqtIacgP4UCSR1MKtNB56O8l9WQCE3BVWNTdef14bufRQARA93XivMK4PRu3NAbcwftmpNm2JsbVmOTuMFl84tvyRsA/s1600/oldlady.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0FAHWvPYsAA7QDG1fMo0jFMfa7a_ZlGmsJyu8Oy_FimwvqtIacgP4UCSR1MKtNB56O8l9WQCE3BVWNTdef14bufRQARA93XivMK4PRu3NAbcwftmpNm2JsbVmOTuMFl84tvyRsA/s1600/oldlady.jpg" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaOZ1jP5cuJby1VcUE64Jyt45-5E7W323n5njYTslNKKynGJrV2yITk1ziN9iTVL6pEteQp08cbw1g77-36ruzlPKsRV2_HzgoqPwEYoWpmruO5Rs-bsSxJJkbGknk3pP1YGVkNg/s1600/AARPvillagepeople.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="211" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaOZ1jP5cuJby1VcUE64Jyt45-5E7W323n5njYTslNKKynGJrV2yITk1ziN9iTVL6pEteQp08cbw1g77-36ruzlPKsRV2_HzgoqPwEYoWpmruO5Rs-bsSxJJkbGknk3pP1YGVkNg/s320/AARPvillagepeople.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<br />
And finally .....<br />
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<br />
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<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background: white; color: black;">MURDER AT WHOLE FOODS</span></span><span style="background: white; color: black;"><br />
<span class="apple-style-span">Tired of constantly being broke & stuck in an
unhappy marriage, a young husband decided to solve both problems by taking out
a large insurance policy on his wife with himself as the beneficiary, and then
arranging to have her killed.</span><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><br />
<br />
<span class="apple-style-span">A 'friend of a friend' put him in touch with a
nefarious dark-side underworld figure who went by the name of 'Artie.' Artie
explained to the husband that his going price for <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background: white; color: black;">snuffing out a spouse was $5,000. <span> </span>The husband said he was willing to pay that amount,
but that he wouldn't have any cash on hand until he could collect his wife's
insurance money. Artie insisted on being paid at least something up front, so
the man opened</span></span><span style="background: white; color: black;"><br />
<span class="apple-style-span">his wallet, displaying the single dollar bill that
rested inside.</span><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><span class="apple-style-span">Artie sighed, rolled his eyes, & reluctantly agreed
to accept the dollar as down payment for the dirty deed.</span><br />
<br />
<span class="apple-style-span">A few days later, Artie followed the man's wife to
the local Whole Foods Supermarket store. There, he surprised her in the produce
department & proceeded to strangle her with his gloved hands. As the poor
unsuspecting woman drew her last breath & slumped to the floor, the manager
of the produce department stumbled unexpectedly onto the murder scene.
Unwilling to leave any living witnesses behind, ol' Artie had no choice but to
strangle the produce manager as well.</span><br />
<br />
<span class="apple-style-span">However, unknown to Artie, the entire proceedings
were captured by the hidden security cameras & observed by the store's
security guard, who immediately called the police. Artie was caught and arrested
before he could even leave the store.</span><span class="apple-converted-space">
</span><span class="apple-style-span">Under intense questioning at the police
station, Artie revealed the whole sordid plan, including his unusual financial
arrangements with the hapless husband who was also quickly arrested.</span><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><br />
<span class="apple-style-span">The next day in the newspaper, the headline
declared...<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: black;">*</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white; color: black;">*</span></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: black;">*</span></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: black;">*</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white; color: black;">*<br />
<span class="apple-style-span">(You're going to hate me for this...)</span><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><br />
<span class="apple-style-span">*</span></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: black;"><span class="apple-style-span">*</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white; color: black;"><span class="apple-style-span">*</span></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: black;"><span class="apple-style-span">*</span></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: black;"><span class="apple-style-span">*</span></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: black;"><span class="apple-style-span">*</span></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: black;"><span class="apple-style-span">'ARTIE CHOKES 2 for $1.00 at Whole Foods'</span><br />
<!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]--><br />
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Bailey Stewarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00639029254352011915noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23142127.post-2581903067215927182011-09-23T11:42:00.000-05:002011-09-23T11:42:43.646-05:00Is Anything Real?<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxeWbhe8SQDCR5tM9RP4hBsj7ximLUjpXuTXWZFlKfHP7pHR2yhATerAIYIMImZgUXjEQfPUbQ7BPZLe0sGjnjFngIidReSZ9EvJM00c9bNq4nekX3_zdlsTXb0EKinb_fF_JbeA/s1600/mannequin.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxeWbhe8SQDCR5tM9RP4hBsj7ximLUjpXuTXWZFlKfHP7pHR2yhATerAIYIMImZgUXjEQfPUbQ7BPZLe0sGjnjFngIidReSZ9EvJM00c9bNq4nekX3_zdlsTXb0EKinb_fF_JbeA/s200/mannequin.jpg" width="134" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
What’s she doing?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">Looking for a heroine for her story.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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Oh no!!!!!! Don’t do it Bailey!!!!</div>
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<br /></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">What? What’s the matter Ern?</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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No matter how bad it appears, don’t, don’t turn to drugs …</div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">Ern .. not that heroine … heroine, like in a female hero.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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Wouldn’t a female hero be transgendered?</div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">*Bud shakes imaginary head*
You totally drive me nuts</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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No I don’t, they won’t let me have a license.</div>
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<br /></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">I’m ignoring the last bit of this conversation.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Yeah, like you always ignore me.</div>
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<br /></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">I wish. Anyway, she’s
looking for a lady for her hero to fall in love with. She’s looking for Casey.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
You mean as in “Casey at Bat”? Kinda hard to have a book without the title
character. Even I can figure that out.</div>
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<br /></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">Then that makes it a major “duh”. So, she’s clicking through pictures, trying
to find …</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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STOP!!! That’s her!!!</div>
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<br /></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">Ern, that’s a mannequin.</span></div>
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No, I’m sure it’s a female .. and I don’t care if she’s kin
or not …</div>
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<br /></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">*Bud buries imaginary head in hands* No, a mannequin .. a plastic doll that’s used
to show clothes in department stores.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Oh, a model …</div>
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<br /></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">Close .. anyway, she’s not real</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
That’s what you keep telling me .. that we’re not real. So if we’re not real and we speak to folks,
and she’s not real …..</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">No Ern, can’t do it.
A mannequin can not be the heroine in a romance novel.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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Can too .. I saw it in a movie …</div>
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<br /></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">Movies aren’t real …</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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Would you stop that!!!!
Is anything real???</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">Well Descartes, that is a good question …</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
What cart? The lunch
cart????</div>
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<br /></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">Say bye Ern ….</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
By Ern …..</div>
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<br /></div>
Bailey Stewarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00639029254352011915noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23142127.post-53685689192391393832011-09-20T22:39:00.000-05:002011-09-20T22:39:23.391-05:00A Matter of Character<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT1vAg1CjY5LXDyjwzyeq-IckpogNW44UMANx6vRiYCqHVZVw86_FoDu44GmYszMkqCzOlotHQwIwNFAFFqJThiCOzK2u0miE4k-qQaJLe-bBiONfUQE24HgX7lvox3jOoj6bYQQ/s1600/Jackman.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT1vAg1CjY5LXDyjwzyeq-IckpogNW44UMANx6vRiYCqHVZVw86_FoDu44GmYszMkqCzOlotHQwIwNFAFFqJThiCOzK2u0miE4k-qQaJLe-bBiONfUQE24HgX7lvox3jOoj6bYQQ/s200/Jackman.jpg" width="125" /></a>I figured out what my problem is with this book.<span> </span>My characters.<span> </span>When Jo Davis was at chapter the other day,
we talked about how her books are character driven as opposed to plot, and I
agreed saying so were mine.<span> </span>We both
agreed that if you know your characters well enough, then the book practically
writes itself as you know how your characters will react in any given
situation.<span> </span>Think about it.<span> </span>Think about the person that you know best in
your life.<span> </span>Then say this person is in a
traffic accident, the other person approaches the car with a menacing look on
their face .. how would this person react?<span>
</span>How about if someone told you that they were planning a surprise party
for this person – how would they react to that?<span>
</span>If you know someone well enough, you can pretty much figure out how they
will react to anything.<span> </span>And that’s the
problem. I don’t know my characters that well.<span>
</span>Normally when I write a book, I have the characters “picked out” (i.e.
magazine photos, etc.), their names and all of that chit.<span> </span>This one hit me without all of that and I
just started typing.<span> </span>Do you know that
I’m really not sure what Casey, my heroine, even looks like?<span> </span>I think she’s a blue-eyed blond, but I’m not
sure.<span> </span>Nick, my hero, is Hugh Jackman ..
that’s a given.<span> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The only other character
I’m sure about is a secondary character named Jit, who is portrayed by Michael
Jeter.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirUk9cp19EjWglDOl5laZ_ZsoS1VU1ii4aNjNOuBs3rAydbCIQzVdlqCRn2URcO8Nd-lVgR1oO8wZ8SLa2L-oXxWL6DhgmEm4TpABRAJJDe-5qo_-BaJb7kIG2tbRxW0__wNj9gw/s1600/michaeljeter.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirUk9cp19EjWglDOl5laZ_ZsoS1VU1ii4aNjNOuBs3rAydbCIQzVdlqCRn2URcO8Nd-lVgR1oO8wZ8SLa2L-oXxWL6DhgmEm4TpABRAJJDe-5qo_-BaJb7kIG2tbRxW0__wNj9gw/s200/michaeljeter.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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<span><br /></span></div>
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<span><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8PKbFKe9cUuW5y98Zv12SD9OE7K-zy4rYolT_mMbZDmM_t2rjY4HtCejxn6evwe_pl-atnZ0tVICpsD48y2PvHW8MaLH_M6HcmRltxm0NOWQg8EKG19mR4j7bE3yiMBgekRl9JA/s1600/Josh-Holloway-sawyer-lost1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8PKbFKe9cUuW5y98Zv12SD9OE7K-zy4rYolT_mMbZDmM_t2rjY4HtCejxn6evwe_pl-atnZ0tVICpsD48y2PvHW8MaLH_M6HcmRltxm0NOWQg8EKG19mR4j7bE3yiMBgekRl9JA/s200/Josh-Holloway-sawyer-lost1.jpg" width="200" /></a><span> </span>Recently I decided on my H/H for
the next book – Deacon and Halley – and I know that he’s Josh Holloway.<span> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
But that’s pretty much it.<span> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I need to sit down and sketch them out.<span> </span>I need to find Casey.<span> </span>I need to .. yeah, I got work to do.</div>
Bailey Stewarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00639029254352011915noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23142127.post-72063460118772931082011-09-19T08:54:00.000-05:002011-09-19T15:59:22.550-05:00All My Children<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja0MmVN_LpTSTekWTJ8nuRfJQ66SBuQWITJ3HKcpzwUL6k1iUHFp_IRHZKUGKp-Us65ZDQT8McIEz9td-3nQiKWtY4SsYBjYMgUsh63mG2_VKIwmBfQPFFi0WFj6OnDE6oU4IJJg/s1600/amc.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="142" rba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja0MmVN_LpTSTekWTJ8nuRfJQ66SBuQWITJ3HKcpzwUL6k1iUHFp_IRHZKUGKp-Us65ZDQT8McIEz9td-3nQiKWtY4SsYBjYMgUsh63mG2_VKIwmBfQPFFi0WFj6OnDE6oU4IJJg/s200/amc.bmp" width="200" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
This week marks the end of All My Children (possible reincarnation on web aside). While I haven’t watched the show in years, I do mourn its passing. Or maybe I mourn the passing of a genre. After One Life to Live leaves, there will only be 4 soups on television. Four? I remember when they ruled the daytime airwaves. And now they are almost all gone. I don’t like it .. I don’t like the replacement of actors with hosts any more than I like the replacement of checkers with those grocery store self check-out lines. A lot more people lose their jobs when a soap leaves than are given jobs with the creation of a talk show. Just saying. I love Anderson Cooper, but I have no intention of watching his show, or The Chew (what a name?), merely on quiet protest, not like they’ll notice.<br />
<br />
<br />
But back to the point. All My Children. Once upon the time I watched ABC soaps religiously .. started with Ryan’s Hope and ended the day with Edge of Night. I laughed at Delia, rooted for Joe/Mary; loved Greg/Jenny; went through the ringer with Karen; was appalled and then fell in love with a man named Luke. (sorry Edge of Night, only remember Lori Loughlin was on it.) Soaps were .. in a strange way … romances novels. Or more like love stories – because they weren’t happily ever after, which is why I quit watching them, but that’s another blog. All My Children gave us Kim Delaney, Josh Duhamel, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Lauren Holly, Eva LaRue, Jesse McCartney, Kelly Ripa, Laura San Giacomo and Christian Slater, among others.<br />
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9-I8pyPx55BX1Sp_x3eAKdizGnvflVxW7KxUijaANYU73zEzL8CNsoZ60cDwHqmrvOWpIlaqYmDRqTgn0bvkOLspsxTvp6CDF04gRopf43FLm7DryLCWQjxdrtT_mTcHXNr7blQ/s1600/maryfickett.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" rba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9-I8pyPx55BX1Sp_x3eAKdizGnvflVxW7KxUijaANYU73zEzL8CNsoZ60cDwHqmrvOWpIlaqYmDRqTgn0bvkOLspsxTvp6CDF04gRopf43FLm7DryLCWQjxdrtT_mTcHXNr7blQ/s200/maryfickett.bmp" width="200" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDZnwySKEHlecui_DIi7F9Sb0x8TcRlPucsQmSrzGnefaCKim_FkHMr1P8IOZRQkR_tKUV8T34aSxH-omldTcyVGoPrK2ELVOMgbzDocNOZ7bk8kgPSKz7cDspxMlkeloXSHDI-g/s1600/hayleymateo.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="155" rba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDZnwySKEHlecui_DIi7F9Sb0x8TcRlPucsQmSrzGnefaCKim_FkHMr1P8IOZRQkR_tKUV8T34aSxH-omldTcyVGoPrK2ELVOMgbzDocNOZ7bk8kgPSKz7cDspxMlkeloXSHDI-g/s200/hayleymateo.bmp" width="200" /></a>All My Children meant more than Greg and Jenny, it was Erica and her many husbands, the endearing love of Joe and Ruth Martin (whose portrayer, Mary Fickett, passed away a few days ago), Tad the Cad. It was the first soap that took on abortion, birth control and lesbian relationships, among others. Agnes Nixon opened the door to many previously taboo subjects and made AMC one of the hits of an era, an era I’m sorry to say is ending. Some blame OJ (audiences never did pick up after this trial knocked soaps off for weeks), some blame boredom – regurgitated stories or storylines that went too far over the edge. I quit because I was tired of rooting for the hero/heroine to only have they ripped apart sometimes the day after the much rooted for “kiss” “wedding” “reunion” – you name it.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxbleoewgMp9Y49dpTQ-5CILNWX6SWDdgEmqfJxt-b47nlKExxgQf7_x90cmiQyycOg1Z0H-MB4idWiZUxJndpRyOzPvMmdFbR2eR3Sr67RyVf3hEh68mipH5oORRdZC-fxwyMww/s1600/jennyandgreg.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="146" rba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxbleoewgMp9Y49dpTQ-5CILNWX6SWDdgEmqfJxt-b47nlKExxgQf7_x90cmiQyycOg1Z0H-MB4idWiZUxJndpRyOzPvMmdFbR2eR3Sr67RyVf3hEh68mipH5oORRdZC-fxwyMww/s200/jennyandgreg.bmp" width="200" /></a></div>
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This week is All My Children’s last week. I wish I wasn’t working; I would love to watch it. I understand that each day will be a tribute to something – like the weddings through the years – Wednesday will be a tribute to Mary Fickett’s Ruth Martin. I’ll be watching on Friday though .. to say my goodbye to a once loved show.</div>
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Bailey Stewarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00639029254352011915noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23142127.post-48791415424926737312011-09-16T12:11:00.001-05:002011-09-16T12:11:31.953-05:00Gonna be a Bad day<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Thanks Susan. Arthritis kept me from blogging for Wednesday .. cold front came through Wednesday night and I woke up Thursday morning sneezing my head off, nose dripping, head has the wooley feeling ... cheekbones a bit achy. So I'm sitting down with some chicken noodle soup and then probably a nap. But I couldn't let Funny Friday go by without something to giggle at. Have a great weekend everyone!!<br />
Bailey Stewarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00639029254352011915noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23142127.post-14699613504326738682011-09-11T12:00:00.000-05:002011-09-11T23:57:55.889-05:00Entangled<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
I know this is Me Monday, but bear with me because at the end you’ll see that this is about me. I have a special guest today who is here to talk about a wonderful project. Michelle Miles is not only a chapter mate, but she is one of the authors in a new anthology out today called <em>Entangled</em>. Please welcome Michelle to the road.</div>
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Hi and welcome to the road, watch out there are some wild drivers out here. I want to start out by you telling us what <em>Entangled</em> is about and what makes it special.</div>
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<span style="color: blue;">Thanks for having me! I’m really happy to be here to talk about this amazing anthology. I’m so honored to be in such great company.</span></div>
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<span style="color: blue;">Entangled is a paranormal anthology by Authors4theCure, eleven authors banding together that include award-winning, USA Today and New York Times bestselling authors, as well as two breast cancer survivors. We are donating proceeds from the sale of the anthology to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation (BCRF).</span></div>
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<span style="color: blue;">BCRF-funded research has helped save lives and improved the quality of care and rate of survival for tens of thousands of breast cancer patients in the past decade. Their research has revealed that the "cure" is a mosaic made up of as many approaches to diagnosing, treating, preventing and surviving as there are different types of breast cancer. The anthology is also a mosaic made up of many stories donated for this worthwhile cause.</span></div>
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<span style="color: blue;">The anthology includes me, Lori Brighton, Michelle Diener, Cynthia Eden, Jennifer Estep, Misty Evans, Nancy Haddock, Liz Kreger, Dale Mayer, and Edie Ramer, plus a novella by Allison Brennan. Stacia Kane contributed the foreword and the book’s formatting and cover art were also donated to the project.</span></div>
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How did you get involved with this book?<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRq5_xkBiGICq3c_TELrKfJhWNvM7ch5e1ePbXmzVEYgDtTVMbA75aejSepXoAqOwObaP2UfTMZnyUJVMp0q2JJ48YQCFMV9fRc3WNwEW_236kVxeOXcUTLefqNTr8681yk8IXFg/s1600/entangled.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" nba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRq5_xkBiGICq3c_TELrKfJhWNvM7ch5e1ePbXmzVEYgDtTVMbA75aejSepXoAqOwObaP2UfTMZnyUJVMp0q2JJ48YQCFMV9fRc3WNwEW_236kVxeOXcUTLefqNTr8681yk8IXFg/s320/entangled.bmp" width="213" /></a><span style="color: blue;">My very good friend and awesome writer, Misty Evans, invited me to participate in the anthology. When she described it to me and what the proceeds would benefit, I knew it was something I wanted to be involved in. Cancer has affected my family personally. If there’s a way to stop this ugly disease from affecting lives and devastating families, I want to help fight it. This is a great way to do that.</span></div>
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Was there a certain criteria for the stories? Like, did they have to have a connecting theme?</div>
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<span style="color: blue;">Yes, all of them were to be under 10,000 words and have a paranormal/Halloween theme. I think you’ll find there’s something for everyone in this anthology.</span></div>
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What is the name of your story and how did you come up with the idea?</div>
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<span style="color: blue;">My story is <em>Sinfully Sweet</em> and it’s about a witch on the run and a sexy half-demon/half-witch come to warn her that she’s in danger. I’ve never done a witch story before so I thought this would be a lot of fun. As for the idea, I’d been brewing (no pun) an idea for a magic bakery and kicked around some ideas for it with Misty. Chloe’s Sugar Mamma’s Bakery was born. </span></div>
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<span style="color: blue;">Here’s the blurb:</span></div>
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<em><span style="color: blue;">When Chloe bakes a little magic into her pastries, she attracts the attention of Edward, the sexy half-demon, half-witch, who’s come to warn her that those who murdered her sister are now after her.</span></em></div>
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Where can Entangled by found?<br />
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<span style="color: blue;">It’s available as an ebook from <a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/books/1105484403">B&N</a>, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Entangled-a-Paranormal-Anthology-ebook/dp/B005LXWPI6/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1315803072&sr=1-1">Kindle</a>, <a href="http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/87661">Smashwords</a>, <a href="http://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-entangledaparanormalanthology-600298-140.html">All Romance Ebooks</a>, and other online distributors. </span></div>
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Thank you for coming by today, Michelle. Now get back to writing my book.</div>
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<span style="color: blue;">LOL You’re welcome! And, again I say, you’re such a slave driver! :)</span></div>
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About me? I want you to buy this book. If you can’t buy it, I want you to promote the hell out of it. Why? This book is for me. This book is for my mother’s sisters Alice and Golda who won. This book is for her niece Martha who won. This book is for my dad’s sister Ruth who won. It’s for his niece Sharon who won. </div>
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This book is for my father’s sister Evelyn …. who lost. And most importantly, for mom’s niece Beth who is fighting it as we speak.</div>
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This book is for me …. It is to help prevent any more breast cancer in my family. </div>
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This book is my hope.</div>
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Thank you for coming by today.</div>
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Bailey Stewarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00639029254352011915noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23142127.post-41102925641694840322011-09-08T21:44:00.000-05:002011-09-08T21:44:19.496-05:00Foreign RelationsDear Sir, (<strong>Minus 2 points)</strong><br />
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<br />
We do not know each other, but you are the only person I sent this letter with hope to get a positive and sincere response, in order to go into a deal that would bring life fortune to both of us. <strong>(you want sincere from me?)</strong><br />
<br />
I am Barrister Richard Thomas Group of advocates, a solicitor. <strong>(you can say that again)</strong> I was the personal attorney to late Engr. Overtrump, who was a Contractor and has spent most of his life in my country (London & Spain). <strong>(London and Spain is one country now? Wow!!)</strong> On the 20th of August 2008, Overtrump, his wife Maria, and their only son Pedro, were involved in a plane crash by which the all occupants of the plane unfortunately perished. <strong>(Why isn’t there ever a fortunate perishing?)</strong> (http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/madrid ). Since then I have made several enquiries in the France Embassy <strong>(Is France the new capital of London/Spain? And is the country called Lain? Spondon?)</strong> to locate any of my clients extended relatives<strong> (I’m way beyond extended)</strong> but all efforts was unsuccessful. After these several unsuccessful attempts, I decided to contact you <strong>(‘cuz Lord knows I’m not successful)</strong> and solicit for your assistance as a foreigner <strong>(Hey! Who you calling a foreigner, you foreigner)</strong> to execute the claim of his cash deposits with Natwest Bank London.<br />
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I have contacted you to assist in repatriating the assets and Capital valued at US$20.5million left behind by my client before they get confiscated or declared unserviceable <strong>(I hate being unserviceable)</strong> by the bank in London where these huge deposits was lodged. The said bank has issued me a notice to provide the next of kin or have the account confiscated within the next two months.<br />
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Since I have been unsuccessful in locating the relatives for over 2 years now, I seek the consent to present you as the Next of kin to the deceased <strong>(You mean, commit fraud?)</strong> since you share a common last name, <strong>(You don’t know my last name, you don’t even know my gender .. so there)</strong> so that the proceeds of this account can be paid to you. The request of a foreigner as the next of kin in this transaction is occasioned by the fact that my client was a foreigner <strong>(Yeah, he was from Splondon)</strong> and the money cannot be paid into a local bank here, so it will be better for you to stand as the next of kin to my client. <strong>(I’d rather sit, thank you)</strong> Therefore, on receipt of your positive response, we shall then discuss the sharing ratio and modalities for transfer. I have all necessary information and legal documents needed to back you up for claim.<br />
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All I require from you is your honest cooperation <strong>(Me? Oh yeah, someone has to be the honest one)</strong> to enable us see this transaction through. I guarantee that this will be executed <strong>(executed is right)</strong> under a legitimate arrangement that will protect you from any breach of the law. Please reply via e-mail; (barrrchrdthomas@yahoo.co.jp) or call +447024098461<br />
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Best Regards,<br />
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Barr. Richard Thomas<br />
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<strong>Dear Richard Thomas,</strong><br />
<strong><br /></strong><br />
<strong>How are the rest of the Waltons? I sure do miss your wonderful good nights. </strong><br />
<strong><br /></strong><br />
<strong>I’m sorry, but because of relations with past foreign relations, I can not relate to you. This has been made mandatory by the officials (Bud and Ernie) of Mymindland. Mymindland does not, nor ever will have relations, foreign or domestic, with the country of Splondon. We find you insipid. And your grammar is bad too. But then I’m one to talk about that. Anyway, thank you so much for thinking about me, you have no idea how that made me feel.</strong><br />
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<strong>Good luck with the next sucker, er, person on your foreign list. I’m sure that you will be able to locate someone soon. Have you tried California?</strong><br />
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<strong>Sincerely (because you wanted a sincere response)</strong><br />
<strong><br /></strong><br />
<strong>Bailey</strong><br />
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Bailey Stewarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00639029254352011915noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23142127.post-15529542476275616752011-09-07T07:41:00.000-05:002011-09-07T07:41:56.864-05:00Reading for TaTas ....<br />
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Eleven authors have banded together to support breast cancer research with their writing. Authors4theCure, which includes award-winning and New York Times bestselling authors, as well as two breast cancer survivors, is donating proceeds from the sale of their paranormal anthology, Entangled, to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation (BCRF).<br />
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Entangled includes ten suspense-filled paranormal stories from authors Lori Brighton, Michelle Diener, Cynthia Eden, Jennifer Estep, Misty Evans, Nancy Haddock, Liz Kreger, Dale Mayer, Michelle Miles, and Edie Ramer, plus a novella by Allison Brennan. Stacia Kane contributed the foreword and the book’s formatting and cover art were also donated to the project.<br />
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The anthology has already received it's first five start review from <a href="http://www.coffeetablereviews.net/2011/09/arc-review-entangled-anthology.html?showComment=1315241235456#c7502909207085336777">Coffle Table Reviews</a><br />
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Available September 12, you can get it on Smashwords, B&N and Amazon through October for $2.99. Bailey Stewarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00639029254352011915noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23142127.post-52201674125770818742011-09-05T09:38:00.003-05:002011-09-05T09:44:51.333-05:00A Raindance?<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAYmks3_qmD-rlNDcOc-T1pfLz_qmC1ZiSniqnEfi_KyTIZFbsc7euuGsoS9870F9OIqbNtkAKzkbgrfErc4D_urA3ZpfyntZlUjEKgRNNEvvzpNIy9ifcQ-xclfs_CyY6KR2RAw/s1600/rain.bmp"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 239px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5648885312388417666" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAYmks3_qmD-rlNDcOc-T1pfLz_qmC1ZiSniqnEfi_KyTIZFbsc7euuGsoS9870F9OIqbNtkAKzkbgrfErc4D_urA3ZpfyntZlUjEKgRNNEvvzpNIy9ifcQ-xclfs_CyY6KR2RAw/s320/rain.bmp" /></a><br />That's all I have to say .....<br /><br />There are wildfires all over N. Texas, another 2 lives were lost over the weekend because of them. A customer's dog ran into her back yard and broke its leg (don't know if male/female) when it fell into a crack that had opened up over night - from the lack of rain. Tropical Storm Lee missed us, bringing us cooler weather (but still dry) but no rain. In fact, according to the weatherornotman, T.S. Lee took the moisture we were going to have. A tropical storm stole our rain? Figures.<br /><br />But .. it is cooler. For that I'm quite happy, thank you!<br /><br />(oh, the LOLcat? I made that one.)Bailey Stewarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00639029254352011915noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23142127.post-58220308526057533052011-09-02T10:30:00.002-05:002011-09-02T10:34:24.970-05:00Why I Didn't Do a Blog Post on Wednesday, by Bud and Ernie<strong>She’s been tweeting.
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<br />Tweeting? Like a bird?
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<br /><strong>No, tweeting as in to tweet.
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<br /></strong>Or not to tweet …
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<br /><strong>Are you listening to me?
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<br /></strong>I always listen to you …
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<br /><strong>Yeah, right. What did I just say then?
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<br />Yeah, right ….
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<br /><strong>Ernie ….
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<br />That’s my name, don’t screw it up.
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<br /><strong>Why do I put up with you?
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<br /></strong>Because the Easter Bunny isn’t talking to you any more?
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<br /><strong>She is too!
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<br /></strong>Whatever ….. so this blog thing is late huh?
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<br /><strong>Like I said, she’s been tweeting.
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<br />Would bird seed help?
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<br /><strong>It’s not tweeting, like birds do, although I guess it’s based on that, but not really and … don’t confuse me.
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<br />Why not? You confuse me all of the time.
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<br /><strong>Because it’s so easy to do.
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<br /></strong>If I had an eye, I’d give you the stink one right now.
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<br /><strong>Listen, I think I hear your mom calling you ..
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<br />You do?
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<br /><strong>Yeah, and she’s getting on the bus to go to Candyland.
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<br /></strong>Without me?
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<br /><strong>Looks like it.
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<br /></strong>Mooooooooooooooommmmmmmmmmm!!!!!!!!!
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<br /><strong>Wait, Ernie! You didn’t say goodbye to the nice folks! Oh well, y’all have a nice day, I know I will …. I get to be alone with my own voice. Maybe I'll call the Easter Bunny? *snicker* </strong>
<br />Bailey Stewarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00639029254352011915noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23142127.post-45358065572169190672011-08-28T22:37:00.001-05:002011-08-28T22:37:49.626-05:00FrazzledSo this is Monday Me … yeehaw! I haven’t been doing much, bugging folks on Twitter while I tried to take my mind off of Irene. I have friends who have been affected by this storm; one in SC that I still haven’t heard from. I worry, and when I worry I don’t focus very well. Even with the medication it’s hard to keep the bipolar under control when I’m like this. So I flit from thing to thing like a hummingbird, except I’m bigger. But I have discovered a couple of things:
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<br />1. There is no great site on the internet to watch streams of storm coverage except the Weather Channel, and that has lousy audio. No, really. Tried to watch it at work on Saturday and could barely hear it even with the volume at max. Slightly better at home with my exterior speakers, but still not fantastic. They need to fix that.
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<br />2. And I forget what number two was ….
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<br />I blame that entirely on the heat. 106 today (at DFW airport, 107 according to weatherbug), I think I saw Brendan Frasier and a camel walk by …. The weatherornotguys keep saying it’ll be better in September. Well let me tell you … Thursday is September and it’ll still be triple digits. I’m not impressed ….
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<br />Oh wait, I remember what number 2 was .. oh wait, no, that wasn’t it.
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<br />And then, my chapter newsletter was eaten by my computer. Had everything but 2 pages done, just cut and paste stuff. Went to open it tonight to slip it in and … it wasn’t there. Not even in my recent documents. *knocks head on desk*
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<br />Full circle now, I’m thankful that my friends are safe (I just now heard from the one in SC), that even though there are 20 dead – I’m thankful it wasn’t more, it had that potential. Property can be replaced. I’m thankful that shelters learned a lesson from Katrina and allowed pets. That’s why a lot of people died back then; they wouldn’t leave their pets behind. I wouldn’t have. With every tragedy there are lessons learned. I’ve already heard people complaining about the “hype” when the storm fizzled out at NYC – and your point is? At the time there wasn’t anything else they could do. Should they have waited until it hit land, went through NC then hit Virginia before deciding whether or not people should evacuate? Doesn’t work that way. Sorry. One little turn, a few more mph on the gusts and things would have been different. I’m glad that NYC and others landed on the side of caution, it was the prudent thing to do. These same gripers would have been screaming their heads off if this stuff hadn’t been done and the storm hit as predicted. You can never please everyone.
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<br />Have a great week everyone! Hug your loved ones, shoot – hug your enemies, it’ll piss them off.
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<br />Bailey Stewarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00639029254352011915noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23142127.post-43458867747271247262011-08-25T23:29:00.004-05:002011-08-25T23:38:08.056-05:00What Do You Mean You Don't Know Haminglay?For those who don’t know it, I work in a bookstore. Its hard work, shelving, alphabetizing, up and down on step-ladders, etc. But every once in a while, okay almost every day, someone on the other side of the counter/phone will make it both worthwhile and frustrating. Hence, things my customers tell me.
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<br /><strong><u>Up and coming authors</u></strong> (if you can’t figure out who they are, check the bottom of the post – and yes, some are repeats, I’m not digging out old posts to see what I’ve done already):
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<br />Irish Johnson
<br />Janet Plum
<br />Linda Lying Miller
<br />Charles Dickerson
<br />Judy Pickle
<br />Ernest Haminglay
<br />Sofclees
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<br /><u><b>New Releases:</u></b>
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<br />The Murdering Doves
<br />The Angry Grapes
<br />The Little ‘Ol Men See
<br />The Stookie Stackedhouse books
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<br /><u><b>Words we don’t want to hear again:</u></b>
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<br />Triology (trilogy)
<br />Arthur (author)
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<br /><u><b>And now, the customers:</u></b>
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<br />“Paperbacks Plus in Mesquite, may I help you?”
<br />“Is this Paperbacks Plus?”
<br /><strong>(Is there an echo?)
<br /></strong>“Yes, may I help you?
<br />“Do you have the phone number for Half Price?”
<br /><strong>(Do you have a short pier you can walk off of?)
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<br />“I’m looking for a book”
<br /><strong>(been there, done that, have the straight jacket to prove it)</strong>
<br />“And the book is?”
<br />“I don’t remember the name of the book, but the author is that lady who wrote that other book that was made into a movie …”
<br /><strong>(Oh her, we don’t carry her books, she’s a snob)</strong>
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<br />“Can we rent the magazines”
<br /><strong>(Yes, for a $40 deposit)</strong>
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<br />“Paperbacks Plus in Mesquite, may I help you?”
<br />“Do you carry that paper for the computer that has the border on it?”
<br />“No, we’re a used bookstore.”
<br />“What’s the plus for?”
<br />“DVD’s, hardbacks, magazines, CD’s”
<br />“Well that’s a stupid name”
<br /><strong>(and your mom dresses you funny)</strong>
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<br />“I’m looking for a book …”
<br /><strong>(OMG not you again!!)
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<br /></strong>Authors:
<br />Iris Johansen
<br />Janet Evanovich
<br />Linda Lael Miller
<br />Charles Dickens
<br />Judy Picoult
<br />Ernest Hemingway
<br />Sophocles
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<br />Books:
<br />To Kill A Mockingbird
<br />The Grapes of Wrath
<br />The Old Man and the Sea
<br />Sookie Stackhouse
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<br />Bailey Stewarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00639029254352011915noreply@blogger.com14