tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-81835704542735434832024-03-05T04:17:20.812-08:00Stone House InklingsUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger55125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8183570454273543483.post-11882405051239012772012-02-19T16:14:00.000-08:002012-02-19T16:14:18.822-08:00March 14th! (Book Blog Tours Part 2: Advanced Tips and Tricks)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sesG9etYEU4/T0GP_pP_3BI/AAAAAAAAAoA/c6lQo-ruf1A/s1600/SHU2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="176" width="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sesG9etYEU4/T0GP_pP_3BI/AAAAAAAAAoA/c6lQo-ruf1A/s400/SHU2.jpg" /></a></div><br />
<strong>STONEHOUSE UNIVERSITY AUTHOR WEBINARS</strong><br />
Book Blog Tours Part 2: Advanced Tips and Tricks<br />
presented by Aaron Patterson and K.C. Neal & special guest blogger, (The Book Brunette, AKA Zombie Queen!)<br />
March 14, 2012 10:00 am to noon (Mountain Time)<br />
<br />
Lots of tips for working with book bloggers and running a blog tour that stands out!<br />
• Where to find blogs for your tour<br />
• How to get bloggers to come to YOU for an ARC of your book<br />
• How to make your blog tour stand out from all the others<br />
• More book blogger survey results<br />
• What makes bloggers bump a book to the top of their TBR piles<br />
• How to build great relationships with bloggers<br />
• Helpful tools and widgets for promoting your tour and doing giveaways<br />
• Detailed sample timelines for planning through follow-up<br />
• The 1 thing that will make bloggers drop everything to help you (hint: it has nothing to do with your book)<br />
• The 2 philosophies we use that get bloggers excited to work with us (regardless of whether they love the book we're touring)<br />
<br />
*To register click below, the cost is $50 and if you cannot make the class you can get the file and recording after for $45. <br />
Click <a href="http://StoneHouse.enterthemeeting.com/m/DURVKTX9 ">HERE</a><br />
<br />
<em>**If you missed Part #1 you can purchase the webinar for $45. Email StoneHousePress at Hotmail dot com for more information.</em>Aaron Pattersonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11147714545040369509noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8183570454273543483.post-29182764694482717992012-01-04T12:05:00.000-08:002012-01-04T12:05:14.965-08:00Are you lying to yourself?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-e77R9l2qZIg/TwSvokxiJuI/AAAAAAAAAmU/SljQQJ-nCIw/s1600/american-idol.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="256" width="400" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-e77R9l2qZIg/TwSvokxiJuI/AAAAAAAAAmU/SljQQJ-nCIw/s400/american-idol.jpg" /></a></div><i>Tell me lies, sweet little lies!<b></b></i><br />
<br />
I think about this more now days as I write and run a publishing house. Am I lying to myself? It is a good question, one I think every writer should ask. <br />
<br />
I used to watch American Idol, not to see the talent but to witness the train-wreaks. Come on, you do the same thing, we all want to see the poor people who think they can sing, bellow out something bordering on evil.<br />
<br />
Why do we do this? Because someone told these people that they were good, some family member or friend lied to these people! <br />
<br />
I see this same thing going on in the writing world. But most of it is not family or a friend that are lying to us, but we ourselves. What are the lies?<br />
<b><br />
Lie #1: My book is the best book in the world.</b><br />
If you believe this, most publishers will not talk to you, in fact, they may run the other way with a look of fear on their faces. <br />
<b><br />
Lie #2: I deserve a book deal. </b><br />
Uh.... No! What makes you so special? Oh, you sold 1 million books? You are a social media expert? You have a platform? You have...? So why would a business buy your book and spend money in the hopes that your book will sell and make them all their money back AND more? Publishers are not working for free, they want to make money and you and your book are the way they do it, so how do you add value to their business? <br />
<br />
<b>Lie #3: I am going to be a bestseller on Amazon and do it all on my own.</b><br />
Hmmmm, so publishers do it all with one person? Nope, it takes so many people to publish a book. Editors, cover artists, and so on... A publisher is just a group of people who all have jobs, and they all do their job and the end result is a published book. How many people make it? How many authors are full time? Less than 1% of ALL people write a book, less than 1% of that 1% are full time. It is after-all, WORK.<br />
<br />
<b>Lie #4: My book should be made into a movie.</b><br />
LOL<br />
Ha ha!!!<br />
Giggle...<br />
LOL<br />
*Holds side<br />
HAHAHA!<br />
Any questions?<br />
If I had a dollar for every author I heard say this line, I would be a rich man, and make your book into a movie. Hee hee. <br />
<br />
<b>Lie #5: I can't do it.</b><br />
Yes you can. The only thing standing between you and a book is sitting your butt down and doing the work. Do the work and you will do it.<br />
<br />
<b>Lie #6: I need an agent.</b><br />
Nope, all you need an agent for is Sub rights. Most middle to small publishers will talk and deal directly with you. <br />
<br />
<b>Lie #7: I need a big publisher.</b><br />
Nope again... You need to sell some books before you can expect to get even close to a good deal with a big publisher. Don't chase them, make them come after you. That way you have the power. <br />
<b><br />
Lie #8: I can do the cover on my own or have a friend do it for me.</b> <br />
Uh... please don't. please no...not another lame cover on Amazon...have some respect for yourself. Hire a pro, or have a good publisher do it for you... if the publisher can't put out a good cover-RUN!<br />
<b><br />
Lie #9: I will not pay to publish.</b><br />
Yes you will. You will pay on the front end or the back end, but you will pay something. Most publishers take all the cost of blog tours, marketing, book signings out of your cut... think you will not pay? Think again. <br />
<br />
<b>Lie #10: All of what this post is saying is mean and cruel, I like to think positive. </b><br />
I choose to tell you the truth, even if it may make you mad. That way when you see that this is right you will be glad you were not lying to yourself. Be honest and remember that writing and writing for a living is work. Anyone can sell books and do well if they work hard. This is good news, you can do well if you teach yourself and work hard. <br />
<br />
I do hope that this helps in some small way. I just don't want to see you go up on stage and butcher a song in front of the world. <br />
<br />
<i>Aaron</i>Aaron Pattersonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11147714545040369509noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8183570454273543483.post-80042043107418854822011-12-20T00:00:00.000-08:002011-12-20T00:00:10.874-08:00Stone House Goes Audio<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
We are very please to announce that some of Stone House Ink's most popular titles are now available in audio book. Check it out. Download for those long Christmas drives...<br />
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUTpWo0LiNG8veGfow_W7NpUZqYx6JJNkM5tL9tlWnt5iEEkAmQ5WNJAEsTkX43nV9ij_6FNbqViQMHsWrMzF1_JyG060iX-0tFdA91zixnTDtPvCCh2dInJI_IzZ5mET1PFOeqJtv49Y/s1600/PyxisCover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUTpWo0LiNG8veGfow_W7NpUZqYx6JJNkM5tL9tlWnt5iEEkAmQ5WNJAEsTkX43nV9ij_6FNbqViQMHsWrMzF1_JyG060iX-0tFdA91zixnTDtPvCCh2dInJI_IzZ5mET1PFOeqJtv49Y/s320/PyxisCover.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
<br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Pyxis-The-Discovery/dp/B006NFA2PY/ref=sr_1_1_title_1_aud?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1324317378&sr=1-1">Download</a></span></b><br />
<br />
Two worlds.... One 16-year-old girl must learn to protect them both. <br />
<br />
The
nightmares haunting Corinne and her friend, Mason, hint at a universe
that exists beyond the one they know. Her destiny is to protect a
weakness between the two worlds, but the person who was supposed to
teach her how is dead.<br />
<br />
As Corinne and Mason search for answers, she
tries to ignore the sparks igniting between them, but can't deny she
feels safe only when he's nearby.<br />
<br />
Will they find help before their
nightmares break free?<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Scream-Catcher/dp/B006MQ7914/ref=pd_rhf_dp_p_t_1">Download </a></b></span><br />
<br />
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<br />
This is how your life ends: Not with a whimper, but a scream!<br />
<br />
Jude
Parish is afraid. The former violent crimes cop turned best-selling
true crime author has a fear-filled demon lodged inside of him. A demon
so real he can only imagine a slimy reptilian beast with scaly skin,
black eyes, and razor-sharp fangs having taken up residence inside the
place where his once confident and fearless soul resided.<br />
<br />
Now, in
the wake of his literary success, the ever anxious Jude is hoping to
lead a quiet, peaceful life in the idyllic Adirondack vacation town of
Lake George, New York with his new pregnant wife, Rosie, and Jack, his
young son from a previous marriage. But when Jude becomes the accidental
witness to a bizarre "kill game" in which the killer, video game
designer and master of disguise, Hector "the Black Dragon" Lennox,
insists on recording the screams of his victims prior to shooting them
dead, the ex-cop's life is turned upside down.<br />
When Lennox is
arrested by the L.G.P.D. and Jude is asked to act as the state's star
witness, he has no choice but to fight his demon-fear and take on the
role. But what he doesn't realize at the time, is that the killer's
arrest is actually the first level in what is a carefully designed and
scripted first-person video kill game that will involve his entire
family as players and victims.<br />
<br />
How will the kill game end?<br />
<br />
Like all violent video games, it will end in death. But it won't be <i>Game Over</i> until Hector Lennox catches the screams of his tortured victims. </div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8183570454273543483.post-10392951808643552322011-12-13T11:59:00.000-08:002011-12-13T11:59:15.651-08:00Writer Beware! ePublishers<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-oDrHIS1czOI/TueuSO1zJXI/AAAAAAAAAjo/rJioT3Qh0Rs/s1600/index.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="144" width="180" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-oDrHIS1czOI/TueuSO1zJXI/AAAAAAAAAjo/rJioT3Qh0Rs/s400/index.jpg" /></a></div>I am hearing more and more about ePublishers and how so many unsuspecting writers are hooking up with these people. I do not think it is smart and most of them are only out to gather as many people as they can, throw some books out there and hope one takes off. This is like a vulture circling a dead carcass and the sad part is many writers are falling for this Scam. <br />
<br />
I say scam as these publishers, and I use that word lightly, show where their heart is by the amount of effort they are willing to put into the project. How is it doing you any favors to have someone tell you that your work is not worth putting money into? <br />
<br />
So they do not put a ton of money, as it is a test market thing, an mud sling and so the cover suffers, the editing if there even is any and the conversion. I know of one such publisher on Facebook and they do not even pay their authors as it is about a year old and so far no one is wise to the scam. They put out a few titles a week with the worst covers on the market not to mention most are stolen artwork from movies or video games. This bomb is ticking and when it goes off the mess will hurt the indie market in a huge way as yet again one more mark is set against anyone outside of the Big 6. <br />
<br />
What should you do?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-S79b7l6Fis4/TueuaJB2ZwI/AAAAAAAAAj0/CnlicsOTMK8/s1600/images.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear:right; float:right; margin-left:1em; margin-bottom:1em"><img border="0" height="141" width="185" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-S79b7l6Fis4/TueuaJB2ZwI/AAAAAAAAAj0/CnlicsOTMK8/s320/images.jpg" /></a></div><br />
First, look at the publisher... do they put out good work or is it a hack job? Do they help market and is there a submission process or do they just take on anyone who will pay? Even if the publisher will do it for free that is the worst kind... run my friends RUN!<br />
<br />
There are a ton of small presses like StoneHouse that try to do a New York job and will take on the authors it believes in... look for one like that and if all you want is to go E, well, do it yourself so when these scam publishers go under you will not be among the dead.Aaron Pattersonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11147714545040369509noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8183570454273543483.post-32798313629784349142011-12-06T06:14:00.000-08:002011-12-06T06:14:00.992-08:00It's a Four Letter Word<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Work it's a four letter word. Often times people consider four letter words to be bad. But there are many four letter words that are not so bad like love...yeah that's all I can think of right now. If you have been following the blog you noticed 1. It's not as active as before and 2. That we are working on a project called Stone House University. That's one of the main reasons we have been so silent. We are working on so many projects. Some of the things that new project is going to offer<br />
are...<br />
<br />
<b>Blog Tours</b><br />
<b>Writing to Hook</b><br />
<b>Facebook Marketing</b><br />
<b>Twitter Marketing</b><br />
<b>Writing with the Snowflake Method</b><br />
<b>How to plot</b><br />
<b>Amazon, how to work the system</b><br />
<b>How to Tag</b><br />
<b>Author Platform</b><br />
<b>Bookstores and how to set up signings</b><br />
<b>eBooks 101</b><br />
<b>Social Media 101</b><br />
<b>What is Google Plus</b><br />
<br />
But before you can even consider any of those things you have to nail down the four letter word that is needed. WORK.<br />
<b> </b><br />
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<br />
<b>Our fearless leader Aaron Patterson tells it how it is below. </b><br />
<b><br /></b><br />
<i>I get this vibe a ton from authors and other writers, that somehow by being in the same room as me or maybe by chillin with <a href="http://vincentzandri.blogspot.com/">vincent Zandri</a>
the books will fly and the money will come in by the truckload. I think
we all have this idea that it is the rub factor, can this person rub
off on me, make me do better or by some sort of magic something will
happen. </i><br />
<i><br /></i><br />
<i>I do not say this with a mean spirit or because I think I
have done anything special. in fact I wonder sometimes why and how I
ever got anyone to read my books. I don't think I am that great of a
writer or that I hold some power that makes me a success. That being
said I will tall you one thing. I work hard. </i><br />
<i><br /></i><br />
<i>Now I cannot claim
to have great talent or to have a super brain, but I am a hard worker.
And after talent and smarts give out, the hard worker will always win.
We all remember the story of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Tortoise_and_the_Hare">The Tortoise and the Hare</a>.
It is a simple story we all know about sticking with it, keep going and
never give up. Now I like most never thought that story was more than
just a kids story. But it is more. </i><br />
<i><br /></i><br />
<i>Think about writing,
publishing and selling books. It is not all about talent or style. Not
about being the smartest person or having the highest ranking wizards
review your book. It is about hard work. </i><br />
<i><br /></i><br />
<i>What I lack in brains I
make up for with stick-to-it-never-give-up-ness! What I lack in talent I
make up for in Market-the-crap-out-of-my-and-others-books-ness! </i><br />
<i><br /></i><br />
<i>I
know we all want a pill, a magic list of how to make it. We want that
simple thing we can all do to become a bestseller and so on. so here it
is... the list the magic!</i><br />
<i><br /></i><br />
<i>W: Work your A#% off!</i><br />
<i>O: Open up to new ideas! Don't get stuck in the mud, i.e. eBooks etc...</i><br />
<i>R: Reach out! Brand yourself and meet people. Share and support other authors. </i><br />
<i>K: keep going! Never stop. Be smart and market all the time but in a cool easy way. </i><br />
<i><br /></i><br />
<i>There
you go, the magic to the bestseller line. Want to make it big? This is
it, not writing the best book, not being super hot, not paying out money
to but your way up, good old hard WORK.</i><br />
<br />
Cheers.<br />
<br />
Thanks Aaron. So how about you dear reader are you a hard worker? <br />
<br />
<br />
<b></b></div>
<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/85899/chris75_tn/8f96d0fec3d83f34b9448c4d5fe67e5f.png" style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent; border: 0pt none ! important;" /></a>
</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8183570454273543483.post-83523243078714882842011-11-22T14:25:00.000-08:002011-11-22T14:25:53.315-08:00UPDATE:<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-5Oitk42fFzI/TswhKOdZORI/AAAAAAAAAhw/1b-3aVwigUA/s1600/SHU2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="176" width="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-5Oitk42fFzI/TswhKOdZORI/AAAAAAAAAhw/1b-3aVwigUA/s400/SHU2.jpg" /></a></div>I want to let everyone know that the writing contest will be canceled due to lack of interest. This is on us and getting the word out has fallen short as we are all so busy right now. The amount of work involved is intensive and we feel that our talents will sure everyone better in other places.<br />
<br />
That being said StoneHouse University is born. <br />
<br />
We see that there is a great need for information and training in book marketing as well as writing for authors and writers alike. This takes a lot less time and the need is great. <br />
<br />
So, as to the future, we will be holding local SHU classes in Boise on a monthly basis and web based classes as well. They will be free to all SH/SG authors and a low fee for anyone else. (Sorry)<br />
<br />
If you have a topic you wish us to cover please leave a comment and we will look into putting it in the rotation. We will also have guest authors, and teachers in the classes so you can learn from the best. <br />
<br />
Topics to some:<br />
Blog Tours<br />
Writing to Hook<br />
Facebook Marketing<br />
Twitter Marketing<br />
Writing with the Snowflake Method<br />
How to plot<br />
Amazon, how to work the system<br />
How to Tag<br />
Author Platform<br />
Bookstores and how to set up signings<br />
eBooks 101<br />
Social Media 101<br />
What is Google Plus<br />
<br />
And more...<br />
<br />
We hope to see you at a SHU class in the near future. <br />
<br />
AaronAaron Pattersonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11147714545040369509noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8183570454273543483.post-44660474021159570532011-11-07T13:58:00.000-08:002011-11-07T14:02:01.781-08:00StoneHouse University (Blog Tour Class)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-e3T9POeUKZQ/TrhUTXzoenI/AAAAAAAAAgs/4e1pfvgY8ec/s1600/SHU.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="176" width="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-e3T9POeUKZQ/TrhUTXzoenI/AAAAAAAAAgs/4e1pfvgY8ec/s400/SHU.jpg" /></a></div><br />
<b>Time: 19 November · 10:00am - 4:00pm<br />
<br />
Location: Nebula Shift Offices Suite 202 609 Main St. (Across from City Hall upstairs of the Bistro Building)</b><br />
<br />
This class is 50 dollars a person and can be paid at the door or through paypal @pattersonbooks@hotmail.com<br />
<br />
Please RSVP so we know how many people to expect. This is the first of many more classes and each one will be on a different subject to do with writing and book marketing.<br />
<br />
The class speakers will be Michelle Carpenter of Media Guests and K.C. Neal a local author and a master blog tour crazy person! The first 2 hrs of the class Michelle will talk about tours for non-fiction as well what to do and what a tour is.<br />
<br />
K.C. Neal will speak in the second part of the class on how to set up a tour on your own as an author. We will also cover what to do when your book is on tour and all the info you wanted and never wanted to know about blog tours.<br />
<br />
This is a focused class and we want you leaving with a good idea of what to do and how to do it on your own or through a third party tour host.<br />
<br />
Please RSVP <a href="https://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=316293625054050">here </a>and pay through paypal or at the door. Thanks<br />
<br />
<i>Aaron</i><br />
<br />
Nebula Shift Offices Suite 202 609 Main St. (Across from City Hall upstairs of the Bistro Building)Aaron Pattersonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11147714545040369509noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8183570454273543483.post-81813296666578525812011-11-01T10:41:00.000-07:002011-11-01T10:42:30.254-07:00Extention<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjewOtWUduG4ywoDDTy3UynOoaXzqt0lWRpBN2vt97lVNX0qLd9H6fV2ZHrK-eGeiJlrHTftteedHSqSrCQJweQsKlqN49zzi03izSiYGyDbQYixo0VfULO_AZTZhpBa4pe9o7V3QQhFkA/s1600/agent.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="171" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjewOtWUduG4ywoDDTy3UynOoaXzqt0lWRpBN2vt97lVNX0qLd9H6fV2ZHrK-eGeiJlrHTftteedHSqSrCQJweQsKlqN49zzi03izSiYGyDbQYixo0VfULO_AZTZhpBa4pe9o7V3QQhFkA/s320/agent.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
Because of being so busy at The Idaho Book Extravaganza we have decided to extend chapter 3's entry deadline through November. So apply apply apply share share share<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Well we are thoroughly enjoying this contest. And now it's time for Chapter 3.<br />
<br />
<b>What will happen next?</b><br />
<br />
<b>Do you know...tell us?</b><br />
<br />
Submit Chapter 3 to <b>shwcontest at gmail dot com</b>. But don't forget to go <a href="http://stonehouseinklings.blogspot.com/p/publishing-contest-guidelines.html">HERE</a> and check out the rules and criteria.<br />
<br />
And
of course read the first two chapters together before you write on. We
look forward to hearing from you guys. If you submitted before please do
again. It was a tough pick.<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
<br />
<b><u> Chapter One</u></b><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjQVZ1yiKzS9k3u4lMs5tU5m-nCIVOmlOUBcJsBcjg7roEMJyes4u4Z7E0WiY-6d-edArq2fK8favQC3EG4d2pIBNeiZbtGFn-WGzh6EUMbWPig5NAX-X12x23ZVm-k5nruWrL31BdEHHY/s1600/dark+girl.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjQVZ1yiKzS9k3u4lMs5tU5m-nCIVOmlOUBcJsBcjg7roEMJyes4u4Z7E0WiY-6d-edArq2fK8favQC3EG4d2pIBNeiZbtGFn-WGzh6EUMbWPig5NAX-X12x23ZVm-k5nruWrL31BdEHHY/s320/dark+girl.jpeg" width="275" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“You ever had that kind of day?”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Yeah,” she said, knowing what the teacher was saying without the burden of specifics.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The teacher leaned back on the railing. “I’m having one now.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Else why’d y’call me, y’know?”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The teacher coughed a grunt in response.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
They stood facing in opposite directions, she looking south and west over the city of Honolulu from the 23<sup>rd</sup> floor, he leaning back-to against the rail of the lanai and looking in on the wreckage.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Anyway thanks for coming, all the same.” The teacher spread his arms out, gliding along the steel. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“You know I’d do anything for you,” she said, shifting her weight away
from him. She looked sad, and her eyes were wet around the rims.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The teacher was staring at what was left of his furniture, his living
space, his home life through the glass. “It’s not that big of a deal…”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
She actually laughed, shaking her head, wiping under her eyelids carefully.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Okay maybe it is. But we need to make a decision.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“You need to make a decision.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
He stabbed a look quickly at her, shocked. A long and heavy moment passed. He looked downward. “They won’t be much longer.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
She too looked down, straight down, twenty-three floors down, to the
radiated wreckage on the ground, the pieces of the contents of the
teacher’s home that had been thrown off the lanai today. “You see it
coming?”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“I did. Somewhere. Somehow. I knew it was inevitable. Denying that didn’t prevent it.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Sho’ you’re right.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
He looked again, drinking her in, her dark caramel skin and straight
graphite hair quenching the feral part of him just enough to cause him
to thirst for more. “Damn you,” he said, matter-of-factly.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“You talk at me like it’s my fault.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
He laughed raucously. “Everything’s your fault.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
She cupped her elbows in her hands and brought her feet together. The
tradewinds lifted and moved long hair against sunkissed cheek as she
looked out again, to the distant and sinking sun. “If that’s how you
feel.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The teacher’s face grew dark, the blood pushing against his skin, veins distended, fists clenched. But he said nothing.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
They didn’t come boisterously, with sirens and screeching tires and
battering rams and SWAT gear. No. And the teacher had foreseen this; it
was child’s play. Instead: a knock at the door. Soft. His jaw ticked up
toward it, his eyes narrowed already.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“I’m sorry,” she said, unmoving.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
He didn’t move either. “No.” He pushed off the rail and stood steady,
feet wide apart, hands up, palms facing the knock at the door.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
She reached into her back pocket.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Another knock.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The teacher tensed.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
She drew out black handcuffs with a measure of skill, held them on the
flat of the palm of her right hand like an offering to the teacher.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
He looked at her, saw her, eye to eye.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The doorknob turned slowly and quietly on the other side of the glass.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“You never knew,” he began, but the door was opening and it was too
late. He turned toward it in reflex, taking his eyes from her for the
briefest of moments.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
She moved too quickly for him. The cuffs out and open, she managed to
get one of them on his right wrist, but that was all. He spun away,
ripping the cuffs from her control.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The door was wide open, some of the junk on the floor pushed aside in its sweeping arc, and there <i>they</i> were, standing, the only ones that could deter any of this.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
She turned to face him, standing, relaxed. He came to a halt at the
opposite edge of the lanai in a crouch. He growled; a fearsome noise.
The handcuffs fell from his wrist and clattered on the concrete floor of
the lanai—but this time they did not melt. She arched an eyebrow in
response and looked at him. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
His eyes were changing, blackening, and she shouted to those at the door, “It’s happening!”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
They rushed in, fifteen of them, one at a time, silent as poison gas, gliding, soft, deadly, pale.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The teacher looked at her again as the metamorphosis took hold. He said
it again, and one last time: “You never knew.” He closed his eyes and
crouched deeper. The lanai shuddered violently, the concrete floor
under his feet becoming liquid. He fell through.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
She moved quickly to the edge.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
He was gone on a contrail of fire.</div>
“No, <i>you</i> never knew.”<br />
<br />
<u><b>Chapter Two </b></u><br />
<u><b><br /></b></u><br />
<b>The teacher woke</b> gasping for air as a rush of salt water filled
his mouth. He coughed and spit sand from his mouth. Rubbing the sting
from his eyes, he pulled himself to his feet. He stumbled, nearly losing
his balance from the combination of shaky legs and the soft beach under
his bare feet. His head was throbbing.<br />
<br />
Confusion and question began racing through his mind. Where was he? How
did he get here? The last memories that he could get a firm hold on were
from the night before on the lanai, if in fact that had been the night
before. He knew that there were memories, he could sense them. He just
couldn’t seem to form them, like trying to remember a dream after being
awake for several hours.<br />
<br />
He shaded his eyes from the morning sun creeping over the horizon of the
ocean. Looking down he realized his shirt was missing; he was wearing
nothing except his pants which were filthy and torn.<br />
<br />
“Are you alright?” asked a passing jogger.<br />
<br />
He jumped at the voice. He had not noticed her approach.<br />
<br />
“Fine,” he said forcing a smile. The look she gave him was more disgust
than concern. He stood there watching her until she was nearly out of
site. He turned away to take in his surroundings. He knew this beach. He
had been here hundreds of times before, back when life was simple
before he met… her.<br />
<br />
He shook the thought from his head. He started walking, heading back
towards town. He needed help and he knew it. Everyone he had trusted had
betrayed him, and he was running out of options.<br />
<br />
Walking through the parking lot of the beach, the teacher helped himself
to a shirt from the open window of a car. The intense feeling of being
watched was beginning to overwhelm his rational side. His pace began to
quicken, slowly at first and then eventually into a full run. It was
still early so the streets were nearly empty, however every person he
saw felt like an enemy. He continued to run for what seemed like an hour
or more until he finally reached his destination, an older apartment
complex.<br />
<br />
He climbed the steps to the fourth floor. He found the door marked 413,
and began to beat on it furiously. A few moments later the door flung
open. The man on the other side of the door stared wide eyed at the
teacher as if he were seeing a ghost. He grabbed the teacher by the arm
and pulled him inside, slamming the door behind them.<br />
<br />
“Carter, what are you doing here?” The man asked angrily.<br />
<br />
“Bill…I need...” the teacher had to catch his breath. He was panting so
hard from the run that he could hardly breathe let alone speak. He sat
down on the couch. Bill left the room; he returned a moment later with a
glass of water. Carter took it and drank it down to the last drop. He
set the glass on the floor and laid back into the chair.<br />
<br />
“Thank you,” he said. “I needed a place to go, Bill.”<br />
<br />
“Why did you have to come here, I’m already on suspension from the lab
thanks to you.” Bill said still standing. They stared at each other in
silence, nether knowing what to say to the other. Finally Bill sighed
and sat down in the chair across from him.<br />
<br />
“You look like hell you know,” Bill said with a chuckle.<br />
<br />
“Bill, we did it,” Carter said. The smile fell from Bill’s face.<br />
<br />
“What do you mean, it?”<br />
<br />
“It Bill, It!” Carter yelled. “The project we have been working on for
five years. What else would I be talking about? It worked, well sort
of.”<br />
<br />
“Carter, what do you mean sort of?” Bill’s voice sounded nervous.<br />
<br />
“We can discuss the specifics later, but right now we have a bigger
problem,” Carter said. Then the nervous feeling of being followed flowed
back over him. He got up from the couch and closed the curtains on the
windows. He returned to couch. “Someone found out.”<br />
<br />
“Well of course someone found out, you were working in a public university lab,” Bill’s voice was rising.<br />
<br />
“No, we were working out of a hotel. The lab pulled our funding due to lack of results,” The teacher explained.<br />
<br />
“I assume you are talking about Laura?” Bill asked. At the mention of
her name, the anger he had had the night before began to creep back up
on him. He tried to let it go.<br />
<br />
“Yes, Laura,” was all he said. Bill could sense the bitterness in his voice.<br />
<br />
“Carter, what is going on?”<br />
<br />
The teacher took a deep breath. He gave Bill a good long stare before he began talking.<br />
<br />
“As you know,” he began. “All the animals we did the tests on had
negative results. None of them showed any signs of transformation. So
Laura came up with a theory, that the problem wasn’t the formula, but
the size of the subject. When we went to the board to get a larger
animal, that’s when they decided we were done.”<br />
<br />
“So, let me get this straight,” Bill said. His voice sounding more
uneasy than ever now. “You got kicked out of the lab, and decided that
you would forgo the luxuries of a state of the art university
laboratory, and try to develop a chemical that would alter muscle
tissue, with a girl one year out of grad school in a sleazy hotel room?”<br />
<br />
“When you say it like that, it sounds worse than it really is. It was a pretty nice hotel room,” He gave Bill a half smile.<br />
<br />
Bill simply shook his head and stood up from the couch. He passed back
and forth about the room, his hands behind his head. Finally he stopped
and looked down at the teacher.<br />
<br />
“So I take it by your appearance, you’re the bigger animal the two of you wanted to use?”<br />
<br />
“How did you know?” The teacher asked.<br />
<br />
“Carter,” Bill hesitated, giving him a look of pity. “What do you want from me?”<br />
<br />
The teacher opened his mouth to speak, but then stopped suddenly. A small bead of sweat rolled down the side of his cheek.<br />
<br />
“Carter, what’s the matter?” Bill asked confused.<br />
<br />
Carter sat silent, not looking at Bill. He was looking past him, into
the kitchen. Sitting on the counter, out in the open for all to see, was
a familiar pair of black handcuffs.
<br />
<br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8183570454273543483.post-77256408565871930722011-10-26T11:08:00.000-07:002011-10-26T11:08:07.798-07:00Behind The Scenes<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_4nssHkJwxlPdBEtC2txEJo1AINhFcd2yxPYFMiL5vLKWccJj0GBLHFXibav_UtFEtwLKqGahO68jyVISKoafTZWS1M0AdfEqWbugoADzAfif0jzD2g5NMaHITcyieNQdwqPhgCqZj9E/s1600/IBE+poster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="271" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_4nssHkJwxlPdBEtC2txEJo1AINhFcd2yxPYFMiL5vLKWccJj0GBLHFXibav_UtFEtwLKqGahO68jyVISKoafTZWS1M0AdfEqWbugoADzAfif0jzD2g5NMaHITcyieNQdwqPhgCqZj9E/s320/IBE+poster.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
Sorry we have been quiet lately. But we have been preparing for the Idaho Book Extravaganza. We get so excited about this every year. We get to meet amazing talents. Talk about the biz, meet with readers and authors. We look forward to it every year.<br />
<br />
And this year we are really proud to announce that several of Stone House's own are featured speakers. Here is a list of a few.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.idahobookextravaganza.com/ibe-workshops/workshop-schedule/">Aaron Patterson will be discussing E-books</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.idahobookextravaganza.com/ibe-workshops/workshop-schedule/">Vincent Zandri will be discussing from backlist to bestselling author. </a><br />
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/goog_783800556"><br /></a><br />
<a href="http://www.idahobookextravaganza.com/ibe-workshops/workshop-schedule/">Bri Clark and Chris White will talk about successful blogging (they have promised to behave) </a><br />
<br />
<br />
It is not too late to get your all access pass. The trade show with several industry vendors including ourselves are set up. The trade show is free to the public. If you want to come and check it out then buy a pass there you can as well.<br />
<br />
Hope to see you soon. <br />
<br />
<br />
<br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8183570454273543483.post-16059337065399390912011-10-14T07:16:00.000-07:002011-10-14T07:17:17.545-07:00Want to WIN an agent package?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjewOtWUduG4ywoDDTy3UynOoaXzqt0lWRpBN2vt97lVNX0qLd9H6fV2ZHrK-eGeiJlrHTftteedHSqSrCQJweQsKlqN49zzi03izSiYGyDbQYixo0VfULO_AZTZhpBa4pe9o7V3QQhFkA/s1600/agent.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="171" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjewOtWUduG4ywoDDTy3UynOoaXzqt0lWRpBN2vt97lVNX0qLd9H6fV2ZHrK-eGeiJlrHTftteedHSqSrCQJweQsKlqN49zzi03izSiYGyDbQYixo0VfULO_AZTZhpBa4pe9o7V3QQhFkA/s320/agent.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
Well we are thoroughly enjoying this contest. And now it's time for Chapter 3.<br />
<br />
<b>What will happen next?</b><br />
<br />
<b>Do you know...tell us?</b><br />
<br />
Submit Chapter 3 to <b>shwcontest at gmail dot com</b>. But don't forget to go <a href="http://stonehouseinklings.blogspot.com/p/publishing-contest-guidelines.html">HERE</a> and check out the rules and criteria.<br />
<br />
And of course read the first two chapters together before you write on. We look forward to hearing from you guys. If you submitted before please do again. It was a tough pick.<br />
<br />
<b><u> Chapter One</u></b><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjQVZ1yiKzS9k3u4lMs5tU5m-nCIVOmlOUBcJsBcjg7roEMJyes4u4Z7E0WiY-6d-edArq2fK8favQC3EG4d2pIBNeiZbtGFn-WGzh6EUMbWPig5NAX-X12x23ZVm-k5nruWrL31BdEHHY/s1600/dark+girl.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjQVZ1yiKzS9k3u4lMs5tU5m-nCIVOmlOUBcJsBcjg7roEMJyes4u4Z7E0WiY-6d-edArq2fK8favQC3EG4d2pIBNeiZbtGFn-WGzh6EUMbWPig5NAX-X12x23ZVm-k5nruWrL31BdEHHY/s320/dark+girl.jpeg" width="275" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“You ever had that kind of day?”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Yeah,” she said, knowing what the teacher was saying without the burden of specifics.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The teacher leaned back on the railing. “I’m having one now.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Else why’d y’call me, y’know?”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The teacher coughed a grunt in response.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
They stood facing in opposite directions, she looking south and west over the city of Honolulu from the 23<sup>rd</sup> floor, he leaning back-to against the rail of the lanai and looking in on the wreckage.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Anyway thanks for coming, all the same.” The teacher spread his arms out, gliding along the steel. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“You know I’d do anything for you,” she said, shifting her weight away
from him. She looked sad, and her eyes were wet around the rims.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The teacher was staring at what was left of his furniture, his living
space, his home life through the glass. “It’s not that big of a deal…”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
She actually laughed, shaking her head, wiping under her eyelids carefully.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Okay maybe it is. But we need to make a decision.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“You need to make a decision.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
He stabbed a look quickly at her, shocked. A long and heavy moment passed. He looked downward. “They won’t be much longer.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
She too looked down, straight down, twenty-three floors down, to the
radiated wreckage on the ground, the pieces of the contents of the
teacher’s home that had been thrown off the lanai today. “You see it
coming?”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“I did. Somewhere. Somehow. I knew it was inevitable. Denying that didn’t prevent it.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Sho’ you’re right.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
He looked again, drinking her in, her dark caramel skin and straight
graphite hair quenching the feral part of him just enough to cause him
to thirst for more. “Damn you,” he said, matter-of-factly.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“You talk at me like it’s my fault.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
He laughed raucously. “Everything’s your fault.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
She cupped her elbows in her hands and brought her feet together. The
tradewinds lifted and moved long hair against sunkissed cheek as she
looked out again, to the distant and sinking sun. “If that’s how you
feel.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The teacher’s face grew dark, the blood pushing against his skin, veins distended, fists clenched. But he said nothing.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
They didn’t come boisterously, with sirens and screeching tires and
battering rams and SWAT gear. No. And the teacher had foreseen this; it
was child’s play. Instead: a knock at the door. Soft. His jaw ticked up
toward it, his eyes narrowed already.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“I’m sorry,” she said, unmoving.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
He didn’t move either. “No.” He pushed off the rail and stood steady,
feet wide apart, hands up, palms facing the knock at the door.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
She reached into her back pocket.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Another knock.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The teacher tensed.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
She drew out black handcuffs with a measure of skill, held them on the
flat of the palm of her right hand like an offering to the teacher.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
He looked at her, saw her, eye to eye.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The doorknob turned slowly and quietly on the other side of the glass.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“You never knew,” he began, but the door was opening and it was too
late. He turned toward it in reflex, taking his eyes from her for the
briefest of moments.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
She moved too quickly for him. The cuffs out and open, she managed to
get one of them on his right wrist, but that was all. He spun away,
ripping the cuffs from her control.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The door was wide open, some of the junk on the floor pushed aside in its sweeping arc, and there <i>they</i> were, standing, the only ones that could deter any of this.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
She turned to face him, standing, relaxed. He came to a halt at the
opposite edge of the lanai in a crouch. He growled; a fearsome noise.
The handcuffs fell from his wrist and clattered on the concrete floor of
the lanai—but this time they did not melt. She arched an eyebrow in
response and looked at him. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
His eyes were changing, blackening, and she shouted to those at the door, “It’s happening!”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
They rushed in, fifteen of them, one at a time, silent as poison gas, gliding, soft, deadly, pale.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The teacher looked at her again as the metamorphosis took hold. He said
it again, and one last time: “You never knew.” He closed his eyes and
crouched deeper. The lanai shuddered violently, the concrete floor
under his feet becoming liquid. He fell through.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
She moved quickly to the edge.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
He was gone on a contrail of fire.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
“No, <i>you</i> never knew.”<br />
<br />
<u><b>Chapter Two </b></u><br />
<u><b><br /></b></u><br />
<b>The teacher woke</b> gasping for air as a rush of salt water filled
his mouth. He coughed and spit sand from his mouth. Rubbing the sting
from his eyes, he pulled himself to his feet. He stumbled, nearly losing
his balance from the combination of shaky legs and the soft beach under
his bare feet. His head was throbbing.<br />
<br />
Confusion and question began racing through his mind. Where was he? How
did he get here? The last memories that he could get a firm hold on were
from the night before on the lanai, if in fact that had been the night
before. He knew that there were memories, he could sense them. He just
couldn’t seem to form them, like trying to remember a dream after being
awake for several hours.<br />
<br />
He shaded his eyes from the morning sun creeping over the horizon of the
ocean. Looking down he realized his shirt was missing; he was wearing
nothing except his pants which were filthy and torn.<br />
<br />
“Are you alright?” asked a passing jogger.<br />
<br />
He jumped at the voice. He had not noticed her approach.<br />
<br />
“Fine,” he said forcing a smile. The look she gave him was more disgust
than concern. He stood there watching her until she was nearly out of
site. He turned away to take in his surroundings. He knew this beach. He
had been here hundreds of times before, back when life was simple
before he met… her.<br />
<br />
He shook the thought from his head. He started walking, heading back
towards town. He needed help and he knew it. Everyone he had trusted had
betrayed him, and he was running out of options.<br />
<br />
Walking through the parking lot of the beach, the teacher helped himself
to a shirt from the open window of a car. The intense feeling of being
watched was beginning to overwhelm his rational side. His pace began to
quicken, slowly at first and then eventually into a full run. It was
still early so the streets were nearly empty, however every person he
saw felt like an enemy. He continued to run for what seemed like an hour
or more until he finally reached his destination, an older apartment
complex.<br />
<br />
He climbed the steps to the fourth floor. He found the door marked 413,
and began to beat on it furiously. A few moments later the door flung
open. The man on the other side of the door stared wide eyed at the
teacher as if he were seeing a ghost. He grabbed the teacher by the arm
and pulled him inside, slamming the door behind them.<br />
<br />
“Carter, what are you doing here?” The man asked angrily.<br />
<br />
“Bill…I need...” the teacher had to catch his breath. He was panting so
hard from the run that he could hardly breathe let alone speak. He sat
down on the couch. Bill left the room; he returned a moment later with a
glass of water. Carter took it and drank it down to the last drop. He
set the glass on the floor and laid back into the chair.<br />
<br />
“Thank you,” he said. “I needed a place to go, Bill.”<br />
<br />
“Why did you have to come here, I’m already on suspension from the lab
thanks to you.” Bill said still standing. They stared at each other in
silence, nether knowing what to say to the other. Finally Bill sighed
and sat down in the chair across from him.<br />
<br />
“You look like hell you know,” Bill said with a chuckle.<br />
<br />
“Bill, we did it,” Carter said. The smile fell from Bill’s face.<br />
<br />
“What do you mean, it?”<br />
<br />
“It Bill, It!” Carter yelled. “The project we have been working on for
five years. What else would I be talking about? It worked, well sort
of.”<br />
<br />
“Carter, what do you mean sort of?” Bill’s voice sounded nervous.<br />
<br />
“We can discuss the specifics later, but right now we have a bigger
problem,” Carter said. Then the nervous feeling of being followed flowed
back over him. He got up from the couch and closed the curtains on the
windows. He returned to couch. “Someone found out.”<br />
<br />
“Well of course someone found out, you were working in a public university lab,” Bill’s voice was rising.<br />
<br />
“No, we were working out of a hotel. The lab pulled our funding due to lack of results,” The teacher explained.<br />
<br />
“I assume you are talking about Laura?” Bill asked. At the mention of
her name, the anger he had had the night before began to creep back up
on him. He tried to let it go.<br />
<br />
“Yes, Laura,” was all he said. Bill could sense the bitterness in his voice.<br />
<br />
“Carter, what is going on?”<br />
<br />
The teacher took a deep breath. He gave Bill a good long stare before he began talking.<br />
<br />
“As you know,” he began. “All the animals we did the tests on had
negative results. None of them showed any signs of transformation. So
Laura came up with a theory, that the problem wasn’t the formula, but
the size of the subject. When we went to the board to get a larger
animal, that’s when they decided we were done.”<br />
<br />
“So, let me get this straight,” Bill said. His voice sounding more
uneasy than ever now. “You got kicked out of the lab, and decided that
you would forgo the luxuries of a state of the art university
laboratory, and try to develop a chemical that would alter muscle
tissue, with a girl one year out of grad school in a sleazy hotel room?”<br />
<br />
“When you say it like that, it sounds worse than it really is. It was a pretty nice hotel room,” He gave Bill a half smile.<br />
<br />
Bill simply shook his head and stood up from the couch. He passed back
and forth about the room, his hands behind his head. Finally he stopped
and looked down at the teacher.<br />
<br />
“So I take it by your appearance, you’re the bigger animal the two of you wanted to use?”<br />
<br />
“How did you know?” The teacher asked.<br />
<br />
“Carter,” Bill hesitated, giving him a look of pity. “What do you want from me?”<br />
<br />
The teacher opened his mouth to speak, but then stopped suddenly. A small bead of sweat rolled down the side of his cheek.<br />
<br />
“Carter, what’s the matter?” Bill asked confused.<br />
<br />
Carter sat silent, not looking at Bill. He was looking past him, into
the kitchen. Sitting on the counter, out in the open for all to see, was
a familiar pair of black handcuffs.
<br />
<br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8183570454273543483.post-42497019286862049092011-10-13T08:32:00.000-07:002011-10-13T08:32:48.935-07:00Busy is as Busy Does....<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Hello Stoneys,<br />
<br />
We are sorry that the blogs been quiet. Believe us it's not the usual think around here. However, with the website being update, preparing for the Idaho Book Extravaganza, and along with publishing books we have been busy this October.<br />
<br />
Just some quick announcements we so excited to let you know about.<br />
<br />
Stone House Ink will now be offering audio books. To name a few of those that will be in audio format are....<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT3QizvbEfbpD4C-g4_0jkxSmC1Re96pSyDsnrXJ8ur747ChnrW-4UW21MFQf_SXt7L2tFbn8ZnCJD9oM1exp-lTkqpfmr2XDzGl9wdu3IynPwBafkSo1BY6i75Q5Je1N-HZLc9iYafPk/s1600/In+Your+dreams+cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT3QizvbEfbpD4C-g4_0jkxSmC1Re96pSyDsnrXJ8ur747ChnrW-4UW21MFQf_SXt7L2tFbn8ZnCJD9oM1exp-lTkqpfmr2XDzGl9wdu3IynPwBafkSo1BY6i75Q5Je1N-HZLc9iYafPk/s200/In+Your+dreams+cover.jpg" width="131" /></a></div>
<b><br /></b><br />
<b> The Mark Appleton Series</b> by Aaron Patterson. Which is also getting a special edition cover overall.<br />
<br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;">In Your Dreams </span></b><br />
<br />
<i><br />Mark Appleton must figure out what time he is in as he fights to bring down the worst enemy he has ever faced. Himself. </i><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUyA4qWe0gE2H8p5tf2D7jOOlcXpBfW81v9dwinb99dLrHHQuGjV9K3O3ccXVdbz4uqoAQoO_fN-42Gkcz3aA3pTBZjiLcBwkkHuvy8muymMSHL-fvTqzPQRZ5CyH-IWa1LhP0NriJkCA/s1600/PyxisCover.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/AVvXsEiUyA4qWe0gE2H8p5tf2D7jOOlcXpBfW81v9dwinb99dLrHHQuGjV9K3O3ccXVdbz4uqoAQoO_fN-42Gkcz3aA3pTBZjiLcBwkkHuvy8muymMSHL-fvTqzPQRZ5CyH-IWa1LhP0NriJkCA/s200/PyxisCover.jpg" width="133" /></a></div>
Pyxis the debut release coming this December from author K.C. Neal.<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b><span style="font-size: large;">Pyxis</span></b></div>
<br />
<i id="yui_3_2_0_1_1318518975259142"><span id="yui_3_2_0_1_1318518975259139" style="color: black;">Two worlds... one 16-year-old girl must learn to protect them both.</span></i><span style="color: black;"> <b><br /></b></span> <br />
<br />
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</div>
<br />
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYhUEmfzPRaiKeb1LLWIwm0FCyek7Aih45crfZpfB_kmOWJ2BAtGJ2JiwUAsSFcJ7eyNFj-Eunamc9lAVFKVSQzLvw-CldNdZtLp-V94TJp6V0z23o_Q6LeUntFosZFJmYlsQUTWlKeKU/s1600/screamcatcher.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYhUEmfzPRaiKeb1LLWIwm0FCyek7Aih45crfZpfB_kmOWJ2BAtGJ2JiwUAsSFcJ7eyNFj-Eunamc9lAVFKVSQzLvw-CldNdZtLp-V94TJp6V0z23o_Q6LeUntFosZFJmYlsQUTWlKeKU/s200/screamcatcher.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
And the latest from Thriller author Vincent Zandri Screamcatcher.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Screamcatcher</b></span><br />
<i><br /></i><br />
<i>This is how your life ends: Not with a whimper, but a scream!</i><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Don't forget our win a Nook contest is still going on <a href="http://stonehouseinklings.blogspot.com/2011/09/win-free-nook.html">here</a> and win a Kindle contest is going on<a href="http://stonehouseinklings.blogspot.com/2011/09/win-free-kindle.html"> here</a>.<br />
<br />
Gazi<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br /></div>
<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54489/155/DA6BFAF70E6F639F9FD787288E730B85.png" style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent; border: 0pt none ! important;" /></a>
</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8183570454273543483.post-7670988052575091092011-10-01T05:00:00.000-07:002011-10-01T05:00:05.773-07:00Writing Contest: Chapter Two<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.womensradio.com/uploads/rte/images/bdgzjc4t2o3sxqpf.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="138" src="http://www.womensradio.com/uploads/rte/images/bdgzjc4t2o3sxqpf.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>And now, after much debate and breathlessness...we present to you the winner for Chapter Two: Ryan Collings. Thanks to all the entrants; the competition was fierce. Keep submitting! We'll be posting up later in the week about what prize Ryan gets for being outstanding. Until then we'll just ratchet up the pressure and keep you in the dark. Now, on to chapter two:<br />
<br />
***<br />
(<a href="http://stonehouseinklings.blogspot.com/2011/09/writing-contest-chapter-1.html">Chapter One is here</a>)<br />
<br />
Chapter Two<br />
<b>The teacher woke</b> gasping for air as a rush of salt water filled his mouth. He coughed and spit sand from his mouth. Rubbing the sting from his eyes, he pulled himself to his feet. He stumbled, nearly losing his balance from the combination of shaky legs and the soft beach under his bare feet. His head was throbbing.<br />
<br />
Confusion and question began racing through his mind. Where was he? How did he get here? The last memories that he could get a firm hold on were from the night before on the lanai, if in fact that had been the night before. He knew that there were memories, he could sense them. He just couldn’t seem to form them, like trying to remember a dream after being awake for several hours.<br />
<br />
He shaded his eyes from the morning sun creeping over the horizon of the ocean. Looking down he realized his shirt was missing; he was wearing nothing except his pants which were filthy and torn.<br />
<br />
“Are you alright?” asked a passing jogger.<br />
<br />
He jumped at the voice. He had not noticed her approach.<br />
<br />
“Fine,” he said forcing a smile. The look she gave him was more disgust than concern. He stood there watching her until she was nearly out of site. He turned away to take in his surroundings. He knew this beach. He had been here hundreds of times before, back when life was simple before he met… her.<br />
<br />
He shook the thought from his head. He started walking, heading back towards town. He needed help and he knew it. Everyone he had trusted had betrayed him, and he was running out of options.<br />
<br />
Walking through the parking lot of the beach, the teacher helped himself to a shirt from the open window of a car. The intense feeling of being watched was beginning to overwhelm his rational side. His pace began to quicken, slowly at first and then eventually into a full run. It was still early so the streets were nearly empty, however every person he saw felt like an enemy. He continued to run for what seemed like an hour or more until he finally reached his destination, an older apartment complex.<br />
<br />
He climbed the steps to the fourth floor. He found the door marked 413, and began to beat on it furiously. A few moments later the door flung open. The man on the other side of the door stared wide eyed at the teacher as if he were seeing a ghost. He grabbed the teacher by the arm and pulled him inside, slamming the door behind them.<br />
<br />
“Carter, what are you doing here?” The man asked angrily.<br />
<br />
“Bill…I need...” the teacher had to catch his breath. He was panting so hard from the run that he could hardly breathe let alone speak. He sat down on the couch. Bill left the room; he returned a moment later with a glass of water. Carter took it and drank it down to the last drop. He set the glass on the floor and laid back into the chair.<br />
<br />
“Thank you,” he said. “I needed a place to go, Bill.”<br />
<br />
“Why did you have to come here, I’m already on suspension from the lab thanks to you.” Bill said still standing. They stared at each other in silence, nether knowing what to say to the other. Finally Bill sighed and sat down in the chair across from him.<br />
<br />
“You look like hell you know,” Bill said with a chuckle.<br />
<br />
“Bill, we did it,” Carter said. The smile fell from Bill’s face.<br />
<br />
“What do you mean, it?”<br />
<br />
“It Bill, It!” Carter yelled. “The project we have been working on for five years. What else would I be talking about? It worked, well sort of.”<br />
<br />
“Carter, what do you mean sort of?” Bill’s voice sounded nervous.<br />
<br />
“We can discuss the specifics later, but right now we have a bigger problem,” Carter said. Then the nervous feeling of being followed flowed back over him. He got up from the couch and closed the curtains on the windows. He returned to couch. “Someone found out.”<br />
<br />
“Well of course someone found out, you were working in a public university lab,” Bill’s voice was rising.<br />
<br />
“No, we were working out of a hotel. The lab pulled our funding due to lack of results,” The teacher explained.<br />
<br />
“I assume you are talking about Laura?” Bill asked. At the mention of her name, the anger he had had the night before began to creep back up on him. He tried to let it go.<br />
<br />
“Yes, Laura,” was all he said. Bill could sense the bitterness in his voice.<br />
<br />
“Carter, what is going on?”<br />
<br />
The teacher took a deep breath. He gave Bill a good long stare before he began talking.<br />
<br />
“As you know,” he began. “All the animals we did the tests on had negative results. None of them showed any signs of transformation. So Laura came up with a theory, that the problem wasn’t the formula, but the size of the subject. When we went to the board to get a larger animal, that’s when they decided we were done.”<br />
<br />
“So, let me get this straight,” Bill said. His voice sounding more uneasy than ever now. “You got kicked out of the lab, and decided that you would forgo the luxuries of a state of the art university laboratory, and try to develop a chemical that would alter muscle tissue, with a girl one year out of grad school in a sleazy hotel room?”<br />
<br />
“When you say it like that, it sounds worse than it really is. It was a pretty nice hotel room,” He gave Bill a half smile.<br />
<br />
Bill simply shook his head and stood up from the couch. He passed back and forth about the room, his hands behind his head. Finally he stopped and looked down at the teacher.<br />
<br />
“So I take it by your appearance, you’re the bigger animal the two of you wanted to use?”<br />
<br />
“How did you know?” The teacher asked.<br />
<br />
“Carter,” Bill hesitated, giving him a look of pity. “What do you want from me?”<br />
<br />
The teacher opened his mouth to speak, but then stopped suddenly. A small bead of sweat rolled down the side of his cheek.<br />
<br />
“Carter, what’s the matter?” Bill asked confused.<br />
<br />
Carter sat silent, not looking at Bill. He was looking past him, into the kitchen. Sitting on the counter, out in the open for all to see, was a familiar pair of black handcuffs.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8183570454273543483.post-54794682392727680372011-09-29T06:28:00.001-07:002011-09-29T06:28:48.136-07:00Advice To Writers <p class='bloggerplus_text_section' align='left'>A former President said it best...<br>"It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly; who errs and comes short again and again; because there is not effort without error and shortcomings; but who does actually strive to do the deed; who knows the great enthusiasm, the great devotion, who spends himself in a worthy cause, who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement and who at the worst, if he fails, at least he fails while daring greatly. So that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat."<br><br>Theodore Roosevelt </p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8183570454273543483.post-14342603885265141372011-09-28T15:30:00.000-07:002011-09-28T15:30:06.591-07:00And the Hop Winners are....<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAi4BJrT02wXETy1sayZBOy3zZsHHdUzUUCIdYizPpHqrThF3Z8Gu5ei_4NNYhrpPogIJyStSPLNeghK9niGl3XwTveYCfHeDffxUCjVThnPcZ95c7cHshQpWcbklquPL-Ii9IVs66Kx8/s1600/winner.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAi4BJrT02wXETy1sayZBOy3zZsHHdUzUUCIdYizPpHqrThF3Z8Gu5ei_4NNYhrpPogIJyStSPLNeghK9niGl3XwTveYCfHeDffxUCjVThnPcZ95c7cHshQpWcbklquPL-Ii9IVs66Kx8/s1600/winner.jpg" /></a></div>
<ol style="text-align: left;">
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span><i> First Place Winner: </i><b>(Ronda)</b> Gets
their pick of 5 Stone House Ink eBooks of their choice. In addition to
shout outs and encouraged follows on all our Twitter, Facebook, Google +
and Goodreads accounts. </span></span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span><i>Second Place Winner:</i> <b>(Shadow)</b>Get's their pick of 3 Stone House Ink eBooks of their choice and or a 3 chapter critique from one of our amazing editors. </span></span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span><i>Third Place Winner:</i>(<b> Traci)</b>Will receive 2 Stone House Ink eBooks of their choice</span></span></span></li>
</ol>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span>Congrats to the Winners and thanks to all the hoppers. All winners have been notified by email. </span></span></span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8183570454273543483.post-52109800177551020182011-09-26T09:09:00.000-07:002011-09-26T09:09:02.478-07:00Now for the prizes....<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOJcIYCzBGr9bCcG1WT3Bv37XwlqUECFyXWgHA1LCxWyxOUpzrZCUFs67UOZOg3uyvNEj-dhsN8UB77y4hr6M56MwcCQFMTVON-EbHVnmLKks-bJePQoi4HTPd77iEOvV-1qOQh-SYSWM/s1600/pep+squad.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOJcIYCzBGr9bCcG1WT3Bv37XwlqUECFyXWgHA1LCxWyxOUpzrZCUFs67UOZOg3uyvNEj-dhsN8UB77y4hr6M56MwcCQFMTVON-EbHVnmLKks-bJePQoi4HTPd77iEOvV-1qOQh-SYSWM/s1600/pep+squad.jpg" /></a></div>
This officially ends the Autumn Blog Hop we have been so excited to be a participant in. Winners will be announced Wednesday on the blog September 28th, 2011. Stay tuned for those winners and for more contests.<br />
<br />
Don't forget the Kindle and Nook giveaway are still going on. Just click the links below to enter for your chance to win if you haven't already.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://stonehouseinklings.blogspot.com/2011/09/win-free-nook.html"><b>Nook</b></a><br />
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<a href="http://stonehouseinklings.blogspot.com/2011/09/win-free-kindle.html"><b>Kindle</b></a><br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8183570454273543483.post-63295770638397386162011-09-19T04:10:00.000-07:002011-09-19T09:11:26.769-07:00Fall Between The Pages Blog Hop Tour: Stone House Ink<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
We are so very excited to be participating in the Fall Between the Pages Blog Hop Tour. Before we get to the post and prizes we have to go over the rules.<br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><b><u><span style="font-size: large;">Tour Rules </span></u></b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><b>1) HAVE FUN!!!</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><b>2) INVITE ALL OF YOUR FRIENDS!!! SPREAD THE WORD!!!</b></span></span> </div>
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<span style="color: black;"><b>3) THIS TOUR STARTS: Monday, September 19, at Midnight (Arizona Time)</b></span></span> </div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><b> THIS TOUR ENDS: Monday, Sept 26, at Midnight (Arizona Time)</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><b> Winners will be drawn and posted Sept 27! ***</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><b>4) MEET AND MINGLE WITH ALL THE AUTHORS AND BOOK PAGES! EXPERIENCE A NEW PARTY DESTINATION AT EVERY STOP! PARTICIPATE IN EVERY BLOG CONTEST AND BE ENTERED FOR CHANCES TO WIN MULTIPLE PRIZES! EVERY BLOG VISITED IS ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY TO WIN!!</b></span></span> </div>
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<span style="color: black;"><b>5) PARTICIPATION AT ALL BLOGS IS RECOMMENDED, BUT NOT REQUIRED. REMEMBER, THE MORE BLOGS YOU HOP, THE BETTER YOUR CHANCES OF WINNING PRIZES. EVERY AUTHOR AND BOOK PAGE IS WAITING TO MEET AND INTERACT WITH YOU, SO PLEASE BE SURE TO SHOW EVERYONE SOME LOVE!</b></span></span> </div>
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<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black;">6) <i>DID I MENTION TO HAVE FUN? WHOO! HOO!! </i></span></b></span><br />
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<span style="color: red;">***Hosts have full discretion to choose an alternate winner in the event any winner fails to claim their prize(s) within 72 hours of their name being posted or after notification of win, whichever comes first. Anyone who participates in this blog hop tour is subject to these rules**</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small;"><b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black;">Stone House Ink 's home base of operation is in the beautiful Idaho. If there is ever a time to love autumn it is in Idaho. Specifically Fall Creek Falls. This beautiful land mark is a great place to go find a great spot to camp and read for hours, days, weeks even. Oh yes we would go that long reading we do love books that much. The only thing we love more is our <i>readers, fans, followers, </i>whatever you prefer we know we would be nothing with out you. So now for the page rules and prizes. </span></b></span><br />
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<u><b><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small;"><b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black;">Stone House Inklings Blog Hop Rules. </span></b></span></b></u><br />
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<span style="color: black; font-size: small;">1) Follow us on Facebook <a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/StoneHouse-Ink/242727363447?cropsuccess#%21/pages/StoneHouse-Ink/242727363447">Here</a> and leave a comment letting us know.</span><br />
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<span style="color: black; font-size: small;">2)Follow our blog and leave us a question or a comment here below. Please also leave your email address so we can notify you in case you are a winner!</span><br />
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<span style="color: black; font-size: small;">3)</span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;"> If you Tweet, follow us on Twitter <a href="http://twitter.com/#%21/StoneHouseInk">Here.</a></span></span><br />
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<i><b><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="color: black;">***Hosts have full discretion to choose an alternate winner in the event any winner fails to claim their prize(s) within 72 hours of their name being posted or after notification of </span><span style="color: black;">win, whichever comes first. Anyone who participates in this blog hop tour is subject to these rules***</span></span></b></i><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small;"><b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black;"> </span></b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small;"><b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black;"> That's It. Now for the<i> prizes. </i></span></b></span><br />
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<li><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i> First Place Winner: </i>Gets their pick of 5 Stone House Ink eBooks of their choice. In addition to shout outs and encouraged follows on all our Twitter, Facebook, Google + and Goodreads accounts. </span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Second Place Winner:</i> Get's their pick of 3 Stone House Ink eBooks of their choice and or a 3 chapter critique from one of our amazing editors. </span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Third Place Winner:</i> Will receive 2 Stone House Ink eBooks of their choice.</span></span></li>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;">PS. Two separate contests from the blog hop are <span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://stonehouseinklings.blogspot.com/2011/09/win-free-nook.html">here</a> </span>and <span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://stonehouseinklings.blogspot.com/2011/09/win-free-kindle.html">here</a> </span>to enter to win a Free Kindle and a Free Nook.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;">Here are just a few of Stone House/ Stone Gate's books. To view all our books go to Amazon type in Stone House in the search line. Sorry our main site is down now for maintenance.<br />
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;">Don't forget to go back and hop the other stops for my prizes and amazing content to follow. And to get back all you have to do is click <a href="http://enchantedmusebloghoptours.blogspot.com/2011/09/official-linky-list-for-autumn-harvest.html"><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">here</span></b></a>.</span></span></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com25tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8183570454273543483.post-79801162480519348622011-09-16T13:52:00.000-07:002011-09-16T13:52:34.105-07:00Win a Free Nook...<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG_m-er2cuEQMVmEiq212pAl8FldGbhjXFrUcwCLPYfwriueQEwe4h22uP7tyKky84zdVTVOMRX3Od4MlkNflK_bFao_-Kfa_iAZLK_RfXpcaz079gTW7wH5HW1UY03XWYDk2guDl3DSs/s1600/scream+catcher.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG_m-er2cuEQMVmEiq212pAl8FldGbhjXFrUcwCLPYfwriueQEwe4h22uP7tyKky84zdVTVOMRX3Od4MlkNflK_bFao_-Kfa_iAZLK_RfXpcaz079gTW7wH5HW1UY03XWYDk2guDl3DSs/s1600/scream+catcher.JPG" /></a></div><h6 class="uiStreamMessage" data-ft="{"type":1}"><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}">Who wants to win a FREE NOOK? No joke... Free. *Don't want to leave the Nook people out.<br />
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Step One: RE-Post this message to your blog, Facebook profile or RE-Tweet.<br />
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Step Two: Go to the <a data-hovercard="/ajax/hovercard/page.php?id=107201172632352" href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/Vincent-Zandri-Noir-Author/107201172632352">Vincent Zandri, Noir Author</a> page linked here, and "like" the page as well as post your link on the wall. Everyone who does this, will be automatically entered to win a free Kindle. The prize will be drawn at random and I will post the winner on the 15th of October.</span></span></h6></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8183570454273543483.post-37983781979113826842011-09-15T14:21:00.000-07:002011-09-15T14:21:09.316-07:00Win A FREE KINDLE!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-nh5vE_8scC0/TnJsEHkbnKI/AAAAAAAAAes/WPQY2_czJpE/s1600/9780982607862.Front.jpg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="400" width="275" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-nh5vE_8scC0/TnJsEHkbnKI/AAAAAAAAAes/WPQY2_czJpE/s400/9780982607862.Front.jpg.jpg" /></a></div><br />
Who wants to win a FREE KINDLE? No joke... Free. How you might be asking with your eyes full of glee!?<br />
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Step One: RE-Post this message to your blog, Facebook profile or RE-Tweet.<br />
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Step Two: Go to the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Airel/209965705684468?ref=ts">Airel</a> Facebook Fan-page, and "like" the page as well as post your link on the wall. Everyone who does this, will be automatically entered to win a free Kindle. The prize will be drawn at random and I will post the winner on the 15th of October.<br />
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If you want to say something nice about me or the book I will give you a online hug! Now that is worth almost more! Thanks everyone and I can't wait to see who wins!<br />
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Good luck all and happy posting!<br />
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Here is the link to Airel on<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Airel-Saga-Book-ebook/dp/B004Y72XFA/ref=pd_rhf_p_img_1"> Amazon.com</a>Aaron Pattersonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11147714545040369509noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8183570454273543483.post-1688497346712485302011-09-06T05:54:00.000-07:002011-09-06T05:54:05.497-07:00Character Monday: Defining What Counts<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ0EkF2H-IrWeryGk58HFS8C8XNnsaz8geyWN88TMqolHYzEpmM0wpbDoH9TzXEZm6XbGKTS_qAIa7JIugmCh-s5V-fOpjDJMaTgFeLsKh6oET40zWMPr4xXe-IxxE6IhRgIbPf8yhkys/s1600/guiding+q+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ0EkF2H-IrWeryGk58HFS8C8XNnsaz8geyWN88TMqolHYzEpmM0wpbDoH9TzXEZm6XbGKTS_qAIa7JIugmCh-s5V-fOpjDJMaTgFeLsKh6oET40zWMPr4xXe-IxxE6IhRgIbPf8yhkys/s320/guiding+q+1.jpg" width="305" /></a></div>The usual course of Character Monday at Stone House Inklings usually is an interview with said character or with the author discussing a particular character.<br />
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Not Today...<br />
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The fun thing about character is it's one of those words that has multiple meanings and additionally keeps the same spelling. There is a fancy word for it...but unfortunately our resident editor Mr. White is not in the office as early as I. I'm sure he will look at this post and mention it in the comments. And grammar is not my forte'.<br />
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Today we are going to talk about Character's other meaning. Now Wikipedia has about ten different meanings and uses for the word character. Specifically I'm going to discuss this definitions of Wiki's on character.<br />
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<b>The concept of <i>character</i> can imply a variety of attributes including the existence or lack of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virtue" title="Virtue">virtues</a> such as <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Integrity" title="Integrity">integrity</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Courage" title="Courage">courage</a>, <a class="mw-redirect" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fortitude" title="Fortitude">fortitude</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honesty" title="Honesty">honesty</a>, and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loyalty" title="Loyalty">loyalty</a>, or of good behaviors or <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Habit_%28psychology%29" title="Habit (psychology)">habits</a>. Moral character primarily refers to the assemblage of qualities that distinguish one individual from another...</b><br />
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<i>(This is probably why I'm a sucker for historicals. The code of chivalry of honor. Sigh.) </i><b><br />
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Now when you take that explanation and couple it with our usual one.<br />
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<b>A </b><b>character is the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Representation_%28arts%29" title="Representation (arts)">representation</a> of a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Person" title="Person">person</a> in a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Narrative" title="Narrative">narrative</a> or <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drama" title="Drama">dramatic</a> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_arts" title="The arts">work of art</a></b> <br />
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I have defined what I as a reader and author value most in my characters in the novels I read and write. A person that struggles against conflict internal and external to exercise the full extent of his characters. They don't have to good guys. The bad are just the same.<br />
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When creating a work of fiction Characters will pull readers into the story and create fans. Characters will save a poor or easy plot. Essentially great characters=a great read.<br />
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That's my 2 cent's on Characters. What say you?<br />
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</div><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54489/155/DA6BFAF70E6F639F9FD787288E730B85.png" style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent; border: 0pt none ! important;" /> </a><br />
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PS. Have you entered our publishing contest? Go <a href="http://stonehouseinklings.blogspot.com/2011/09/writing-contest.html">here </a>and check out the details. </div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8183570454273543483.post-53503681796720276992011-09-01T06:00:00.000-07:002011-09-02T10:38:02.507-07:00Writing Contest, Chapter 1<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjQVZ1yiKzS9k3u4lMs5tU5m-nCIVOmlOUBcJsBcjg7roEMJyes4u4Z7E0WiY-6d-edArq2fK8favQC3EG4d2pIBNeiZbtGFn-WGzh6EUMbWPig5NAX-X12x23ZVm-k5nruWrL31BdEHHY/s1600/dark+girl.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjQVZ1yiKzS9k3u4lMs5tU5m-nCIVOmlOUBcJsBcjg7roEMJyes4u4Z7E0WiY-6d-edArq2fK8favQC3EG4d2pIBNeiZbtGFn-WGzh6EUMbWPig5NAX-X12x23ZVm-k5nruWrL31BdEHHY/s320/dark+girl.jpeg" width="275" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal">“You ever had that kind of day?”<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">“Yeah,” she said, knowing what the teacher was saying without the burden of specifics.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">The teacher leaned back on the railing. “I’m having one now.”<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">“Else why’d y’call me, y’know?”<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">The teacher coughed a grunt in response.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">They stood facing in opposite directions, she looking south and west over the city of Honolulu from the 23<sup>rd</sup> floor, he leaning back-to against the rail of the lanai and looking in on the wreckage.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">“Anyway thanks for coming, all the same.” The teacher spread his arms out, gliding along the steel. <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">“You know I’d do anything for you,” she said, shifting her weight away from him. She looked sad, and her eyes were wet around the rims.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">The teacher was staring at what was left of his furniture, his living space, his home life through the glass. “It’s not that big of a deal…”<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">She actually laughed, shaking her head, wiping under her eyelids carefully.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">“Okay maybe it is. But we need to make a decision.”<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">“You need to make a decision.”<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">He stabbed a look quickly at her, shocked. A long and heavy moment passed. He looked downward. “They won’t be much longer.”<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">She too looked down, straight down, twenty-three floors down, to the radiated wreckage on the ground, the pieces of the contents of the teacher’s home that had been thrown off the lanai today. “You see it coming?”<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">“I did. Somewhere. Somehow. I knew it was inevitable. Denying that didn’t prevent it.”<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">“Sho’ you’re right.”<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">He looked again, drinking her in, her dark caramel skin and straight graphite hair quenching the feral part of him just enough to cause him to thirst for more. “Damn you,” he said, matter-of-factly.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">“You talk at me like it’s my fault.”<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">He laughed raucously. “Everything’s your fault.”<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">She cupped her elbows in her hands and brought her feet together. The tradewinds lifted and moved long hair against sunkissed cheek as she looked out again, to the distant and sinking sun. “If that’s how you feel.”<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">The teacher’s face grew dark, the blood pushing against his skin, veins distended, fists clenched. But he said nothing.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">They didn’t come boisterously, with sirens and screeching tires and battering rams and SWAT gear. No. And the teacher had foreseen this; it was child’s play. Instead: a knock at the door. Soft. His jaw ticked up toward it, his eyes narrowed already.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">“I’m sorry,” she said, unmoving.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">He didn’t move either. “No.” He pushed off the rail and stood steady, feet wide apart, hands up, palms facing the knock at the door.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">She reached into her back pocket.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Another knock.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">The teacher tensed.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">She drew out black handcuffs with a measure of skill, held them on the flat of the palm of her right hand like an offering to the teacher.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">He looked at her, saw her, eye to eye.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">The doorknob turned slowly and quietly on the other side of the glass.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">“You never knew,” he began, but the door was opening and it was too late. He turned toward it in reflex, taking his eyes from her for the briefest of moments.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">She moved too quickly for him. The cuffs out and open, she managed to get one of them on his right wrist, but that was all. He spun away, ripping the cuffs from her control.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">The door was wide open, some of the junk on the floor pushed aside in its sweeping arc, and there <i>they</i> were, standing, the only ones that could deter any of this.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">She turned to face him, standing, relaxed. He came to a halt at the opposite edge of the lanai in a crouch. He growled; a fearsome noise. The handcuffs fell from his wrist and clattered on the concrete floor of the lanai—but this time they did not melt. She arched an eyebrow in response and looked at him. <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">His eyes were changing, blackening, and she shouted to those at the door, “It’s happening!”<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">They rushed in, fifteen of them, one at a time, silent as poison gas, gliding, soft, deadly, pale.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">The teacher looked at her again as the metamorphosis took hold. He said it again, and one last time: “You never knew.” He closed his eyes and crouched deeper. The lanai shuddered violently, the concrete floor under his feet becoming liquid. He fell through.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">She moved quickly to the edge.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">He was gone on a contrail of fire.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">“No, <i>you</i> never knew.”<br />
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Now you take it from here dear reader. What will the next chapter be? Go <a href="http://stonehouseinklings.blogspot.com/2011/09/writing-contest.html">HERE</a> and learn about all the rules and how to submit. Good luck. <br />
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<b>Hint: Go to the right of the blog and like us on <a href="http://www.facebook.com/?ref=home#%21/pages/StoneHouse-Ink/242727363447">Facebook</a> and follow us on <a href="http://twitter.com/#%21/StoneHouseInk">Twitter</a> to be the first to know everything.</b><i> </i> <div class="linkwithin_text" id="linkwithin_text_0" style="border: 0pt none; font-weight: bold; margin: 0pt; padding: 20px 0pt 5px; text-align: left;"><br />
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<o:p></o:p></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8183570454273543483.post-71806223241909604142011-09-01T05:00:00.000-07:002011-09-02T10:36:31.244-07:00Publishing Contest...Rules and Legalities<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">StoneHouse Ink<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">StoneHouse Inklings Blog<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Writing Contest Rules</span></b><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFhtl4cm3XvDmQLe6O7e4G44PtHzFhdA7SODcOVDq-1rLOOkH5Jj-Rnn26opftrxOhd8VTCfCkbSbmLPnXmGXhQGVxADE76RnmETqeY3KYYaO7vTddFoTrZQG4U2Uv7iIu1CNPMKrLjSWU/s1600/sh+logo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="142" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFhtl4cm3XvDmQLe6O7e4G44PtHzFhdA7SODcOVDq-1rLOOkH5Jj-Rnn26opftrxOhd8VTCfCkbSbmLPnXmGXhQGVxADE76RnmETqeY3KYYaO7vTddFoTrZQG4U2Uv7iIu1CNPMKrLjSWU/s200/sh+logo.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal">We’re having an open contest to write a new compilation eBook, chapter by chapter. If you want to get noticed, this is a great opportunity to do so. Anyone can enter—published authors, fans, amateurs, even your pet goldfish, provided he can write. We’re posting up one chapter per month, and at the end we’re going to release the full eBook, edited, polished, and awesome. Each month’s contest winner will have their work published, along with all the other monthly winners, in a full length compilation eBook by StoneHouse and/or StoneGate Ink. Who knows where this story’s gonna end up? You may get to influence it in a big way if you win. Want the lowdown skinny? Here are the rules:<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"></div><ol><li>Follow our lead. Write a follow-up chapter to those that are previously posted on the blog, and try to keep it under 2k words. Submissions should be emailed to us at shwcontest at gmail dot com and sent as a Word doc or .rtf file. Submissions are due by the 20<sup>th</sup> of each month. You can enter only once per month, so make it good. Just FYI, we're looking for thriller/paranormal type stuff because it fits our brand. We're not looking for sci-fi, fantasy, erotica and all that.</li>
<li>The StoneHouse staff will judge the best 5 entries received each month. Our nominations will be posted on the 25<sup>th</sup> of each month so you, the blogosphere, can vote. Votes will be tallied by commenting “vote” on the chapter you like best. Get your votes in by the last day of the month, because on the 1<sup>st</sup> the cycle starts all over again with the winning chapter. </li>
<li>Vote, tell your friends, spread the word, link your blog, share on Facebook, Twitter, Google + and on and on. The post with the most votes wins. And even if you win this month, you can enter again next month. </li>
<li>There are monthly winners and there’s an overall winner. Each winner will be credited as a contributing author for their chapter in the final published eBook. </li>
<li>The StoneHouse package prize for monthly winners will be a surprise each month, and you have a little bit of choice in the matter. You can choose a free eBook download, or a print copy if it’s available, from any of our superawesome writers. Or maybe you just want us to plug you on Twitter all month long. Be creative. We’re open to suggestions/bribes/begging. </li>
<li>The overall winner will receive a professional literary agent representation package. Specifics are TBA.</li>
</ol><o:p></o:p><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal"><i>The legal poop: By submitting your work to this contest you the entrant are granting worldwide rights to use and publish your work in any format now known or to be devised in the future. You also understand and agree that you will not be compensated for any and all earnings produced by your submitted work. You agree further to hold blameless and indemnify StoneHouse Ink and all its affiliates and associated ventures in the event of a dispute. Happy writing!</i><br />
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Now on to the first chapter....<a href="http://stonehouseinklings.blogspot.com/2011/09/writing-contest-chapter-1.html">HERE!</a><i> </i><br />
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<b>Hint: Go to the right of the blog and like us on <a href="http://www.facebook.com/?ref=home#%21/pages/StoneHouse-Ink/242727363447">Facebook</a> and follow us on <a href="http://twitter.com/#%21/StoneHouseInk">Twitter</a> to be the first to know everything.</b><i> </i><o:p></o:p></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8183570454273543483.post-73286680334666553542011-08-31T01:55:00.000-07:002011-08-31T01:55:00.535-07:00Writer Wednesday: Senses: Method or Madness?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>http://www.sell-arts.com/item/1007060.html</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>As an author we are told to show and not tell. In a recent workshop I attended it was explained to paint a picture with your words. In order to do that one needs to address the senses.<br />
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Taste<br />
Touch<br />
Scent<br />
Sight<br />
Hear<br />
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Today I want to address smell. Scent is a powerful tool when writing. How often have we caught the aroma of a food that propels us to another place in time, or the haunting fragrance of a woman's perfume that reminds you of the one who broke your heart, crushed your soul?<br />
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For me Peony flowers will always be my granny's house. She has three bushes that have grown back every year with a vengeance. Even though for a decade my grandfather rode them down ruthlessly with his John Deere. <br />
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In <a href="http://www.amazon.com/The-Familial-Witch-ebook/dp/B004LROQG2/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1314732657&sr=8-1">The Familial Witch </a>the Peony flower is a living birthmark on the heart of Aisleen. The last of the Familial Witches and the leader of the extinct coven peonies are her distinct scent as well. While I know what I remember about the flower, it would be so much easier to describe what I'm smelling while in the act. Correct?<br />
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Since I don't have the budget to fly in Peonies and keep them in an indoor fridge year round or until I'm done with this novel. I tried the next best thing. Lotion. Bath and Body Works lotion. Sprays, candles or shower gel I'm sure would work just the same. But lotion is the strongest scent next to a candle which they didn't have in the kind I need. It was all very easy and cheap at $10 for 3 bottles. (I'm working on another novel and need Gardenias. The third was just for me.) I went in told the clerk I needed something that smelled of Gardenias and one like Peonies. She pulled out this magic wheel that pointed her to the fragrances that matched the scent I wanted. And Wala!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcfHs5X6mGj9oxa9Bs3MbCTS-7PXYy8igVjFwjBpSQ1V2nIol6GpmOpSywFbT0FE341BjlB1Nil7YSyMW6i1_2BPkLpH3hSpNf_rG_OpiUv4bE235Xml5c7oSPbp_6UoGnZu-HH_2ZZ5A/s1600/carried+way.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcfHs5X6mGj9oxa9Bs3MbCTS-7PXYy8igVjFwjBpSQ1V2nIol6GpmOpSywFbT0FE341BjlB1Nil7YSyMW6i1_2BPkLpH3hSpNf_rG_OpiUv4bE235Xml5c7oSPbp_6UoGnZu-HH_2ZZ5A/s1600/carried+way.jpg" /></a></div>Carried Away=Gardenias <br />
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Sweet Pea=Peonies <br />
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So what do you people think method or madness? How do you creatively pull from the senses to write</div><br />
<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54489/155/DA6BFAF70E6F639F9FD787288E730B85.png" style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent; border: 0pt none ! important;" /></a></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8183570454273543483.post-39795245901676288342011-08-29T05:00:00.000-07:002011-08-29T05:00:04.009-07:00Character Monday: Who is Antony?<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; font-size: 16px;"></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://g-ecx.images-amazon.com/images/G/01/ciu/96/fd/ca165d947b6f0ad8956ecb.L._V171086167_SX200_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://g-ecx.images-amazon.com/images/G/01/ciu/96/fd/ca165d947b6f0ad8956ecb.L._V171086167_SX200_.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Bri Clark</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div>SH: Today for Character Monday we welcome the Belle of Boise, Bri Clark. She's a romance author extraordinaire and then some. To date her works include <i>Familial Witch, Glazier, Scent of a Witch</i> (releasing in time for Halloween) <i>Caffe' Seduzione</i> and its sequel, <i>Mafia Seduzione,</i> releasing with StoneHouse Ink this year. Today, for Character Monday, we hear she's got a bit of an Italian treat for us. So, Bri, who are we meeting today?</div><div><br />
</div><div>BC: Antony Vincent Romano Deluca.</div><div class="im"><div><br />
</div><div>SH: What is it with Italians and huge names; Lordamighty. Anyway, who is Antony?</div><div><br />
</div></div><div>BC: Well, Antony has a long name because he was adopted and his father wanted to honor the ancestors on all sides. I think that is the same for other Italian families; they are honoring the past. Antony is a man whose first instinct is to do things the right way, but if it gets too challenging he will resort to using his influence, his resources and his name to get what he wants <i>when</i> he wants. He's a true Italian alpha male who resides mainly in Rome. When you ask what he does for a living he says, "investments," and that's really all I can say too. </div><div class="im"><div><br />
</div><div>SH: Cryptic. Still, if we happened to peek in the windows of his villa on any given night, what might we see?</div><div><br />
</div></div><div>BC: Currently the Romano family villa is closed up tight. He hasn't been there since the deaths of his birth parents when he was a boy. There are plush vintage antiques, but they are all covered with sheets. But Colleen just might be making a lot of changes there soon enough.</div><div class="im"><div><br />
</div><div>SH: Does Antony have any weaknesses?</div><div><br />
</div></div><div>BC: Yes, two. Colleen and Ava. It's those weaknesses and his inexperience at dealing with them that causes all sorts of problems for him. They make him vulnerable. </div><div class="im"><div><br />
</div><div>SH: Which makes us all weak in the knees. At least the feminine side of us, with which we are "in touch". We hear Antony loves a good cuppa joe. What else is he into?</div><div><br />
</div></div><div>BC: Yes he starts every day with a caffé macchiato. Cigars: he loves a good cigar. Investing, too, is a professional hobby, and he's a natural. Plus he's trained for years at fencing, you know, swordplay. He collects ancient swords and uses them in physical drills as his form of exercise. </div><div class="im"><div><br />
</div><div>SH: Alright, Bri, come now. Is he really a mafia Don?</div><div><br />
</div></div><div>BC: Antony is the son of a Mafia Don. Technically he would be the heir of the estate, according to their culture. But after his parents died he left that world and hasn't been back. So who knows?</div><div><br />
</div><div>SH: Who knows indeed. This is dark and fascinating stuff, but brevity is the soul of wit and ours will be in jeopardy if we don't cut you off here. Folks, you can connect with Bri on<a href="http://www.facebook.com/?ref=home#%21/TBriClark"> Facebook</a>, <a href="http://twitter.com/#%21/Bri_Clark">Twitter</a> and <a href="https://plus.google.com/?tab=XX#104322360091831518396/posts">Google plus</a>. Follow her<a href="http://briclarkthebelleofboise.blogspot.com/"> blog</a>, and of course,<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Bri-Clark/e/B004L24XO2/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_3"> buy her books</a>. Don't forget <i>Glazier</i> goes on tour in September. It's been a pleasure having you here, Bri, and we mean that. We don't want to wake up to find a horse's head under the covers, so we really mean it. We love you. Really.<br />
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BC: <Rolls eyes and makes Italian hand gesture on her way out.></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8183570454273543483.post-36462200668867395842011-08-24T04:10:00.000-07:002011-08-24T04:10:01.123-07:00Writer Wednesday: Have a favorite Idaho author? Nominate them!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">Polls are open for the Top 50 Idaho authors. If you have an author who lives in Idaho that you just love here is you chance to go beyond buying the books and Amazon reviews. Nominate them to be a top Idaho author.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd6XWlYYFPi_XEJJ3gNcabbc86j0pMtiImx-yHqFo6hOvjZ5C64-JSQGU2Nsnadg8LrumJKauo377tXznhanypav3TVErToW4zTuWq7AB2isk0WWRGLVxqGiDrbuVmn-cF-hlHso-xqrU/s1600/Top+50+authors.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd6XWlYYFPi_XEJJ3gNcabbc86j0pMtiImx-yHqFo6hOvjZ5C64-JSQGU2Nsnadg8LrumJKauo377tXznhanypav3TVErToW4zTuWq7AB2isk0WWRGLVxqGiDrbuVmn-cF-hlHso-xqrU/s1600/Top+50+authors.jpg" /></a></div><strong>When:</strong> Friday October 28. 5:30pm – 6:30pm<br />
<strong>Where:</strong> Boise Center, Falcons Conference Room, Trade Show Stage <br />
<div style="padding-left: 30px;">The<a href="http://www.idahobookextravaganza.com/about-ibe/top-50-idaho-author-awards/"> 2011 Idaho Book Extravaganza </a>will be kicking off the 1st annual Idaho Top 50 Author Awards and event ceremony. Being awarded as an Idaho Top Author is an accomplishment to savor and is a marketing tool for your book(s). Authors can apply for or be nominated for this award. Winners will be selected by a team of leaders in the publishing industry.</div><div style="padding-left: 30px;">Please email Application-Nomination form to IdahoBookExtravaganza@gmail.com and send copy of one book* to Idaho Book Extravaganza, Banner Bank Building, 950 W. Bannock Street, Suite 1100 Boise, ID 83702</div><div style="padding-left: 30px;"><br />
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</div><div style="padding-left: 30px;"></div><a name='more'></a><b><u>Points of Note </u></b><br />
<ul style="text-align: left;"><li>They have to be published in some way. eBooks are ok. </li>
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</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8183570454273543483.post-66971957940622990862011-08-22T07:01:00.000-07:002011-08-22T10:10:41.389-07:00Character Monday: A mob boss?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgadvEaAYPuN4melvO6TdjSxutA3rVU3InwITs2-SAiycFuSVV-vLdwTaTFkHA90MsCkkJz3R8_W2fC83AdhHxm_UsUpT8_n_EfuaI0o8thS9RtWmwDBkWGGwzDeKNUOIrur1uyxRGbSDQ/s1600/cigar+and+scotch.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgadvEaAYPuN4melvO6TdjSxutA3rVU3InwITs2-SAiycFuSVV-vLdwTaTFkHA90MsCkkJz3R8_W2fC83AdhHxm_UsUpT8_n_EfuaI0o8thS9RtWmwDBkWGGwzDeKNUOIrur1uyxRGbSDQ/s1600/cigar+and+scotch.jpg" /></a></div>Today Stone House was supposed to interview Antony Deluca the debonair Italian business man from Bri Clark's Caffe' Seduzione and upcoming release Mafia Seduzione. This was an interview I was truly looking forward too. Mr Deluca like myself loves a good scotch and a cigar which was what we were to share over our interview at my favorite club. To my dismay when I arrived there was a note awaiting me and not the elusive Italian.<br />
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</div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>My apologies for postponing our talk. Unexpected events have occured that require my personal and immediate attention. I will contact you when I can meet again. It would be convient if you could make yourself flexible </i></span></div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Have a cuban and a scotch on me.</i></span></div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><i>A. </i></span> </div><br />
I couldn't help but feel a trickle of sweat bead down my neck and look after I read the note. Then I didn't know what to do with it. Scared I was being watched and didn't want to offend I sat and smoked the cigar. The scotch I downed in one gulp in an attempt to quell my nerves. Why you ask did I respond this way? One of the questions I was to pose, or the rumor is, Antony Deluca is not only connected but the rightful heir of a generations long Italian Mafia Family. His deceased father being the last don. <br />
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Stay Tuned Folks...Please...for that interview. I need people to be expecting to hear from me. <br />
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</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2