Funny Friday Photos and Color Wielders Release and Cephalopod Coffeehouse

Happy Friday! We made it to the weekend, and another round of funny photos!

As I'm sure you can tell by the title, I have some extra "stuff" going on this week. First, my blog post about "It's Just Books" was featured on the Passive Voice yesterday. Although the comments here and the comments there are as different as a warm summer rain and midwinter in Antarctica, I am still extremely honored to have been featured on the blog.

Next, I have joined the Cephalopod Coffeehouse, which is the brainchild of the Armchair Squid. It's a reading bloghop in which I get to share the best book I read in the month. During August I've been devouring The Eye of God, the new thriller by James Rollins. Sigma Force is at it again, fighting to save the world and overcome the bad guys. What I really like about this book, besides getting to hang out with my favorite characters and read James Rollins's superb writing, is how the story line is put together. Instead of being linear, there are two tracks in the beginning which converge around the middle and then continue on together. This really upped the tension and curiosity kept me turning pages long after I really needed to go to bed. Highly recommended!

And at last, before the funnies, I'd like to share Dawna Raver's great news about the re-release of her debut novel, The Color Wielders. Please be sure to stop over at this post and get registered for the giveaway and learn more about the Facebook party and other fun planned for her re-release party!

Thanks for sticking with me! Last week's funniest photo was:

A three-way tie! So, just go look at them all again if you want to relive the fun.

Here's this week's photos.

And a punny X-Men joke:

My favorite is "What ball?"

Which is your favorite?

Colour Wielders by Dawna Raver Indie Release

I'm happy to announce that Colour Wielders is back on the market with a pretty new face and updated content. It thrills me to be able to share it with you today. Thank you Jade Hart at Black Firefly for all her work, Michelle Johnson for my amazing cover, and Danielle Blanchard for all your hard work and help. If you have time, please stop by Facebook tonight and party with us at 4:00 central https://www.facebook.com/events/314183782060128 hosted by the wonderful Leslie Whitaker.


 Behind the Faerying Mysts, hidden from Mortal eyes, is a land where gods and creatures of myth and legend dwell. And in the Mortal Realm, their Princess is hidden away. Quinn Sinclair lives an ordinary life with her less-than-loving mother in Conifer, Colorado, clueless of her true nature. On the night of her birthday, a staggering betrayal sends her life spinning out-of-control. As she struggles to pick up the pieces, a vision of a man with haunting tourmaline-blue eyes begs her for help, and she is transported into a Magykal battle-forever changing her life. Arik Morgaine—Demigod bad boy and outcast of the Magykal Realm—tried to avoid contact with Princess Quinn for eighteen years, not wanting to make good on an old threat. But the fates have other plans. Arik can no longer deny his growing desire for Quinn, or the need to protect her from those wanting to control her burgeoning powers. Can the two of them come together and save the Magykal Realm from being destroyed by the Darkest of Magyks? New Adult. Recommended for 18 and above. Mature themes, sexual situations, and profanity.

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Excerpt:

Gentle fingertips grazed the edge of her jaw, trailing down her neck to her collarbone. His citrine gaze stared deeply into her eyes, and her body heated at his tender touch.

“You’re okay, yeah?” Thaene asked, his voice hoarse from their lovemaking.

Am I okay? She hardly knew. Though she had nothing to compare it to, this feeling was more than giving her virginity to him. Quinn felt like something bigger inside had stirred to life, wanting to escape.

“You know I love you. I’m sorry if it hurt.” He kissed her again, his lips caressing hers, as if he could take the ache away.

“Say something, Quinn. Please.”

“I love you, Thaene.” She pressed herself into him, passionately returning his affection. As their kiss continued, Quinn wondered if he wanted more. She also wondered if she had more to give.

“I want us together, always. Do you want that, Quinn?” Thaene’s eyes danced with a mixture of emotions—love, passion, possessiveness, and something else she couldn’t name.

“We can have forever. You want that, don’t you?” Thaene asked.
“Yes,” Quinn answered breathlessly, before realizing what she’d agreed to. She smiled, finding his need for her exciting. “Forever is a long time. But I could do it with you.”

Thaene smiled back. Happiness lit his face. He looked like he’d just won a major prize—he looked triumphant. “Being with you on your twenty-second birthday was very special to me. You’ve given me such a precious gift.”

“I love you. I can’t imagine my first time with anyone else.”

Besides, my gift of Sight showed you to me, over and over. How could I not give myself to you?

Her gift had shown her something else as well. Since she didn’t understand it, Quinn ignored it. She’d followed her heart where Thaene was concerned. Not even her mother’s dislike—or in spite of it— changed her mind. Following your heart always led you down the right path.

Thaene lightly brushed her hair from her face, then he rested his forehead on hers.

“There’s something else I’d like you to give me. Will you do that? Give me what I desire the most?”

The longing in his voice made Quinn squirm underneath him. Right now, she’d give him anything.

“It’s the most precious gift of all. One I’ll cherish forever.”

Oh my God. He wants to marry me.

“Yes,” Quinn said, drawing in a breath. “I’ll give you anything.”

“Good.” Thaene nuzzled her neck. “I want you to show me your Magyk.”

“What?” Quinn blinked at him, wondering if she’d heard him right.

“If you want us to have forever, you must show me your Magyk.”

About the Author:

Dawna Raver is an author of paranormal romance and urban fantasy. Colour Wielders, Book One, is her debut novel. When she's not spending time in her fantasy world, Dawna loves football, reading, and pretending she's a top chef in the kitchen. Oh, and fawning over her dogs and husband, sometimes in that order.  

Contact Dawna at:

https://www.facebook.com/DawnaRaver
https://twitter.com/DawnaRaver https://dawnaraver.com http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17261634-colour-wielders


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For The Writers: It's Just Books

The idea for this post has been knocking around in my head for several weeks now. I've wondered if I'm brave enough to write it. I've wondered if it's something anyone wants to hear.

After much internal debate, I've decided that what I want to write about was important for me to learn. If it might help someone else to read about my experience, I decided to give the post a whirl, and see what happens.

Now, as we know, some writers have (what appears to be) lucky success. I'm not saying they don't work hard, or aren't talented. But, how many hard-working, talented writers do you know? That's right. Quite a few, huh? And what makes any one writer who has that crazy-good success better than any of the others that you know? See what I mean? For every one lucky hard-working, talented writer there are many hard-working, talented authors who just didn't have the stars align in quite the same way.

Photo Couresy: Free Digital Photos

Here's a secret about me. I'm a very competitive person. I'm so competitive that I don't compete. I hate losing that much. Plunk me down in the middle of a competitive field like writing, and I'm sure to have some mental ticks.

Using this post by Leslie Ramey as a guide (Redefining Success for Self-Publishing), Finding Meara has actually done quite well when compared with the many other self-published books out there. But! I'm competitive. And each disappoint has the potential to cut me to the very depths of my writer's ego.

And the truth of writing is the majority of authors are going to be disappointed over something, sometime. Maybe even frequently disappointed. Heck, even those with crazy-good success blog and post on Facebook about how disappointed they are with something that would make 99% of other writers drool. (Can I just say how irritating that is...)

My point is that there are bound to be disappointments. Maybe forever.

Sometime this summer, I finally realized all of this. And then I realized something very important.

It's just books.

All of it is not life or death. Whether I sell a zillion copies or two copies, it really won't change the important things in my life. I'll still be a wife to my dearest husband, I'll be mother to two of the quirkiest, most-lovable kids in the world. I'll still have a job as a social worker if I want it. I'll still be a daughter and an aunt, and a friend. I'll still write and create the fantastical and magical.

It's just books.

I don't know if I'll ever have crazy-good success. There's lots of people who think so - and God bless them for being hopeful and carrying me through my dark times. But the truth is, I may not. And it doesn't mean anything more than the time didn't come. It doesn't mean that I was untalented. It doesn't mean that I didn't work hard enough. It doesn't mean I failed. It means nothing at all, because...

It's just books.