Weekend Coffee Share, Evolving part 295

He is the King of all he surveys. LoL!

Welcome to my Weekend Coffee Share, hosted by Natalie the Explorer. It’s a chai latte fo me, how about you? I slept in, but this’ll be enough to get me going on a Saturday, when things are usually at my own pace.

You can see above that we got our house decorated. Bixby approves! I’ll be wrapping a few more gifts today. I’m just about done with Christmas shopping!

Today marks the start of my Christmas break from teaching. Woohoo! Time to rest and catch up with some friends. I went to see a rheumatologist Wednesday morning, which also gave me a morning off.

The appointment led to two things: While I don’t have RA, she gave me gabapentin for leg and nerve pain. She also confirmed osteo-arthritis and said I might have fibromyalgia. If you’ve known me or read my blog regularly, you know I have a relationship issue with pain. So, there will be more tests. I feel this is proactive.

You may recall that I won a teacher award (MVT) from our Gator Bowl association, to include a $1,000 grant for my classroom. Well, I spent $400 of it on an oculus. My retired friend from last year volunteers with my News Club. He and his wife talk about this technology at schools.

He and his wife came out to demonstrate it’s use and the how-to’s during one of my classes. This so excites me! I’m learning something new. Maybe I’ll become an expert. I’ve been saddened by my lack of gumption to write, wary of hurting my shoulder or wrist. It will move slowly. But here is something new, that doesn’t hurt. I see possibilities! I can evolve.

It’s giving me ideas… but those are for another day, another conversation.

Don’t worry, I can still sit with a journal and hand-write a page of gratitude and/or intention for my day. Albeit sporadically.

This morning when I woke late, I was grateful for the morning air, for my family, my boyfriend, for my soft, handsome dog, and a restful night. Also, for my job! My challenging, yet rewarding job.

Have a great weekend, all, and a Joyful Christmas or holiday season!

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Why You Should Read “Seeing Through Sampson’s Eyes,” besides the .99 Special….

    1.  Seeing Through Sampson’s Eyes, the sci-fi novella, is just .99 in Kindle e-book until 9/30, and it is also still in Kindle Unlimited.  You can get it here for .99 or get it through Kindle Unlimited:  https://www.amazon.com/Seeing-Through-Sampsons-Eyes-anothers-ebook/dp/B01GNNCHHQ

2.  This was my second novella, a tale of what Abrielle and Norrie, characters from my first published novella, decide to do to find what remains of their beloved Sampson.  It is, in that sense, a heartfelt novel.  Abrielle was the main character in my first novella, but Norrie, who grew up in that story, grew stronger and wanted to take over.

3.  Norrie, a twenty year old young woman, is along with her mom for the ride, but at some point, she veers off on her own.  There are many things she wants to learn, and there is a seriously empty spot in her life.  So, she does venture off on her own.  Norrie is fearless, independent, and very forward-thinking.  I had a heck of a lot of fun writing this character as a budding young woman who won’t take less than she deserves and even breaks a few rules that she feels are worth breaking.  All of this led to a more suspenseful story in this novella.

4.  Read the most recent review, a 5 star rating:  https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2131664981?book_show_action=true&from_review_page=1

This reader actually read the articles I cited at the end!

“On a lighter note, I like the little snippets of the future world –where weddings are an ‘awe’ thing, pennies don’t exist, hover cars do, and, wait for it, cats are now extinct. ‘Curiosity killed the squirrel.’ Nice article in the end from macroevolution in which a cat gave birth to a squirrel. Fascinating!
This was an interesting/ intriguing read and I look forward to the next book in the series.”

5.  There are more fun things (that is, suspenseful situations) coming for Norrie in the future.  Read about her; I think you’ll love her!  She’s everything I wish I was at that age….  https://www.amazon.com/Seeing-Through-Sampsons-Eyes-anothers-ebook/dp/B01GNNCHHQ

I is for Information. #AtoZChallenge

Free verse by Pamela Schloesser Canepa

(c) 2017

Some 20 to 30 years ago

the Internet exploded into

an infinite system of information.

And I couldn’t think of an I word.  🙂

Available in an instant,

One can know, about life, Science, News,

History, people, me,  you.

Some of it, we don’t need to know.

Can we handle it?

Sometimes, no.  Sometimes, yes.

Who am I to complain?

I have found details of ancestors

from a scattered family tree

and stories to enrich my life.

Information drives this intelligent age.

Use it to your benefit,

and always maintain balance.

After binging on information,

go outside to clear your head.

It’s better for your health.

Don’t trust me?  Google it.

**The AtoZ Challenge theme for my blog is “Who I am.” Yes, it’s wide open.  In April, I will blog from A to Z to include little tidbits about me, poems I’ll share, and stories. Each day I will write something based on the next letter in the alphabet.  It’s been fun so far, yet it has really given me a chance to pause for reflection as well.

Want to know more about the A-Z blog challenge?  Visit http://www.a-to-zchallenge.com

 

The Book Trailer Journey! #selfpublishing #newrelease

“Seeing Through Sampson’s Eyes,” sci-fi

My second Kindle ebook is now live for download at Amazon! http://www.amazon.com/dp/B01GNNCHHQ  Downloadable for 2.99, or free in Kindle Unlimited!  I feel like it is more action-packed and suspenseful than the first.  This is less romance, and more coming of age, sci-fi, in a technologically advanced future, though it is somewhat of a sequel to my first book.   A twenty year old searches for her identity.  And flirts with danger.  (Didn’t we all)?  Here, I am documenting my humorous, albeit frustrating journey to get a book trailer out on social media beforehand to promote it….

6/06: 7:48 a.m. Facebook post:  Finished a cool book trailer video for my sequel, and my laptop ate it….or maybe The Cloud ate it? It’s gone. Next time, I’ll feed it cookies first. ‪#‎backtostepone‬ ‪#‎learnbytrialanderror‬

Evening of 6/06, Inner monologue:  Okay, I have the bare bones outline still saved from 5 days ago.  I’ll just add to that.  Have to change Dr. Parington’s photo.  Add my book cover at the start and end of the video.  Edit captions, make font bigger.  Add music.  Slow down 3rd and 5th frames.  Add Amazon link (Now live) for the Kindle book.  Save.  Double check saving. (Can’t lose again, please, not again.)  This music is perfect.  Now, upload to Youtube.  Why is the little red-haired girl the main visual (thumbnail, that’s what they call it)? She’s too cute.  This video conveys suspense.  Oh, I can change the thumbnail.  (Sees only two other options, neither are any more representative of the tone I want to communicate.  Uggg!)  Okay, I’ll abandon the idea of changing the thumbnail.  Maybe I’ll figure that out someday.

*Saves again.  Crashes, way past bedtime.*

6/07: 8:01 a.m. So, I need to use some wording that conveys that this is not a cutesie little story,  despite the thumbnail, but rather, that it is more suspenseful and intense.  Got it.

Facebook post:  “Book trailer finished! The cute redhead will now lead you through the rabbit hole: ‪#‎KindleEbooks‬ ‪#‎Newrelease‬ ‪#‎indiewriter‬ ‪#‎scifi‬ https://youtu.be/PQuKD6LUZGY  This is a sequel, but could be read alone.  Thank you for watching!”   *I think I better hurry and log off so I can get to work!*

After all that trouble,  I’ve had many compliments on my book trailer!  All because I did not give up.  And I won’t.  Ever.

It was referred to as “intense” and “the best I’ve seen.”  Now it has been viewed 43 times.  This is one way to spread the word about my book!  Now, please, go watch the trailer! http://youtu.be/PQuKD6LUZGY     And maybe, just maybe, download and read the book!

*Photo courtesy of canva.com