Tag Archives: friend

Unca T’s Oklahoma Fried Green Tomatoes

Posted on by Jinxie G

Hey there, my darling minions!

I’ve been so busy with my LAST CLASS, and copy edits for Shannon Mayer, and trying to promote, edit, and obtain books for Just Ink Press, as well as spending a crazy weekend sitting next to Michael Rooker, that I haven’t had time to blog at all. I’m so ashamed…and exhausted.

But, I promised a recipe today somewhere on social media, and my uncle has been so kind as to offer up a recipe that’s making my mouth water.

Unca T’s Oklahoma Fried Green Tomatoes

Fried Green Tomatoes

Ingredients:

4 to 5 large green tomatoes, thickly sliced

2 cups buttermilk

2 eggs

1 tsp black pepper

1 tsp garlic salt

Mix together to make the wet for the tomatoes to sit in before hitting the dry coating mix.

Dry coating:

2 cups Panko bread crumbs

1 tsp onion powder

1 tsp black pepper

Dip sliced tomato in buttermilk bath, and then into Panko mixture.

Fry tomato slices in frying pan with about 1/2 inch of oil. I like peanut oil best, but you can use canola, corn or veggie oil.

Fry on both sides until golden. Put on paper towels of on a cooling rack to drain some of the oil.

Unca T’s Coco’s Dressing

1 1/4 cups milk
1 cup buttermilk
1 1/4 cups mayonnaise
1 1/4 cups cider vinegar
1/2 cup parmesan cheese, grated
1 tablespoon garlic salt
1 1/2 cups sour cream

Read more on Food.com for directions and comments.

Piacere!

Vive bene, spesso l’amore, di risata molto!

(live well, love much, and laugh often)

Raven McAllan’s IMPULSE

Posted on by Jinxie G
Impulse final-sm

Click here to buy!

IMPULSE by Raven McAllan

POST OF THE WEEK: Author Raven McAllan releases a steamy novella today and you really should buy it.

Why?

Because I said so, that’s why.

And because my company Just Ink Press published it.

And I’m the Senior Editor on it.

And because I said so…

IMPULSE is set on Isola Dei Sogni, an island where dreams and fantasies become reality and love may tackle when least expected.

Details, blurb, and teaser excerpt (R-rated) below:

Title: Impulse

Series Title: Isola Dei Sogni

Word Count: 22,000

Genre: paranormal romance

Blurb:

Isola Dei Sogni, where fantasies and dreams come true. Mia only went as a favor for her sister. Her fantasy was a good book and a bottle of wine. Until she met Dylan. Then her sense disappeared and fantasy took over. Was it all worth it?

Dylan has arrived at Isola Dei Sogni to help out—with reluctance and just as a favor. Then he meets Mia. If she’s the person he’s supposed to assist, then maybe the visit won’t be the waste of time he thought after all. His attitude has changed, and when he hears Mia wants to give him his fantasy? Dylan is never one to disappoint a lady…he hopes.

However, fantasies and dreams are all well and good, but even here, reality creeps in. Can Mia and Dylan overcome that to reach their happily ever after?

EXCERPT:

“Inside.” His voice was hoarse. “Touch inside. In the way you’d like me to touch you. Show me, Mia. Show me.”

Her body was on fire as she moved her hand. She’d show him, and rejoiced that she’d found a person who desired her so much.

“Like this?” With an insouciance she wouldn’t have believed she had, Mia wet her fingers in her mouth and moved them to her pussy. Slowly, she pushed inside herself. The look on his face gave her courage to move them further inside. As she scraped the walls of her channel, her clit tingled and sharp arrows of pleasure honed in on her nipples. Her juices coated her fingers, and without conscious thought, she moved her hand to coat her nipples with her essence. She trembled as she returned it to her heated sheath. Her head fell back and she gave herself to the sensations that bombarded her.

“My turn.” Dylan stood up and pushed his chair back. It fell over and hit the floor with a bang. Mia jumped at the unexpected noise and her hand moved out of her channel and dropped onto her lap. He lifted it to his lips.

“Ah, so good, it tastes of you.” Goose bumps covered her skin as he put her fingers into his mouth and licked them one by one. “Now I can’t wait, my lovely Mia. Are you ready?”

*****

Raven lives in Scotland, along with her husband and their two cats—their children having flown the nest—surrounded by beautiful scenery, which inspires a lot of the settings in her books.

She is used to sharing her life with the occasional deer, red squirrel, and lost tourist, to say nothing of the scourge of Scotland—the midge.

A lover of reading, she appreciates the history inside a book, and the chance to peek into the lives of those from years ago. Raven admits that she enjoys the research for her books almost as much as the writing; so much so, that sometimes she realizes she’s strayed way past the information she needs to know, and not a paragraph has been added to her WIP.

Her lovely long-suffering husband is learning to love the dust bunnies, work the Aga, and be on stand-by with a glass of wine.

You can find out more about Raven at the following links:

Website | Blog | Facebook Fanpage | Facebook Profile | Twitter

 Raven

There’s a blog tour and a contest too! Follow the links each day to enter in the Grand Prize drawing for a $50 Amazon gift card!

ZSC’s Big Cover Reveal

Posted on by Jinxie G

It’s finally that time of year again, where the Zombie Survival Crew unveils its latest anthology…and I’m in it this time! But here, I’ll let Juliette tell you all about the book and how to pre-order before the big cover reveal:

From the mobile unit of ZSC Commander-in-Chief Juliette Terzieff:

After months of anticipation, the day has finally come when we can release the cover art for Undead Uncensored, the second Zombie Survival Crew anthology. This year’s anthology is a vibrant collection of short fiction, poetry and non-fiction pieces designed to help you get your zombie freak on and prepare for what we might all face if the zombipocalypse hits!

Undead Uncensored features the work of yours truly alongside other ZSC Commanders: actor Michael Rooker, award-winning author LK Gardner-Griffie, and authors Jinxie G, R.C. Murphy, and Amy Sundberg. ZSC crew members, including Wendy Sparrow, Jessica Capelle, Robin Sellman, Amber Revelt, Stephanie Allen, Christopher De Voss, and many others contributed their artistic endeavors to this creeptastic collection!

Undead Uncensored is already available for pre-order here and orders will begin shipping on December 1, 2012.

Now without further ado… (yes, you can stop holding your breath now)

The cover for Undead Uncensored…

Go pre-order this, bitches! There’s some fun tales awaiting you inside!

Guest Blogger – 4 September 2012

Posted on by Jinxie G

Darling minions, it is my pleasure to introduce author S. E. Myers today. She is one of the many authors you will see me tweeting about at least once per week, and since I’ve been backlogged on my gi-normous pile of work, she’s stepping up to the plate to help me out.

Also, since Monday was a holiday in the U.S., this will be your Writing/Editing post for this week. If I have time–God willing–to write up another post this week for my traditional Tuesday post, I will. If not, I’ll see you again next week because BIG things are happening in Jinxie’s World!

The thing about publishing platforms…

As my re-enrollment date for KDP select drew closer, I was faced with the decision to continue my enrollment for the next 90 days, or, attempt other platforms for self-publishing.  I decided that I would try other platforms for eBook self-publishing during the month of August.  Just to test the waters.  I’d read on Facebook indie writing groups and author’s blogs about their successes with Smashwords, Barnes and Nobles Pubit!, Lulu, and Kobo, just to name a few.

For my first upload, I used Pubit!.  Prior to signing up with amazon.com for my first eBook Dark Revelation, I originally considered B&N.com.  I have to say I am glad I chose amazon.com as my original platform.  Sad to say that in one month, I sold four, yes FOUR, eBooks.   I made an awesome $1.20 royalty during the month of August.  I honestly think those four purchases were made by friends and I graciously thank them for purchasing my book.

I then tried Kobo.  No downloads, at all.  No sales.  Nothing.  Delisting my book has been an issue.  It is going on five days and my book is still listed under kobo.com.  It took three days to publish it and now longer than that to unpublish.

Smashwords, I had twenty downloads with no purchases.

Now, one month may not be a fair assessment for a self-publishing instrument, but, it gives me a snapshot of what to expect over the next few months.

I’ve decided that amazon is BOSS.  I am sticking with amazon.com and KDP.  As soon as Kobo delists my book, I will be re-enrolling in the select program.  In the meantime I emailed Kobo instructing them to delist my book post-haste.  I have had more sales, more downloads, and more purchases through KDP than any of these other platforms.

I also use CreateSpace for my printed books.  EBooks seem to be more successful for me when it comes to selling online and my printed books allow me the flexibility to consign them to local book stores and donate copies to my local library.

The story might be different for other authors when it comes to what platform they use; as for me, I am now a firm advocate for amazon.com.  And who knows, maybe down the road I will use their self-publishing services to submit one of the screenplays I’ve written.  In December, I plan for book 2 in The Revelation Series to be released using the services provided by the KDP program.  Good luck!

What say you, dearest minions? If you’re an author, what experiences have you had regarding the different platforms? If you’re a newbie to all of this, do you have an opinion or how did this help you? I’m certain Stephie AND myself would LOVE to read your comments. *points to comment prompt below*

Book blurb-y thing:

Ryleigh Simmons just turned seventeen. After losing her parents in a fatal accident, Ryleigh moves in with an aunt she was unaware of and is introduced to family she never knew existed. After finding out she is a descendant of the Fae, she embarks on a journey of self-discovery with the assistance of Tristan – a long lost cousin. Ryleigh’s Uncle Finar wants nothing more than to consume her and those like her to become the most powerful Fae in existence and Ryleigh is the only one who can stop him.

You can find S. E. Myers around the web at the following links:

And thanks to Stephie, I had to add a new category. LOL
Stephie has sold over 6,000 eBooks to date since the release of Dark Revelation in May.
I’d like to thank S.E. Myers for writing this post so I didn’t have to because it was a HUGE help! Comment below, minions! Don’t make me withhold things from you, like free copies of books!!!

Guest Author Stephen Ormsby

Posted on by Jinxie G

Dearest minions, I’ve been so freakin’ busy that I didn’t have time to finish my Tuesday post, but an author friend has stepped in to help me out today. Please welcome him and take a look at his book.

Today I’d like to introduce you to author Stephen Ormsby and his book, Long Lost Song.

A virus is decimating America today and Michael Decker is the culprit.  Or is he?

Is it the work of a curse recorded into a song by 1930’s blues musician Ricky Jensen?

Long Lost Song tells the story of Ricky and Michael as they battle their personal and real demons while the world reaches end times of biblical proportions.

One question remains. How do you stop a devil of a song made to break a crossroads deal?

Stephen C. Ormsby was an IT professional for twenty years before deciding to lead a more creative life.  He has always loved the idea of writing novels and had written four when Long Lost Song came along, demanding to be published.

This is his first but will not be his last.

He lives in South Gippsland with his wife, two children and a mad cat.  He has travelled extensively, is an avid reader and enjoys listening to a wide range of music.

He has a huge music collection (over 80,000 songs) that just shuffles all day. Sometimes it finds a groove, but other times it can be very disconcerting.

You can find Stephen on the web at the following links:

Blog: http://stephenormsby.wordpress.com/

Twitter: @Quiet_Noise

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/QuietNoise

Facebook fanpage for the book: https://www.facebook.com/LongLostSong

Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/217451

You can also click on the book cover above to view the book on Smashwords. If you tell Stephen I sent you (on the Long Lost Song page or via Facebook message), he’ll give you 25% off the book.

Stephen has some interesting books coming out soon, so check him out!

Interviewed by a Vampire – R.C. Murphy

Posted on by Jinxie G

Darling minions, please welcome author R.C. Murphy to My Reality today. She has a new book out (and it’s awesome) that she’s promoting, and my vamp Shawn has decided he’d like to interview her. He usually interviews the authors around here, though it’s been quite a while. You’ve never truly been interviewed, unless by a vampire.

Shawn, go ahead and take over . . . the interview.

*laughs* You’d better clarify that shit ’cause you know what’ll happen. *clears throat* R.C. Murphy . . . oh hey lady, I know you! I’ve got some shit for you to answer, so let’s get started.

First question: Mind if I call you Nee? I kinda dig that nickname. *grins*

N: Everyone likes that name. Go ahead.

S: Thanks. So, Nee, what kinds of books do you write? Y’know, genre and shit. And do you read the same stuff you write?

N: I write paranormal romance, usually. I tried to keep it urban fantasy, but those pesky sex scenes keep sneaking in. A lot of the short stories I’ve written lately are straight-up horror. Those are the most fun, to be honest.

I read a variety of books, ranging from research materials to high fantasy. Typically, if I am in the middle of writing, I try to avoid reading paranormal romance so I don’t accidentally borrow from what I’m reading. That being said, I make an exception for certain favorite authors.

S: Ooh, paranormal romance! I like that shit. *arches brow* Don’t judge. I like what you’ve done with your vamps. Pretty fucking cool. I also hear that Umi approves. There’s a great nod for ya. What was your inspiration for the story, or how’d it come about?

N: I’ve always toyed around with a vampire book in some form. The book I just released, Be Ours Forever, came from a writing challenge that my friend Quamaine gave me. His challenge didn’t include vampires, but I used them to give myself familiar footing to tackle a situation I hadn’t delved into before, a romance between two men and a woman that wasn’t a typical love triangle.

S: Well, ya did a good job, darlin’. Why do you write that shit . . . I mean, I’m not calling it shit, per se, but why do you write in general? What motivates or inspires you to write or is inspiration for your stories?

N: Ha ha! Don’t worry, on hard days I tell myself, “This shit is hard!”

I write because otherwise the ideas drive me insane. It’s in my DNA to create something, somehow and writing just happened to be the right outlet for the creative urges.

Inspiration comes from observing the world–I do a lot of people watching. Something simple, like a couple arguing in the car at a stoplight, can trigger an idea. Other times the ideas come to me in dreams. Yeah, it sounds cheesy as hell, but some of my best characters started out that way.

S: *nods* Ah yes, good answer. I read everything Jinxie reads (obviously, though I try to ignore some of it), and her TBR pile is fucking HUGE. She just finished reading the graphic novel Witch Doctor, Vol. 1: Under the Knife, which is . . . well, I’ll let you read the review. Can you name any books (stand alone or series) that you absolutely HAD to read the moment you saw it?

N: Larissa Ione’s Demonica series hit my radar hard. A friend suggested it and when I went to the store to pick up a copy, I stood in the aisle for a while reading the first few pages and was hooked.

The rest of the stuff I read right now are all things that my mother, of all people, suggests. Or rather, she shoves them at me and says, “Trust me, you’ll like this.” Between all of my writing projects, I don’t have time to browse through bookstores. Luckily, Mom and I share similar tastes in novels.

S: How do you feel about fangs? *winks and flashes fang*

N: Fangs are sexy. Especially that moment when they first touch skin. A brush of danger. The knowledge that death is right there, ready to clamp down on your throat . . . .

Oh dear, I think I delved too far into that one.

S: You and me can delve into that one later. *winks* Can you give our readers any hints as to what’s in store for future books?

N: I can give a few hints, but not too many. That would spoil the fun.

My current work in progress is a novel called Enslaved. Take everything you may know about an incubus and turn it on its head. I’ve created a whole new origin for the incubi. There is a preview for Enslaved in the back of Be Ours Forever. *hint*

After that, I’m revisiting the Be Ours Forever universe for a prequel novella. This one will feature Jarlan and Meghan . . . and a basement. I can’t wait to write that one. It should be fun.

S: Sounds like it would be. So let’s wrap this up and you can show me around this beautiful home, okay? Particularly, your cave. *waggles eyebrows* Tell all the peeps for me, Nee, where to buy your shit . . . er . . . I mean book. *grins*

N: You would want to peek into my cave, Shawn.

Folks can pick up copies of my book at the following sites:

In paperback – http://amzn.com/147822150X
Kindle – http://www.amazon.com/dp/B008S2D9J6
Nook – http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/be-ours-forever-rc-murphy/1112317879?ean=2940044726536
All Romance eBooks – http://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-beoursforever-904951-139.html

S: Thanks, Nee, for sitting through this wonderful interview with me. I’ve really enjoyed your lovely company. *winks*

N: Flattery will get you nowhere with me, Shawn. I have a lot of smooth talking bad boys in my head, it makes me immune to your charm.

S: Uh huh. Right. They ain’t me.

N: Thank you for taking the time to do this. We’ll have to do it again soon.

Abso-fucking-lutely! Alright, folks, go check out Nee’s . . . I mean, R.C. Murphy’s awesome vampire book Be Ours Forever. See that? It’s a VAMPIRE book. I like that kinda shit because, y’know, I’m a fucking vampire. *flashes fang* Oh, and it has sex in it, just so ya know. I don’t wanna hear none of you complainin’ that I didn’t warn you.

*head desk* Um, thanks Shawn, I think. I’ll take over again. And thank you R.C. Murphy for having the courage to deal with my most troublesome vamp! I think I owe you a cookie . . . or three.

You can find R.C. Murphy on her blog The Path of a Struggling Writer, Facebook, and she’s a co-Commander on the Zombie Survival Crew, where she blogs weekly and has written stories for their anthologies.

LS Fayne – Why I Chose to Self-Publish

Posted on by Jinxie G

My wonderful minions, please welcome mystery guest blogger LS Fayne today, who will be discussing self-publishing and why she chose it over traditional publishing. An interesting topic for those newbie writers out there.

I’ve been talking with Linda for several weeks now, and she’s a lovely lady. We have a few things in common, one of which is the fact that we both have Fibromyalgia, and she’s written a book about her experiences with the disease.

Be certain to note that there IS a giveaway today!

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

People constantly ask me why I chose to self-publish. For me, it wasn’t really a choice. I had my book all finished and was in the process of figuring out just where to send it. I soon realized that having a publisher actually choose my book before other known authors just wasn’t going to happen. The odds were worse than winning the lottery.

Each publisher had their own formatting requirements. Some publishers even requested a statement which would list ten things I would do to sell my book. I thought that was their job! I soon realized that these publishers wouldn’t do anymore for me than I could do for myself. Most also stated that even if they did accept a manuscript, it wouldn’t be released for over 1½ years after the acceptance. I didn’t have the time to wait for them. Not if I wanted to be an established writer before my retirement funds ran out. I had participated in an early retirement program with my company. I figured I had two years to establish a new career. It’s been five years since then, my funds are gone, but I’m still writing. We make due where we can. I have seven books out in the market.

Do I regret my decision to self-publish? Not at all! There is no one to take care of me, and I’ve made some mistakes. I’ve learned a lot. I’ve seen some new authors spend so much money they will never recoup on their losses. I’m in an élite group of people who help each other to figure this all out. We teach each other things, which helps to bring success. It’s a new era and we have a lot to figure out. Everyone is scrambling with the electronic age, including the traditional publishing houses.

Self-publishing is not for everyone. Some people need someone to push them forward, and to tell them what to do. Self-publishing is not for the lazy, or those without business sense. There are obstacles for those who self-publish, which are invisible to those who are taken care of by a publisher.

People are automatically more critical of the quality of a book they assume is self published. I’ve read many books from well-known publishers that have major editing and formatting flaws, especially with eBooks, and yet these flaws don’t seem to get much mentioned in the review process. I’ve read very well-written Indie books that get hammered in the review process when there are only a couple of typos. Part of this is because when the Indie publishing movement started, there were a lot of poor quality books pushed off onto the public.

The public has pushed back and is now demanding better stories and better quality writing. This is as it should be for all books, whether they are Indie published or from a traditional publishing house.

There are obstacles for Indie publishers; invisible barriers. We don’t even know they are in front of us until we smash into them.

I took six books for donation to the local library for the vision impaired patrons. They were 16 pt. large print, hardcover books. They wouldn’t even look at them, wouldn’t evaluate them, because they were self-published.  Each book cost me $18.60 in printing. I ended up donating them to the Senior Citizen Center. They loved getting them! Your tax dollars at work here! Not all libraries are this way; I’ve also donated a set to the library of another city.

There are a lot of “rules” determining just how authors are to present and to market their books. Most of these rules, I feel, are deterrents of the publishing houses to keep control of the book market. They discourage authors from seeking reviews from friends and family, and yet the publishing houses hire teams to write reviews and create prior marketing advertisements to the release of a new book. Book critics will not accept manuscripts from Indie authors. There isn’t a critic’s door in which we can walk through.  Maybe it’s time to create an Independent Critic’s Group? Oh wait! Critics are supposed to be independent.

Writers are being more careful to not do things that they feel might prevent publishers from accepting their work. They are being more careful to not post any piece of their work on the Internet in case it gets labeled as already published. I’ve recently learned that writers are even afraid to put in their own copyrights with the government. Afraid this even would cause a rejection letter.

I would seriously look closely at a publisher who doesn’t want its writers to protect their own work from theft. I’d like to remind writers that publishers cannot own your copyright unless you carelessly sign it away to them. It’s the same with movie rights. You created the work. You own your work!

It all looks like the best worlds meet when a person receives that acceptance letter, especially if it contains a fat advance check. Not everything is as it appears. Read those contracts carefully. You might be signing away more than you planned, and that big, nice advance check? It has to be paid back if your book does not sell to its projected number.

I’ve never sent my work to a publisher. I love the freedom. Would I sign a contract if one was offered. Maybe, maybe not. I’ve grown awfully used to having my own way with things. I chose my formatting, my style, and my covers. No one is going to rewrite my story and sign my name. No one is going to eliminate Book Two, and keep books One and Three.

I think the only way I would sign such a contract is if one of my books got so popular (50 Shades of Grey) that I got muddled with regards to fulfillment and distribution. Oh yes, just another thing Indie publishers have to deal with.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

L. S. Fayne was born in Norwalk, California, grew up in Santa Cruz, California, and at the age of ten, her family moved to Oregon. She married her husband, Darrel, in June 1984. They are still together and very much in love. Still happy and wanting more.

She and her husband created their own publishing company, Fayne Artists, and in June 2008, they published her first novel, Christmas in the House of O’Byrne. She was so taken with the storyline and characters of the book that she created a series for it called, Druantia’s Children. In these books, they described the ancestry of their magical family. Linda was inspired to go back in time, and create stories for the original seven sisters who migrated to America. This series is called, The O’Byrne Daughters.

Linda creates all her own covers and artwork. She wouldn’t mind someone else putting on the publishing hat, but for now, is satisfied to be so involved. She is excitedly writing her seventh novel, of which, her only hint is that it belongs to the Druantia’s Children Series.

Linda fights with Fibromyalgia. For those fighting with Fibromyalgia, she stresses for them to pursue something they are passionate about! Something that will help them get up every morning! She has her husband, a big extended family, writing, and cats. She is passionate about all of them.

L. S. Fayne books to date:

19th Century Series: The O’Byrne Daughters
Budding Magic: Book One
It’s Just Magic!: Book Two
Gathering of the Raven: Book Three

20th Century Series: Druantia’s Children
Christmas in the House of O’Byrne: Book One
Druantia’s Braids: Book Two
There Can’t Be Shadows Without Light: Book Three

Fibromyalgia Chatter

All the book links above go to their respective Amazon pages. All of the images below are linked to their respective Smashwords pages.

Linda has agreed to do a giveaway for a print or ebook copy of one of her books you’ll also find below, so here’s what we’ll do: comment on this post your feelings or experiences on self-publishing vs traditional publishing, and I’ll select a winner using Random.org. Then the winner can choose which of Linda’s books they’re interested in and I’ll send a coupon code for that ONE book (if an ebook edition is chosen). If the winner so chooses a print copy, I’ll get the winner in contact with Linda for shipping details. Let the comments begin! *fires gun* I’ll choose a winner on Friday, August 17th.

      

Leave It to a Drag Queen…

Posted on by Jinxie G

…to drag a three-hour show out to six.

The Monday before Moonbug died, her breeder and my friend JL, invited me to the Miss Gay Arizona America pageant because her daughter was dancing for one of the divas…I mean contestants. Neveah, to be exact. I thought “Sure, why not? It’ll be fun and I get to see JL’s daughter dance.” What couldn’t be more fun than a bunch of drag queens onstage? Seriously. And they have a pageant I never knew existed. Right on!

For the record, my son is gay. Just in case one of you takes anything I say in this post the wrong way.

Following are some of my tweets and status updates. At one point, there was a 2-hour respite from tweeting, which meant I was thoroughly entertained. You’ll notice where it is without the time stamp, trust me:

Ugh. After such a hectic day yesterday, I don’t think I have the energy for drag queens, not to mention NOTHING TO WEAR!!! *head desk*

My “son” needs to get his ass over here and help me find something to wear!!!

“This evening’s music selection is sponsored by an elevator somwhere in Phx.” LMFAO! – as quoted from Katina

OMG The commentary on this is hysterical! LOL

For those of you who are clueless as to what I’m doing, I’m at Miss Gay Arizona America. #MGAA

At the question round. #MGAA

Going on 4 hours now. Holy crap! (See? I told you!)

#MGAA 2004 performing… http://twitpic.com/ag1zwq 

Wow! Totally did *not* call that Coco would do Lady Gaga during her talent act. No. Not. At. All.

I think she’s doing EVERY Lady Gaga song there is! #MGAA

Hey John, I’ve never met Geoff’s wife. Lol My friend’s daughter just danced onstage with Neveah. (apparently, Geoff’s wife also attended this event)

…is still at the Miss Gay AZ America pageant. Holy fucking hell.

So everyone thought this would be over at 9, just like I did, and I’ve missed ALL showings of #TrueBlood tonight. #MGAA

I’ve had to put my glasses on to tweet/text bc my eyes are so fucking tired now. #MGAA

And then someone just had to go and lip-sync the Whitney Houston versin of I Will Always Love You, which is the longest! #MGAA

Oh dear God, please END! #MGAA

Dear fucking hell, someone please shoot me! This thing just won’t end.

@JlManley: I miss 9:00pm. I miss 10:00pm Awwwe Hell, I miss 11:00pm. Thank you @Jinxie_G for keeping me from throwing myself over the balcony – G’nite.

LOL @JlManley You forgot 6pm. G’night, lady! Happy to keep you company with my snark. =) Thanks for taking me.

I am finally home. I need food, smokes, and a drink. Not necessarily in that order.

Regardless of my latter comments, the Miss Gay Arizona America show was pretty dragon! =p

Of the 11 contestants, only four had really good talent pieces, one of which was Neveah so I was really proud of JL’s daughter because damn! That girl can move! Neveah’s set was all apocalyptic-like to the tune of Britney, I think. I’m not big on pop music, but even with minimal props, she rocked the stage. Neveah won the talent award. You go, girl! Contestant #2 whose name escapes me did Tina Turner and pulled it off so well, I thought I was actually watching Tina Turner by the end. Good job! Contestant #10, I think and whose name also escapes me but she was gorgeous and wearing a yellow dress, did a Marilyn Monroe tune and I really enjoyed it. Contestant #3 was Diva (or Deva…I don’t have my program anymore) and her talent piece was spectacular Spanish dancer with four skinny dancer boys painted up all Dia de los Muertos style. The beginning part of her set reminded me of the painting that hangs on my living room wall, which happens to be The Spanish Dancer by John Sargent. The rest of the set blew me away and there is no question in my mind as to why she won.

The bad – I had to sit there for fucking six hours! While wearing spanx! And 5-inch heels are a bitch to walk in after sitting for SIX FUCKING HOURS when your legs keep going numb!

The good – I’ve decided that one of my characters in my Kick-Ass Girls Club series is going to have a gay brother who is a drag queen and will be a contestant in this pageant. I’m not kidding. Which means I’ll need more research.

I’ve told y’all time and again that Life is my muse. The above is how it fucking works. Don’t ask me why because fuck if I know. Go somewhere; get an idea. See something; get an idea. Hear something; get an idea. Feel or smell something; get an idea. Taste rarely happens, but it does happen.

So…will I go next year? Perhaps, but if I do, I’m gonna need more alcohol, bitches!

That Feeling…

Posted on by Jinxie G

…when even though you’re surrounded by people, you feel utterly alone.

Ever feel like that?

It’s been almost 20 years since I’ve been without a dog in the house. Twenty. Fucking. Years. I can’t even really begin to describe how it feels aside from the statement above. I miss my Moonbug, my K’Lar, my MacLeod, my Scully…my Leo, who’s still alive but I’ll never see him again. Not having a dog in my house is a whole new kind of loneliness I’ve only ever felt once in my life. It’s torment.

But there’s more…

It has now been almost one week since I quit smoking. Yeah, I know. Yay for me. Woo-hoo. Go Jinxie! That’s not how I feel, though. I started smoking (cloves) when I was 15. A year later, I moved to cigarettes. Not sure why, but I did. I hate the taste and smell of cigarettes, but I like smoking. Yes, that’s damn weird for someone who’s smoked for nearly 30 years. I’ve quit at least 3 times. Once for 2 years. I can’t even remember why I started again, except for the last time. That was when I had the miscarriage. That life-altering event amongst many life-altering events that have warped my life into something unrecognizable.

And they would, because I certainly do most of the time…when I can actually see the stars.

But wait, there’s more…

I had a breakdown on Saturday morning. I hadn’t had one of those in a while, so I guess it was due, but still. Damn. It was a conglomeration of every single damn thing that is happening to me. Those two things above. The constant pain. The fatigue. I’m fucking tired, people.

Regardless of the feeling alone, of the pain, of the fatigue, of feeling like a failure at times because I’m 43 and so NOT where I wanted to be at this age…I said many years ago that I wanted to retire by 40. This is NOT the kind of retirement I was talking about…but regardless of all of it, I still somehow push forward with a strength I don’t understand, my grandfather’s words echoing in my head…

You’re strong enough for this, for what’s coming

What the FUCK does that mean, gramps? Honestly. Could you be any more vague?

At any rate, I still push forward, working out, trying to eat better, not smoking so I don’t die in 10 years, working on getting Running Ink Press somewhere so I have a legacy to give to no one, do whatever I can for Zombie Survival Crew, do the ghostwriting, and somewhere in the midst of all of that I try to find time to work on my own goddamn books…through the pain and the fog and the fatigue.

But I’m still really fucking tired, and there are some days when I just don’t want to get out of bed because what’s the point? Really. I hate feeling like this, and it’s not the first time I’ve been here. Though I haven’t quite fallen into the well again, so that’s a good start. For the past 20 years, those dogs have gotten me out of bed.

Now, I do it all for Umi, though I really wish I could do more for her. That’s when I feel like a failure. When I ask that question, “What the fuck is my purpose here if I can’t DO anything in this condition?”

I write, yes. That doesn’t require physical exertion, thank the gods, but it does require a clear mind. When the fog isn’t there, I create worlds, destroy some of them, kill people who piss me off, bring people together…make you laugh, cry, jump out of your seat or throw the book across the room. I make my worlds real for you so when you read them, they punch you in the gut when you close the book, because then it’s over and you don’t want it to end.

You have no idea how much I live in those worlds, because reality bites.

But I still need to make money, to work a job (if I can find one), just like the rest of the world. And physically, I can’t do most jobs anymore. So, writing, it is. That’s how I have to make a living, folks. When you buy a book from RIP, I get a percentage of that. Same with ZSC. When you buy my jewelry or crafts, I get most of that. This is all I have left. That’s not meant to guilt you into buying something. It just is. This is how I live now.

It’s depressing. It’s daunting. It’s fucking stupid that I’ve been placed in this position, and it makes me wonder if I asked to be challenged far beyond that which I ever have in any other lifetime. Seriously. My life has been a series of road blocks.

I know we make our own destiny. I’m trying to carve mine, but sometimes, you don’t get all the tools you need to carve that path, so you have to improvise. Mostly, it just pisses me off that some people are handed every tool necessary and the rest of us have to figure shit out on our own.

I guess I should take a clue from my K’Lar….

…and always look over the edge.

Opportunities lie in wait in the oddest of places.

You have no idea how high that cliff was. She scared the hell out of me that day, even though I stopped freaking out long enough to snap this photo. K’Lar was damn bold for her 65 lbs.

I should be more like her.

I have a hammer, a chisel, and some rope for getting down that cliff, and I’ll be carving my own path from this point forward, because I’m fucking tired of playing by everybody else’s rules. I WILL be releasing two vamp books this year, and possibly another book. And nothing is going to stop me short of death!

My Moonbug

Posted on by Jinxie G

Most of you know that I had to euthanize Moon last Friday, June 29th, only two months before her 12th birthday. Sadly, this is my reality.

The other reality is that this post may make you tear up. I’m tearing up just writing it, which is why I likely subconsciously put it off until now.

What you may or may not know is that six years and three weeks before this horrible event in my life, I did the same thing with my other two dogs while my ex-husband did the same with our wolf mix. All in the same week. Scully – June 4th (the wolf; she was 10). MacLeod – June 5th (he was 15). K’Lar – June 9th (which was incidentally her 14th birthday). Devastating. The week before my birthday. People don’t understand how I stayed sane.

Well, I haven’t really been sane for quite some time now. My birthday the following week ended up being a three-day celebration.

And last Friday took another notch off my sanity after quite a bit of it shattered over the past three and a half years, which is peppered all over this blog, so I don’t need to explain that. The last of my pack is now gone. There isn’t another dog or any type of pet in the house (unless you count the crickets) to help ease the pain like Moon did for me six years ago. I don’t want another one right now.

I somehow managed another three-day celebration, this time for Moon’s life.

I made the choice because Moon’s back legs were getting worse. It’d reached the point where not only was I helping her stand up, but I also had to help her lie down so she wouldn’t hit the ground so hard. She could still walk, for the most part, but her legs were bowing outward and unstable ground was not her friend. I made the choice for her. If you’ve ever owned a pet, you understand what I’m talking about.

Umi and I are both completely overwhelmed by the show of support from all of you. Umi is especially blown away by the support of friends whom I have never met in person. She doesn’t understand it, much like she doesn’t understand the zombie stuff, but that’s okay. We’ll just smile and nod.

So I thank you, dear friends, for the support, for buying jewelry from me so I could afford the whole thing and get Moon’s ashes. I’m not certain you really understand how important it was to me that you bought items I made rather than donated the cash. It made me feel good because I worked for it. Thank you!

Goodbye, my darling Moonbug. I feel your presence when I walk through the room. I hear your voice as you try to get my attention. And I still cry when I look over the edge of my bed in the morning and don’t see you there. I love you, child o’ mine.

Skylar Moon
August 28, 2000 – June 29, 2012