M.A. Leslie

UPDATES!

2012-02-15T09:37:00.001-05:00

Happy belated Valentines Day everyone! Mike and I had a very quiet night at home. We found a new butcher in our area and bought amazing filets. I fed the kids early and sent them upstairs for the night after Mike got home. We had a quiet dinner and watched TV together without the constant Mommy and Daddy in the background. It was a great last Valentines Day in our house since it looks like our house has been sold YAY!!

It’s not final yet, and it has been a very quick and stress full process. We have inspections this week and a settlement date for the middle of March. While I will miss our house and the 3 blocks to the beach, I will not miss the summer traffic and the new house has a great yard and is in the neighborhood I grew up in. We know most of the neighbors already and I feel safe letting the kids out to play and ride bikes.

Hoping everything goes through and let the fun of packing begin!
Also GO GIANTS! In case you didn't know our family are HUGE GIANTS fans!

Finally a Sequel

2012-01-30T06:00:00.002-05:00

Last year, in March, Amy and I released our first self published book, Tristen and the Magic Shop. It's a Middle Grade story that was written more for our kids than anything. As I think we've told you before, they really took an interest in the writing process and the stories we were telling, unfortunately they were too adult for them. So, to amend the issue we wrote about Tristen.

Well the book was fun to write and the outcome was exactly what we had hoped for, our children enjoyed being able to read something we wrote. Now, as of Saturday, we are gladly able to say that they are able to read yet another adventure for Tristen, Tristen and the Whining of the Wind.

I am debating on whether we should have another Book Release Blog Party - would anybody be interested? If so, we can have one later this week or the start of next week. We could consider this the soft open to the grand opening.

I guess that after looking back from March of 2010 to now and thinking about the way that life is sculpting itself to be, I guess things really do happen for a reason. I am thankful for all of the friends we have made along the way on the beginning of our writing journey and can't wait to meet the ones that are yet to come. Thank you for being a part of our lives, our writing, and teaching us so much. Each of you has inspired us in your own way to keep doing this.

How would we know what a smooth ride feels like, if we've never gone down a bumpy road?

A. Things are Kinda Looking Up!

2012-01-25T09:39:00.000-05:00

Mike's heath is doing good thanks to a chiropractor. He has been feeling great! He started a new job that he loves and it is so good to see him happy again. He is driving himself to work again, which has me worried but he feels his healt issues are behind him and I have to believe he would know that better then anyone.

Cameron's health on the other hand is going through a rough spot. His JRA has flared and now is affecting his hip. This means more test, more Dr.'s visit and maybe even more surgery. He is losing weight again and we are not sure why at the moment. He is already a small kid and really can't afford to lose weight. He is getting the sunking in look back. Its really scary to see this. We thought we had things under control. His doctors are great though so I know they will get him back on track.

Our writing has kind of taking a back seat. We are still writing just not at the pace we were. The Missing is so far our top selling book and I am very happy with the reviews we are getting.

So things are looking up with a few bumps along the the way but that is excepted.

M. Rest

2012-01-21T14:04:00.000-05:00

Have you ever taken time off, just because you find that instead of writing - you need sleep?

Most of our writing is done by candlelight, much like most of you. From about 9 to 10 until around 12, is when most of our writing takes place. You know why kids, work, and just life in general.

Every once and a while though, for about a week or two, we just need to take a break and get some sleep. Well, the last week or two have been our sleep weeks and I'm thinking that it's time to get back to writing.

How often do you take off from writing? When you do take off, how long do you allow yourself to rest? Do you think it helps? - I think it does.

M. Luck!

2012-01-16T07:30:00.000-05:00

Hey everyone,

Just wanted to pop by and let you all know. We haven't been ignoring our blog, instead, life has been back to insane again. But in a good way.

In the last week, I started at a new position up the road from home and it has made for quite a bit more traveling for us. If that wasn't enough, we have the kids going to an activity four out of five week nights. There just hasn't been time to stop in and blog. Of course, like all things we do in our lives, it is just going to get worse (BETTER), Amy is also starting back at a new/old job.

So here I am, telling you that we are still around and still working on our 4th self published release. It is just becoming more difficult to hit the blogging. Not that that's a bad thing, we could use a stint of some good luck.

@maleslie11

2012-01-10T06:14:00.002-05:00

That's our twitter tag name, what's yours?

It's pretty funny, but a few years ago, maybe even less then a year ago I was not going to use twitter. There was no way, no how that I would find myself Tweeting.

Ha, so much for that. I really enjoy using Twitter, but Amy still isn't too keen with it, but I think it is one of the greatest ways for people to communicate, network, and find great books.

Twitter has become a great source to connect with other authors, readers, reviewers, bloggers, and just about any other crazy or cool person we want to meet.

To use Twitter, you have to use another language - it's like texting, but not quite the same. Somethings have #tags and everyone is an @something. Instead of using the word you, you say u. That way u don't use up the 140 characters that u get when u tweet. Yeah, imagine that, I say things in 140 characters or less.

If you haven't checked out Twitter, give it a shot. Our tag is at the top and if you are already on Twitter or if you are going to join, post your tag and we will follow.

LET THE TWEETING BEGIN!!!

Oh and as is customary for all Tweeps, here are some of the people we follow. Please give them a look and a follow.

@HilyBee
@stuffmikewrites
@paulanthonyspen
@LGSmith12
@WilliamDeen
@susankayequinn
@melcom1
@heidirubymiller
@FuelOnline
@Dearharts
@JamiGrayAuthor
@RickGualtieri
@Raine_Thomas
@ByDennisSheehan
@PaulHenry5
@ePrintedBooks
@ShelleyBuck
@MikeWellsAuthor
@LoriWilsonNBC

That's not everyone, but it's a good start!

HELP!!!

2012-01-09T15:31:00.000-05:00

Calling all bloggers, readers, writers, reviewers, and book lovers, we need your help.

As many of you know we have a 9-year-old son and a 7-year-old daughter. Well, thanks to their wonderful grandma, they both have Kindles. The problem we are facing is this, our daughter, Abbi is in 2nd grade, but reading at a 5th grade reading level. She has out grown all of her chapter books and is now tearing through anything she can get her hands on.

We need book recommendations - and fast! So please get the word out there to all that have read, written, and loved middle grade books, we need some possible downloads. Traditional or self-published is fine, we are just trying to find books that are written at a level that will keep her attention, but are age appropriate.

If you know anyone, send them our way, if you know a book, please post it in the comment field.

M. Celebrate the Small Stuff

2012-01-06T09:10:00.000-05:00

A dream is nothing more than a step not yet taken.

Writers, above most others, are impossible dreamers. We daydream and imagine worlds, characters, events, and lives that only exist in our minds and on the paper we write them on. Have you ever thought of how amazing that is?

There are some people that we have met out there that have asked us, "Wow, how do you guys do that?"

The answer is easy, now that I think about it. We decided to take that step and allow people to join us in our lives and the stories we tell. It was always our dream to write, both of us. Without even realizing it, we've allowed ourselves to become writers.

The other day, on Twitter, we had a writer that was just gettting started ask us a question. It was the first time we were asked the question and it was a question we've both asked before. "Do you have any advice for an aspiring writer?"

I had to laugh. I think that we've asked many of you the same question and now in the driver's seat, I responded with the only answer that made sense. I told him that he should just keep writing, no matter what.

It was the best advice that we've been given thus far and I figured, (Sorry Cliche Works Here) if it ain't broke, don't fix it.

We still have a long way to go, but today is one of those days where you sit back and reflect on how far we've already gotten. I still see us as aspiring, sort of, but we aren't aspiring as much as we were aspiring when we started this blog. Join us as we celebrate the small stuff, do you ever celebrate small accomplishments?

M. LOL Typos

2012-01-05T10:20:00.000-05:00

Typos can really annoy the hell out of me, but after reading this AutoCorrect link, I now believe they can be hilarious. Amy and I have been reading this link together and I am literally laughing uncontrollably. You have to read it, just know, Autocorrect texts are perverted.

Review!

2012-01-04T10:20:00.000-05:00

Today our book is going to be featured on Novel D'Tales. It's a great blog about using your kindle, reading, and book reviews.

After some time of using Twitter, we came to meet @HilyBee, she's a person that is always there for a RT (Repeating and spreading the word about what you tweeted, for the none Tweeters). She's the person behind the blog and has just finished reading our book The Missing.

As most of you know, there was that moment of apprehension when she finished - will she love it or hate it? Well the good news is, she loved it and is posting a review on her blog as her first review of the year!!!

Please, stop by and check out her blog, give her a follow if you're interested in finding out about new books. Thank you Hilary, we appreciate your review and are beyond glad that you enjoyed it.

M. 2012

2012-01-03T13:10:00.000-05:00

Here we are, 2012! It's already the third day of the year and we have already had some outstanding changes.

Well maybe not changes, but some nice signs of change. After barrading the local papers with emails to their HR reps and trying to get more experience writing, I got a bite. It looks like I will have the opportunity to do some freelance for a local paper and it is exciting.

If that wasn't enough, New Year's Eve, we had someone come out and look at the house to buy it. They seemed to love it and we hope they will want to buy it. If they do that, we get to move!

I am still looking for employment, but on New Year's Day, I received a call from a guy that worked for one of my old vendors. Apparently, he is a consultant now and is pushing to get me a job in a few places.

If that wasn't enough, we have had more success with The Missing than any of the other books and just seeing books sell is exciting.

We both feel that 2012 is going to be our break away year. It is going to be the year that we find success, whether it's with health, writing, careers, or financially - something is going to turn out great this year.

Here's to a great 2012, I hope that you all are having as great a year as we are so far!!!!

Indie Book Fair

2012-01-02T07:00:00.002-05:00

Did you find a new Kindle, Nook, or iPad under the Christmas tree? Browse the Indie Book Fair and find a new ebook to break in that reader!

These great new books were released Nov 2011-Feb 2012 by Indie authors, priced right so that taking a chance on a new author doesn’t have to break your wallet. (Check out my previous Internet Book Fair for other great Indie finds.)

[Indie = self-published or small-publisher, for the purposes of this post, because no matter how we’re published, we’re all in this together, trying to get the word out about our books]

Note: Links are given for Amazon, but most authors publish across all e-book formats. Click on the author’s name for additional purchasing options, including paper copies.

For Your Browsing Pleasure

Contemporary (Adult)

Build a Man by Talli Roland (Chick Lit)

Slave to the rich, rude and deluded, cosmetic surgery receptionist Serenity Holland longs for the day she's a high-flying tabloid reporter. Unfortunately, every pitch she sends out disappears like her clients' liposuctioned fat, never to be seen again. Then she meets Jeremy Ritchie -- the hang-dog man determined to be Britain's Most Eligible Bachelor by making himself over from head to toe and everything in between -- giving Serenity a story no editor could resist. With London's biggest tabloid on board and her very own column tracking Jeremy's progress from dud to dude, Serenity is determined to be a success, even going undercover to gain intimate access to Jeremy's life. But when Jeremy's surgery goes drastically wrong and Serenity is ordered to cover all the car-crash goriness, she must decide how far she really will go for her dream job. $0.99 on Amazon

The Golden Sky by Elisa
Hirsch (Memoir)

The night I met Cade I never would’ve thought that two years later, after we were homeless street musicians in Hawaii, we would have a little girl and another baby on the way. Our son was born with the type of birth defects that make televangelists cringe. The “death home” gave him a really nice funeral, the kind I’d never wished to attend. We lost it after that, totally cemented in our grief. Cade got into drugs, joined a rock and roll band, and I kicked him out of the house. That was how I met: Earl (an old man and unlikely best friend), the “big sag” (a middle aged woman who still flashed folks), Todda (the stripper next door), and Chris (a cowboy who fell in love with me). It wasn’t until I killed a rogue skunk, and my daughter nearly choked on a fry, that I gave my husband another chance. But could our marriage recover from the death of our son? $2.99 onAmazon

Someone Else’s Fairytale by E.M. Tippetts (Contemporary Romance)

Jason Vanderholt is the hottest actor under thirty with legions of screaming fans. Chloe Winters is a college student who hasn't gotten around to watching most of his movies. When they meet by chance, he is smitten, but it just isn't her fairytale. In fact, it could be her worst nightmare as her past, attracted by the bright lights of the media, comes back to haunt her. $0.99 on Amazon

Historical Romance
(Adult)

The Duke’s Divorce by Anne Gallagher Available late January 2012

A simple trip to the Scottish Highlands finds the Duke of Cantin with a bride he does not want. With her impeccable beauty and fiery disposition, Fiona takes Society by storm. As their prearranged divorce proceedings draw near, can Fiona change his mind? Check author's website.

Literary Fiction

String Bridge by Jessica Bell

Greek cuisine, smog and domestic drudgery was not the life Australian musician, Melody, was expecting when she married a Greek music promoter and settled in Athens, Greece. Keen to play in her new shoes, though, Melody trades her guitar for a 'proper' career and her music for motherhood. That is, until she can bear it no longer and plots a return to the stage—and the person she used to be. However, the obstacles she faces along the way are nothing compared to the tragedy that awaits ... $6.99 on Amazon ALSO: Music Sample!

Mystery

Sherwood Ltd. by Anne R. Allen

Sherwood. The name immediately conjures up images of Richard Greene, Michael Praed and Russell Crowe. Or maybe that sly fox in the Disney version. Only, in Anne R. Allen's latest rom-com mystery the fox is a coyote and there's no Robin Hood. Or is there? In her usual inimitable fashion Allen peels back the layers, one hilarious subplot after another, until you just never know what's real and what's not. Rather like the Robin Hood legend. When the Manners Doctor, Camilla Randall, flies into Robin Hood airport with a suitcase in one hand and a book contract in the other she thinks she's leaving all her problems behind and is about to start a new life. If you look very carefully you may just spot the Sheriff of Nottingham, Maid Marian and even Little John hidden away. But as for Robin Hood
himself... You'll just have to read it and find out. $2.99 on Amazon

Short Stories and Anthologies

The Initiate (Cloud Prophet Trilogy) by Megg Jensen (YA Fantasy)

Over a thousand years ago, the gods left Eloh's people and took their magic with them. To win back their favor, her people sacrifice ten female initiates every ten years. No has ever survived. There has never been a Chosen One. Forced into becoming an initiate, Eloh will try to find a way to beat the odds, stay with her boyfriend, and survive the fires that threaten to consume her. But will her lack of faith in the gods and her disbelief in their magic doom her to a painful death? $0.99 on Amazon

Eight by Karly Kirkpatrick (YA Paranormal Short Story Collection)

Prepare to be thrilled and chilled by Kirkpatrick's eight short tales in EIGHT. These eight stories, while short, pack a big punch. There are demon spirits, zombies, and even some human baddies. Each story comes complete with author's commentary. It also includes the previously unreleased short Grenades. $0.99 on Amazon

{CoverComingSoon} In His Eyes by The Indelibles (YA Anthology) - Available February 14th

Just in time for Valentines Day, The Indelibles bring you a one-of-a-kind young adult anthology! Twenty original short stories, all from the point of view of our favorite male characters - some are old flames from our novels and some were dreamed up especially for this anthology. Let these imminently crushable, swoon-worthy guys show you what romance looks like – in his eyes. Add to Goodreads TBR

The contributors to IN HIS EYES include award winners, frequent “Top 100” placers, and hot 2011 debut authors: S.R. Wells, C.K. Bryant, Elle Strauss, Susan Kaye Quinn, Jessie Harrell, Magan Vernon, Lisa Nowak, Heather McCorkle, RaShelle Workman, Ali Cross, Karen Amanda Hooper, Cory Putman Oakes, Laura Pauling, Stacey Wallace Benefiel, Sarra Cannon, Katie Klein, Cheri Lasota

Transcendent: Tales of the Paranormal byLani Woodland, Melonie Piper, Rita Webb, Wendy Swore, Melanie Marks, Heather McCubbin and Evan Joseph (YA Anthology)

Discover the secrets of a siren, fly with a hawk girl over the mountains of Montana, and flee supernatural party-crashers as the décor comes to life in this magical journey through paranormal stories. Along the way, watch for ghosts in a haunted house, or ride through the moonlight with a stranger. Save a comatose boy who has lost his soul, and don’t forget to bring your garlic and wolfsbane—you never know when the shadows will snag you. Transcendent includes eight stories of magic, love, death, and choice by some of the newest names in young adult fiction. $0.99 on Amazon

Young Adult

Open Minds by Susan Kaye Quinn (Paranormal/Science Fiction)

When everyone reads minds, a secret is a dangerous thing to keep. Sixteen-year-old Kira Moore is a zero, someone who can’t read thoughts or be read by others. Zeros are outcasts who can’t be trusted, leaving her no chance with Raf, a regular mindreader and the best friend she secretly loves. When she accidentally controls Raf’s mind and nearly kills him, Kira tries to hide her frightening new ability from her family and an increasingly suspicious Raf. But lies tangle around her, and she’s dragged deep into a hidden world of mindjackers, where having to mind control everyone she loves is just the beginning of the deadly choices before her. $2.99 on Amazon

Bound by C.K. Bryant (Paranormal Romance)

When a photo shoot ends in tragedy, Kira discovers her best friend, Lydia,has been keeping a secret. Knowing the truth, and accepting it, will change Kira’s life forever and thrust her into a world of ancient curses, magical objects, and savage enemies. What happens next will challenge everything Kira knows about her world, herself and the shape-shifting warrior she’s falling in love with. No longer the timid mouse her mother accused her of being, but a woman who finds the mental and physical strength to endure and survive. $3.99 on Amazon

Become by Ali Cross (YA Urban Fantasy)

Sixteen-year old Desolation Black wants nothing more than to stay in Hell where it’s cold and lonely and totally predictable. Instead, she’s sent back to Earth where she Becomes the evil she despises and the good she always feared. When Desi is forced to embrace her inner demon, she assumes her Choice has been made—that she has no hope of being anything other than what her father, Lucifer, has created her to be. What she doesn’t count on, is a reason to want to change—something she’s never had before—a friend. $3.99 on Amazon

Exiled by RaShelle Workman (YA SF Romance)

Worlds divided them. Chance brought them together. Only love will save them.

An alien princess exiled to Earth. An arrogant boy. One week to get back to her planet or she'll die. And, her only chance for survival? She must help the boy find his soul mate. Piece of cake! $0.99 on Kindle

The Secret of Spruce
Knoll by Heather McCorkle (Urban Fantasy)

Following the tragic death of her parents, Eren Donovan moves to Spruce Knoll to live with an aunt she’s never met. Little does Eren know the entire town of Spruce Knoll is filled with “channelers”—a magical group of people who immigrated to the small Colorado town when they were driven out of their own lands. Channelers are tied to the fate of the world. As the world slowly dies, so do they—and they alone have the power to stop the destruction of Earth. Soon, Eren learns she not only lives among them, but she is one. When she meets local boy Aiden, his charm convinces her that being a channeler may not be all bad though. $4.99 on Amazon

Destined by Jessie Harrell (Retelling)

When Psyche receives a prophecy gone horribly wrong, she learns that even the most beautiful girl in Greece can have a hideous future. Her fate? Fall in love with the one creature even the gods fear. As she feels herself slipping closer into the arms of the prophecy, Psyche must choose between the terrifyingly tender touch she feels almost powerless to resist and the one constant she's come to expect out of life: you cannot escape what is destined. $0.99 on Amazon

Darkspell by Elizabeth Mueller (Paranormal Romance)

Winter Sky believes she is everything ordinary . . . until she is kissed by Alex Stormhold. As seer of Stormhold Coven, Alex is sworn to be Winter’s protector against the darkness that hunts her. Violently thrust into a magickal realm she always thought impossible, she stumbles upon a disturbing secret of her own. Will love prove thicker than magick? $3.99 on Amazon

Untraceable by S. R. Johannes (Thriller)

Grace has lived in the Smokies all her life, patrolling with her forest ranger father who taught her about wildlife, tracking, and wilderness survival. When her dad goes missing on a routine patrol, Grace refuses to believe he’s dead and fights the town authorities, tribal officials, and nature to find him. One day, while out tracking clues, Grace is rescued from danger by Mo, a hot guy with an intoxicating accent and a secret. As her feelings between him and her ex-boyfriend get muddled, Grace travels deep into the wilderness to escape and find her father. Along the way, Grace learns terrible secrets that sever relationships and lives. Soon she’s enmeshed in a web of conspiracy, deception, and murder. And
it’s going to take a lot more than a compass and a motorcycle (named Lucifer) for this kick-butting heroine to save everything she loves. $0.99 on Amazon

Rival Demons (Book 5 of the Peachville High Demons Series) by Sarra Cannon (Paranormal Romance) Available January 20th

After narrowly escaping death at the hands of the Order of Shadows, Harper finds herself thrust into the strange and beautiful world of the shadow demons. But crossing through the portal doesn't mean she is safe. The Order of Shadows is determined to bring her home and transfer the Prima line to the Harris family. They send their most vicious hunters after Harper. Hunters who will not stop until they have found their prey. Determined to keep her safe, Jackson takes her deep into an underground world filled with dangers of its own. Here, Harper will begin a journey that will teach her more about herself and her own path than she ever imagined possible. Add to Goodreads TBR

The Legend of Victor Standish: Under a Voodoo Moon by Roland D. Yeomans (Urban Fantasy/Romance)

Can love kill? Yes ... if you love a ghoul who hungers for your flesh only slightly less than she does your heart. Yet to the lonely street orphan Victor Standish, who has risked his life for a meal, to find love (even for one magical French Quarter night) is worth dying in the morning. $2.99 on Amazon All profits go to the Salvation Army.

Getting Sideways (Book 2 in the Full Throttle Series) by Lisa Nowak (Contemporary)

Getting shipped off to live with his uncle Race was the best thing that ever happened to fifteen-year-old Cody. Then a wreck at the speedway nearly ruined everything. Cody’s making every effort to get his life back on track—writing for the school paper, searching for the perfect girlfriend, and counting the days until he gets his drivers’ license—but there’s no escaping the nightmares that haunt him. A chance to build his own car seems like the perfect distraction. Until Cody realizes he’ll have to live up to Race’s legendary status. But that’s the least of his worries, considering he doesn’t have his dad’s permission. All he has to do is the impossible: keep Race from discovering his lie until he can convince his dad that racing’s safe. Yeah, sure. That’ll be easy. $3.99 on Amazon

Tangled Tides by Karen Hooper (Sea Monster Memoirs)

Yara Jones doesn’t believe in sea monsters—until she becomes one. When a hurricane hits her island home and she wakes up with fins, Yara finds herself tangled up in an underwater world of mysterious merfolk and secretive selkies. Both sides believe Yara can save them by fulfilling a broken promise and opening the sealed gateway to their realm, but they are battling over how it should be done. The selkies want to take her life. The merfolk want something far more precious. Treygan, the stormy-eyed merman who turned Yara mer, will stop at nothing and sacrifice everything to protect his people—until he falls for Yara.
The tides turn as Yara fights to save herself, hundreds of sea creatures, and the merman who has her heart. She could lose her soul in the process—or she might open the gateway to a love that’s deeper than the oceans. $4.99 on Amazon

Here by Denise Grover Swank (SF Romance)

Sixteen year old Julia Phillips buries herself in guilt after killing her best friend Monica in a car accident. Julia awoke in the hospital with a broken leg, a new talent for drawing and false memories of the accident, in which she dies and Monica lives. The doctors attribute this to her head injury, but no one can explain how a bracelet engraved with her name ended up at the scene of the accident. A bracelet no one has ever seen before. Classmate Evan Whittaker paid Julia no attention before the accident, let alone after. Now suddenly he’s volunteering to tutor her and offering to drive her home. She can't ignore that his new obsession started after his two-day disappearance last week and that he wears a pendant she’s been drawing for months. When the police show up one night looking for Evan, he begs Julia to run with him, convincing her that Monica is still alive. Julia agrees to go, never guessing where he’s really from. $2.99 on Amazon

The Veil by Cory
Putman Oakes (Paranormal Romance)

Seventeen-year-old Addison Russell is in for a shock when she discovers that she can see the invisible world of the Annorasi. Suddenly, nothing is as it appears to be—the house she lives in, the woman who raised her, even the most beautiful boy in town all turn out to be more than what they seem. And when this strange new world forces Addy to answer for a crime that was committed long ago, by parents she has never known, she has no choice but to trust Luc, the mysterious Annorasi who has been sent to protect her. Or so he says . . . $7.99 on Amazon

Embrace by Cherie Colyer (Paranormal Romance)

Madison is familiar enough with change, and she hates everything about it. Change took her long-term boyfriend away from her. It caused one of her friends to suddenly hate her. It’s responsible for the death of a local along with a host of other mysterious happenings. But when Madison meets a hot new guy, she thinks her luck is about to improve. Madison is instantly drawn to the handsome and intriguing Isaac Addington. She quickly realizes he’s a guy harboring a secret, but she’s willing to risk the unknown to be with him. Her world really spins out of control, however, when her best friend becomes delusional, seeing things that aren’t there and desperately trying to escape their evil. When the doctors can’t find the
answers, Madison seeks her own. Nothing can prepare her for what she is about to discover. $6.99 on Amazon

Onyx Talisman by Brenda Pandos (Paranormal Romance)

Unrest stirs deep in Scotts Valley. Filled with uncertainty, Julia anxiously awaits Nicholas’ return. Phil, holds the pieces of Julia’s fragile psyche together, secretly hoping Nicholas stays away forever. But Alora secretly conspires to reclaim her talisman and strip Julia of
everything she holds dear. Little do they know, a war is coming and more than one vampire would like to see the Prince of Vampires overthrown. Can Julia bargain with fate? Find out how it all ends in this explosive grand finale of The Talisman Trilogy. $3.99 on Amazon

How to Date an Alien by Magan Vernon (Science Fiction)

High school senior Alex Bianchi's estranged father gets her an internship at Circe Operations Center to pad her college applications. But Circe isn't your typical military base. It's an alien-run operation center and not all of the aliens are friendly, especially the one that tries to kill Alex on her first day. When Ace, a dark-eyed Caltian, enters and saves the day, she can't help but be drawn to him. Can these star-crossed lovers survive when they're on the brink of intergalactic war? $2.99 on Amazon

Fireseed One by Catherine Stine (Science Fiction/Thriller)

Fireseed One is a journey into a tricked-out near-future earth where 18 year-old Varik has inherited a vast ocean farm, following the suspicious drowning of his Marine biologist father. When Marisa, a beautiful and devious terrorist, destroys the world's food source, Varik is forced to travel to a lethal hotzone, teeming with dangerous nomads and a strange cult to search for a magical hybrid plant that may not even exist. The catch? He must take Marisa along, the only person who seems to know way, way too much key information. $2.99 on Amazon

The Missing by M.A. Leslie (Paranormal)

Eight-year-old, Ethan Doyle is just a normal kid whose biggest problem in life was to fight for the attention of his busy parents from his older twin siblings. But, after his aunt and uncle tragically die, his family takes in his teenage cousin, Kelsey, and moves to a spooky old, manor house in a new town. At first, everything seems fine, but when he begins to see and speak to a spirit named Lucas, his biggest problem becomes, just staying alive. Lucas was ten years old when the spirits of the house came to him and asked him for help setting their spirits free. Unfortunately, he never made the deadline and as a result the spirits took him and made him a part of the house as well. As he soon finds out, the only way he can save his own soul is to save the souls of the missing boys in the house. With his own deadline in place, Ethan enlists the help of his cousin Kelsey to solve the twenty-year-old mystery of THE MISSING. $0.99 on Amazon

Princess Kandake by Stephanie Jefferson (Fantasy) Available February 1, 2012

In Nubia a woman can be whatever she chooses. At 14, Kandake knows exactly what she chooses...Prime Warrior of Nubia. But her grandmother has said that she will follow her father on the throne. Refusing to abandon her warrior dreams she continues to train. When her brother is kidnapped, Kandake learns she must be both queen and warrior to win his release! See Author's Website

Middle Grade

Blink of a Dragon by Eisley Jacobs (Fantasy)

Discovering she’s connected to dragons is one thing, but when another dragon is caught hanging out in the fifth grade, Meia thinks things couldn’t get any worse. Is she ever wrong! Trouble is brewing in the cosmos and Deglan believes this new dragon holds the answers, but his hopes are crushed when the leader of the exiled dark dragons ambushes them. The fate of the dragons and possibly the whole world falls to Deglan and Meia as they
search for the only creature powerful enough to send the dark dragons back into the abyss. What they encounter along the way makes the adventure worth fighting for. $6.99

Paperback preorder

2011-12-24T15:57:00.000-05:00

This has to be one of the cutest pictures that was ever taken with our camera. This is our daughter Abbi, who you've seen before, reading to one of our twin nephews, Calob. The best part of being a family that loves reading and writing is seeing our kids take on the same love for books.

Even better, is when one of our very own is passing down the tradition with "Twas the Night Before Christmas." She has been reading the book, a few times a day, for the past few months and probably could tell the entire story without the book at this point. She just decided that day, that her baby cousin needed to hear it.

I hope everyone has a blessed holiday and because we won't be posting tomorrow; MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

M. The Holiday Season

2011-12-21T12:53:00.000-05:00

I am sure that all of you have heard the song called, THE HOLIDAY SEASON. It goes like this:

It's the holiday season, so whoop-De-do and dickery dock....and don't forget to hang up your sock!

So have you ever heard it? Well it has become our motto this year, at least the Whoop-De-do part. Amy and I walk around the house, the store, and just about anywhere. If one of us starts the song with: It's the holiday season, the other says So Whoop-De-Do!

Not that we both don't love the holiday season, it's just that this year sucks compared to what we are used to. We have been doing our best to get into the XMAS spirit, but this year is a little harder then most. The good thing is that this song has become therapeutic.

You would think that every time we say it, it would remind us of how much we aren't in the spirit, but the opposite effect is taking place. Every time one of us says the Whoop-De-do, we get a smile on our face and feel somewhat better. Kind of like a personal protest to letting it get to us.

I think in years to come, when life is going great and we are busy overdoing it during the holiday season, the song will come on and remind us. Not of how bad this year was, but to appreciate what we have. Because, even though life isn't what we want it to be right now, we have what's important; each other, our children, and our health. The rest will follow.

Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer

2011-12-20T06:48:00.001-05:00

Here is a holiday song and message from our kids, Cameron and Abbi, to you. Enjoy... hope it helps with the holiday spirit.

P.S. Filmed with Amy's birthday present!

M. Happy Birthday.... To Amy!!!!!

2011-12-19T06:30:00.001-05:00

Good morning writing friends,

I just wanted to take a moment and wish the love of my life a happy birthday! That's right, today is Amy's birthday and she is 31 (Finally caught up to me). I hope that I can make her day a great one and really hope she enjoys her gifts.

Stop in and wish her a happy day.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY AMY!!!

2011-12-15T06:36:00.000-05:00

How would you like a chance to win a copy of our newest release?

Goodreads Book Giveaway

The Missing

by M.A. Leslie

Giveaway ends December 24, 2011.
See the giveaway details
at Goodreads.

Enter to win

M. A Weed or a Flower?

2011-12-13T07:00:00.001-05:00

The other night, my wife and I had to take our daughter, Abbi, to a class for her first holy communion. It was more of a meeting – dinner included – and a presentation. To say the least, the evening didn’t start off well and we will leave that for another story.

What struck us as important was, during the presentation, a Priest that neither of us has ever heard spoke. Now for anyone that has ever been to church or a church function, you say, “Of course he spoke, they always speak.” The difference was that this time I really listened.

It was more relevant to our situation than anything else we have heard lately that it made me wonder if there really is someone listening. The main point that he brought was, “You have to embrace the bad times in life to be able to cherish the good ones.”

In a nutshell he was telling us all to take the good with the bad. Not every moment in your life is going to be great; otherwise you would never recognize a great moment.

So what right?

In the past few years, life has been on a bit of a downward trend. I became ill in March of 2010, got better for some time, got ill again, changed careers (Thinking I would have a job even when I was ill), lost my job, Amy and Cameron having surgery, and all of the insane life changes and moments that have been happening.

I sometimes feel that my life has been riddled with dandelions. But, if you really think about it, what is a dandelion, other then a flower. It’s bright, yellow, and gentle – some may call it a weed, but I am beginning to think that is what he was talking about. Look at all of the weeds of life and see them as nothing more then a plant or a flower.

If I was to think of it that way, I would see, I became ill, but started writing with the love of my life, I was able to spend time with her unlike before. I am able to see more of my children – play with them, read to them, do homework with them, see them, go to school plays, sporting events – because I am not stuck at work.

Even more so, I know that I have been ill, but lately I have felt much better. I haven’t had any symptoms lately and feel and pray that this may have passed.

So, I have some beautiful flowers in my life right now and will take the time to enjoy how they look. Yeah to the next guy, they may be the weeds of life, but to me they just make the lawn look prettier.

M. Cookie Day Again

2011-12-11T09:11:00.001-05:00

For those of you that were with us last year, you know just how important Cookie Day is to me. To all of our new readers, "IT IS COOKIE DAY!" Get excited - it just puts us one step closer to Christmas (a very important step)!

Every year, Amy and her sister Tammy get together and do absolutely nothing, except for make Xmas cookies. It's a family tradition that has been in place for longer then we have been married and one of my favorites.

I don't necessarily get involved in too much of the cooking making, I do in the cookie consumption. But who can blame me, there are so many to choose from. I am more of a pinch hitter that sits back and is only called in when needed. My son and daughter, however, are both going to get their hands in the dough more this year than any other year. They are both to an age where some of the work involved is going to fall on them to get their piece of the tradition.

The good news is that even though we are experiencing a tight year this year, unemployment, slow book sales, and bills that never desist - we are keeping our tradition alive. I know that something great is going to happen in our lives soon, so why spend the rough times miserable. Instead we are revealing in the fact that we have more time together then most people get.

I hope all of you have a great Sunday and holiday season. Is there a family or personal tradition that is a must do for you during the holiday season?

REINDEER COOKIES!

SOMEWHERE UNDER THERE IS OUR DINING ROOM TABLE.

M. School Visit

2011-12-09T08:36:00.000-05:00

Today we are going to the Wildwood Middle School to talk to the kids about reading and writing. You never know what to expect at one of these events, but we are excited.

One of the teachers has been trying to get us into the school for about a year and just recently, she told us it worked. So, here we go. I'm not really sure what we are going to talk about, aside from the obvious and hopefully it isn't seen as a boring rambling session.

I guess we will give an introduction and let the kids field some questions. Should be fun, especially because I coach some of the kids in football and they have no idea that we wrote books. I think it will be an interesting surprise.

Wish us luck and know, I still get butterflies in my stomach when going to middle school, probably more now.

The Winner

2011-12-01T15:41:00.000-05:00

Thank you everyone that has helped us with the release of THE MISSING. So far it has been fairly successful and if anything, quite a bit of fun.

But, with all contests there has to be a winner and that person has been chosen.

To let you know, we left the choice up to our 9-year-old son, he was given the numbers 1-2-3-4. Once he had all of the choices, it was up to him to pick.

His choice was 3 - which translated to Suzanne Finnegan from The Supernaturally Blog.

Again, thank you everyone that helped us on Twitter, Facebook, and their Blogs. We appreciate all of your help and look forward to everyone enjoying the book!

A. Busy Weekend!

2011-11-28T10:17:00.000-05:00

Along with getting The Missing ready for release, Mike and I spent the long weekend cleaning and getting our house ready to go on the market. I love our house and we have lived there since our first born was 7 weeks old. There are a lot of great memories.

So why are we thinking about moving. We live in Wildwood , NJ a complete resort town, which again I love. We have found a house in the neighborhood that I grew up in that has a yard and is on the same street as my parents, my work and my grandmother. Where we are at now there is really no place outside for the kids to play or ride bikes. This house has it all plus family right around the corner. It wouldn't be a far move only about 10 mins. It isn't a sure thing yet.

Getting the house ready to be shown was hard work and made think about if we do move how much work that's going to be. I am excited and nervous all at the same time. The kids really want to move. I hope for their sake it does happen and fast, but you never know.

The Missing Release Party and CONTEST!

2011-11-28T07:02:00.002-05:00

The Missing
YA Paranormal Ghost Story

Eight-year-old, Ethan Doyle is just a normal kid whose biggest problem in life was to fight for the attention of his busy parents from his older twin siblings. But, after his aunt and uncle tragically die, his family takes in his teenage cousin, Kelsey, and moves to a spooky old, manor house in a new town.

At first, everything seems fine, but when he begins to see and speak to a spirit named Lucas, his biggest problem becomes, just staying alive.

Lucas was ten years old when the spirits of the house came to him and asked him for help setting their spirits free. Unfortunately, he never made the deadline and as a result the spirits took him and made him a part of the house as well.

As he soon finds out, the only way he can save his own soul is to save the souls of the missing boys in the house. With his own deadline in place, Ethan enlists the help of his cousin Kelsey to solve the twenty-year-old mystery of THE MISSING.

The Missing is now available as an EBook for .99 cents.
Nook - NOW AVAILABLE.
Kindle
Kindle UK
Goodreads

Coming Soon to Paperback!

As a part of our release party, we are attempting to do our best to get the word out about THE MISSING on Twitter, Facebook, and Goodreads. Anyone who Tweets about THE MISSING, who marks it to read on Goodreads, blogs about it, or Links up with the Facebook M.A. Leslie fan page is entered to win a signed copy. If you pledge to do any of the above, just enter your name into the LINKY at the bottom and that will enter you to win. We will be sending 1 Paperback to a lucky winner that will be selected randomly from the LINKY on Thursday 12-01-11.

If you want to Tweet about The Missing, please use hash tag - #TheMissing by @maleslie11
If you are using Facebook, please reference our facebook fan page www.facebook.com/m.a.leslie1
If you want to blog about it link up with this button:

Thank you for everyone, we appreciate everyone helping get the word out about The Missing. Now please enjoy the Epilogue:

Epilogue

I always wondered what my life would have been like if I would have just done what I was supposed to do. My name is Lucas and I am only ten years old, at least that was my age when I died. My past existence was one of leisure and ease; my days were filled with playing and the nuisance of school work. My parents had been a loving couple that stayed together my entire life. The only thing that they seemed to love more than each other was me. Life was definitely excellent for me, but unfortunately it didn’t prepare me in anyway for the inevitable death that I faced.

I remember the last day of my life as if it was only yesterday, I have had ten years to stew on it and recall it. Unfortunately being stuck in the house that I died in hasn’t given me a chance to forget it. It was like any other day that an overly imaginative kid filled with adventure would have. It all started with my normal trip down the two flights of stairs from my bedroom to the breakfast table, to eat with my parents and start my day. My mother had just gotten me new summer clothes the day before and I was wearing one of the blue tee-shirts and jean shorts that she had just gotten me, not because I had to but just to please my mother.

As usual I received a huge loving hug and kiss from my mother and father. They both seemed proud of everything that I did, even when it could be considered dangerous or foolish. They respected my sense of adventure and the imagination that flowed from every pore in my body. Little did they know that some of my imagination had been more than that, it had been truth.

I was sitting at the kitchen table enjoying some cereal filled with bananas and strawberries when my father asked, “What are you going to be doing today son.” He was always interested and intrigued by my daily adventures. Not in an annoying overbearing way, he was just interested.

“I am going to play in the tunnels today with the children,” I was trying to be honest but my parents seemed to see it as imagination. “I have been playing with them for days now. They want me to help them find something.”

“So you’re playing some sort of hide and seek with some imaginary children,” My mother wasn’t as keen on my inability to have real friends or at least what she would consider real friends. She had made several attempts through the years to invite neighborhood children around my age and younger for what she classified as play dates. I unfortunately didn’t take to them as well as she would have liked. Never the less she was still proud of my ability to thrive and be a fun loving, carefree youth.

I gave her a curt shrug and smiled, she always melted with a smile, “After today I will meet up with that girl from the other side of town that you like. I have to go into the tunnels today though. I promised.” I know now that I should have left the tunnels alone but then it seemed like an amazing adventure that I couldn’t pass up.

I finished my breakfast, gave my parents one last kiss and hug, and then left and went outside to the back yard to breath in my last breathe of fresh air in the open sun before heading down to the tunnels. I went down under the wraparound porch then to the entrance to the tunnel in the foundation of the house. The children were waiting for me just inside of the abyss that leads to the tunnels. They had been good to me and played with me for weeks. They seemed to be sad most of the time and always asked me to find something for them, I just never found it and they had never told me what it was. That particular day I followed them in but I wasn’t greeted the same way. The once friendly spirits that had become my companions were now upset with me. They seemed angry and agitated with me for not finding what they needed.

I was standing in the open room that had the door leading to the other tunnels and one of the children provoked me in a way that started to scare me, “I don’t know what you want from me. I don’t know what you need me to find. Please leave me alone, I want my mommy.”

The voices filled my head as if they skipped past my ears and echoed through my skull, “We told you that if you didn’t help us, then we would take you. Your time is up. You should have helped us.”

I wasn’t given a chance to rebuttal their decision, the last thing that I remember of my life was the darkness taking over as I watched the cold iron door close out any existence of light. Then all that remained for me was darkness, cold, and the children.

Later that evening, Lucas’s parents were sitting at the kitchen table staring at his empty place setting with a dinner plate ready for his arrival. They lived in a small safe town with a crime rate lower than most farm towns. They were convinced that their pride and joy was fine, but he had never been late for dinner before and it was now ten o’clock in the evening. It was now time to start worrying.

Lucas’s father called the local sheriff’s office and reported his son missing about a half an hour ago. They sat in the kitchen looking at his empty chair and panic was filling every inch of their coherent thoughts. Lucas’s mother broke the silence and looked at her sulking husband, “How long did the sheriff’s office say it would take for them to get here?”

He had almost missed the words that came out of his wife’s mouth, but some part of his consciousness caught them and he broke his stare from the lonely looking chair, “Huh, oh. They should be here within the next fifteen minutes.”

They both turned back to the kitchen chair and went back to their silence. The only thing interrupting the silence was the funny looking black cat clock hanging on the wall. Lucas had seen it two years ago and had to have one, and like most things Lucas had wanted his parents had bought it for him. His mother looked at the ticking nuisance that hung on the wall and started to cry. She had never wanted the tacky clock with the wide eyes and waging tail, but now it was comforting for her to see.

His father gave her a small smile and said, “He will be fine. We have to keep thinking that he is fine. He is probably out playing around and lost track of time. We have to stay positive.”

She gave him an understanding look but before she could reply a knocking from the front door interrupted her. Together they stood and answered the door. A young sheriff’s deputy was standing in the doorway with an innocent smile and the best comforting look he could muster. Lucas’s mother said, “Please come in officer.”

“Thank you ma’am I am Officer Doyle.” The officer introduced himself as he walked through the door.

The young man couldn’t be more than fifteen years older than their son with baby soft cheeks graced with unevenly growing stubble, but his innocence and boyish tact was what they needed. He went through the normal questions that his training had taught him. Such as, what does he look like, do you have a recent photo, when was the last time you had seen him, and the worst one of all, do you suspect foul play?

Each question was asked with the utmost of care but they all struck Lucas’s parents like a bullet in the heart. His mother was crying within minutes then by the end his father had joined her. The young deputy reassured them that they would do their best to find the missing boy and headed out the front door to begin his search. He Left the two distraught parents to stew on the fact that their son, their golden boy, was missing without a trace or reason.

Introducing "The Missing"

2011-11-25T21:37:00.001-05:00

Sorry everyone,

We have been busy lately with writing and have been neglecting our blogging. Sorry, but the exciting news is that it was all for a really great reason. As of Monday, 11-28-11, out YA Paranormal novel The Missing will be released on the Nook and Kindle.

Our excitement is building and we are hoping to get some help from everyone. On Monday, after the Nook and Kindle pages are assigned, we are going to post them and hope that we can get your help to post them too.

So, please keep an eye out for our post and hopefully we can take toTwitter, Facebook, and Goodreads. With your help, maybe we can get the word out and have a great release day. Anybody that stops by on Monday should enter their information into the Linky at the bottom. We are going to be giving one signed copy away!

Of course, we wouldn't tell you all about the book without giving you a taste of what's to come!

Please, check out THE MISSING

Eight-year-old, Ethan Doyle is just a normal kid whose biggest problem in life was to fight for the attention of his busy parents from his older twin siblings. But, after his aunt and uncle tragically die, his family takes in his teenage cousin, Kelsey, and moves to a spooky old, manor house in a new town.

At first, everything seems fine, but when he begins to see and speak to a spirit named Lucas, his biggest problem becomes, just staying alive.

Lucas was ten years old when the spirits of the house came to him and asked him for help setting their spirits free. Unfortunately, he never made the deadline and as a result the spirits took him and made him a part of the house as well.

As he soon finds out, the only way he can save his own soul is to save the souls of the missing boys in the house. With his own deadline in place, Ethan enlists the help of his cousin Kelsey to solve the twenty-year-old mystery of THE MISSING.

M. Urban Mythos

2011-11-18T09:07:00.000-05:00

You Should Read Urban Mythos!

Earlier this week, I finished reading Urban Mythos by Jay Eckert and all I can say is that it was an amazing book.

I first "Internet" met Jay about a year ago, when we started this whole blogging thing. Just from reading his blog and the way that he wrote his posts, I knew that I would love anything he wrote. So, a few months ago, when I found out he was self-publishing his YA novel Urban Mythos, I was one of the first to buy it.

However, as it always does, life got in the way as well as a stack of books that I was already reading. Instead of reading it right away, I let it just stew inside the depths of my computer and wait for me to be ready.

The other day was that day. I picked it up and began to read. Just like most stories that are amazing, I didn't want to put it down. I put off blogging, some writing, and a few hours of sleep. Believe me, it was worth it.

There were great characters, plot twists, turns, and a surprises that I am still shaking my head at. The story, the writing, and the voice did not disappoint. I am glad to have had the opportunity to have gotten to know Jay and read his book. I would recommend it to anybody that loves to read, that is the only prerequisite that is needed to enjoy it.

Please check it out, I promise you won't be disappointed.

Amazon:

Barnes and Nobles:

Jay's Blog: Sharpened Pen

S is for...

2011-11-09T07:40:00.000-05:00

Can anybody believe that we are already to the letter S. It seems like just the other day, we started this blogfest hosted by Aleta and now we are to S.

Well despite the fact that time and letters are flying, here we go, in the grand old state of NJ we have ___ that starts with S.

Sand - With beaches running from the Cape all of the way up the coast toward New York, New Jersey has some of the most beautiful beaches that are filled with gorgeous sand. Unfortunately, due to beach errosion, from tides and storms, the sand has to constantly be put back in place. Either way though, there is nothing better then slipping off your sandals and letting the sand tickle your toes.

Sea Isle City - One of the many shore points in Cape May county, Sea Isle is one of the few islands that we don't frequent. It is known for it's rowdy crowds of college students, down for "Study Time" and bars. I have heard it is a hopping place and the only time I remember even going was to see a friend do his stand up comedy act there.

Seaside Heights - Another shore town on the coast. This one is closer to NY and in Ocean County. Its claim to fame is the reality TV show Jersey Shore.

Shore - We might as well throw in the fact that the entire eastern coast of NJ is what is considered the shore and despite the bad name that Jersey Shore has put on us (A bunch of kids from NY) it truly is a beautiful place to visit.

Stadiums - There are several sport stadiums/arenas in NJ. Instead of going over all of them though, we are going to tell you about our favorite. New Meadowlands Stadium, home of the NY Giants (GO BIG BLUE) and NY Jets. People still can't wrap their heads around why NY teams play in NJ, but if you were to go to the stadium you would see, it's only a stones throw from East Rutherford (Home of the Stadium) to New York City.

p.s. For any that didn't know, Amy and I are both NY Giants fans and whoever the Eagles are playing that week.

M. Willy Wonka & the Query Letter

2011-11-08T07:42:00.000-05:00

Amy and I just finished up with edits on one of our YA thrillers that has been a WIP for some time now. Thanks to some extra time and motivation recently, we got it finished and ready for submitting that query letter.

As most of you know, we have already tried the traditional method of publishing twice. First, we tried Liberty and then Tristen, as you can see we didn't get through that way and self published. Which brings me to my point. Charlie Bucket was the poor boy in Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory and despite his few attempts and several failures; he kept looking for that golden ticket.

Not saying that writing a query letter is as easy as buying a piece of chocolate and opening a wrapper, I am just saying that I can understand his desperation to win. I think that even with all of the talent, planning, writing, rewriting, and editing of a query letter, it takes a little luck some times too.

So please, if you can, wish us luck as we trek back down the path of traditional publishing and try to get past the point that we made it the last time. Every time the foil peels back, it is a different surprise, I just hope this time around our golden ticket will come instead of a form letter.

A. I NEED MY COFFEE !

2011-11-04T10:00:00.000-04:00

I am not a morning person and my whole day can easily be thrown off by the most minuet things. Yesterday was that kind of day. I over slept for one thing, and our house is a little crazy in the morning. With a 9 yr old and 7yr old to get ready for school. My husband who I love dearly is to me a morning person. He is the first one up, he wakes up both kids and usually starts the coffee.

Now I am an avid coffee drinker, I drink way too much. With that said I have no idea how to make coffee. I know the basics put the water in and the filter but i can never get the measurements right. Mike is the coffee maker and yesterday when I woke up late and had to get ready for work in less then a half an hour I walked down the stairs to find Mike in the shower. (he had no work yesterday) and the coffee was not made. It wasn't even started and the pieces of the coffee pot weren't even together. Needless to say I was not a happy camper. My whole day was thrown off. I know I am a bit of a drama queen and I am very spoiled by my husband. I pretty much stayed mad at him all day and everything he said i turned around so i could stay mad.

Today is a new day and my coffee was made. I can function today again.

M. The Death of a Bookstore

2011-11-04T09:35:00.000-04:00

Well, yesterday, in an attempt to promote our books, Liberty and Tristen and the Magic Shop, I called our local bookstore. We figured, why not have a book signing in Cape May during their Hospitality Night at Christmas time.

It really seemed like a great idea, mainly because it stemmed from Amy, the source of all great ideas that we have. However, when I called them, I found out that sadly our book store is going out of business. Not only are they going out of business, but all of their stores at the Shore are going under.

That is sad news on more levels then you can imagine. Not only is it sad because a bookstore is closing and their is one less place to get books, but because Atlantic Books was the last chain of bookstores, within 100 miles of our house.

Depressing right? What I want to know and I want your opinions about is, do you think that book stores are dying because of EBooks and mail order companies? Do you think that the Nook and Kindle have killed the local book store or do you think that there is a chance for future bookstores, if they just come up with a new theme and method to market?

R is for...

2011-11-02T09:30:00.000-04:00

.

Today we are doing the ABC your home state in the state of NJ and we are to the letter R. One of my favorite NJ letters.

Rancocas River - A river that is a tributary into the Delaware river. A beautiful small river with fishing, a thousand turtles, boating, and camping.

Reality TV - Even though so many people in this country knock NJ, they don't seem to be able to get enough of us. NJ is one of the largest reality TV hubs and with shows like Jerseylicious, Real Housewives of NJ, Jersey Shore, The Cake Boss, and so many more, it is evident to see that people can't get enough of us. BUT, know one thing, North Jersey and South Jersey people might as well be as different as people from California and Texas.

Heidi Pick Six Interview

2011-10-31T09:35:00.000-04:00

The other day, Amy and I filled out an interview for Heidi Ruby Miller. Some of the questions were just for fun and others were more serious. This is our first experience with a blogging interview and I have to say, it was entertaining. We both answered the questions as ourselves and gave answers from our different perspectives.

Anybody that's interested, check out our Pick Six interview over at Heidi's blog.

M. A Mess

2011-10-28T08:09:00.000-04:00

It is flabergasting how life can change and if one small domino of life falls, the whole line goes with it. Before you know it your entire life's worth of work, planning, and care are laying on the ground before you like a black and white hazardous waste sight.

Recently, I decided to change employers and follow the same career path, but perform my duties behind a desk. It was basically the same job, but not backed by the corporate machine. I pondered the decision and came to the conclusion that the best thing for my family and self was a desk job. No more driving, there have been far too many close calls.

It all seemed like a great idea, the plan was in place, I was gracefully released from my old employer with well wishes and no burnt bridges. Slowly I aclimated my way into the world of working behind a desk. At first everything seemed fine and the world was mine again, but recently things have changed and people that once treated me with respect, stopped.

Now I am finding myself in a situation where all of my carefully placed life's dominoes have been knocked to the ground. My head is still spinning about the whole situation, but all I can do is sit on the ground and look at the years of lines and planning lay on the ground around me.

Which brings me around to my point. When all your dominoes fall over, where do you start when it comes time to pick them up? I guess, all that matters is that you don't just leave them lying there and you actually pick them up.

Q is for...

2011-10-26T22:13:00.000-04:00

Sorry we are so late to participate, but today was one of those days that kept us from the computer. Today, in the ABC your home state, we are discussing the letter Q in the state of NJ. Quizzo - A bar game that is a team based Jeopardy game. You can find it almost any day of the week in a bar near you. Quakers - Quakers are a religious group that are best known for their friendliness, the way they dress, and how they literally shake/quake during surmon. William Penn, the man who's statue is standing on top of the Philadelphia Independance Hall, is the most famous Quaker that we know of. Quary - Sand and Gravel are a huge commodity that is quaried from the ground in NJ. The dirt from most Major League Baseball fields comes from NJ. The color has some significance that has to do with the trees, climate, and texture, but I don't remember what makes it that orangy color.

Internet Bookfair Blogfest, M.A. Leslie

2011-10-25T06:00:00.002-04:00

Before we go into too much detail about our two books out there, we just wanted to take a minute and thank all of the authors that came to join us today. Thank you for being in the blogfest and to all the visitors out there who are just checking it out, thanks for stopping in. We hope that you visit all of the authors and books on the list. Maybe you will find your next favorite book.

Now on to the festivities. For any of you that haven't read our bio, we are a married writing team from south Jersey. We got into writing together, because we found writing separately only led to a huge pile of unfinished work. Instead of giving up, we joined forces and have completed 2 novels; one for the 8 and up group (Including adults) and the other for a more mature reader.

The first book we self published through Amazon.com was TRISTEN & THE MAGIC SHOP.

Eleven-year-old Tristen Parker's whole life is changing faster then he can keep up with. Within a matter of months his father was deployed overseas with the military and his mother moved him out of his beloved city and to the small town she grew up in. If those changes weren't enough, he had one other major one that came with them, he just found out he is a magical druid.

After discovering his abilities in a hidden magic shop, behind an alley, his life goes on a whirlwind of spell casting and potion brewing. Unfortunately, all of the magic in the world can't help if you’re being picked on, unless you use it.

With the help of the shop owner, Tristen casts a spell to stop the bullies that were picking on him, but he soon realizes it may have been a mistake. Will he be able to stop the curse that he started or will it spread through his school like a virus before he can get it under control?

So far we have received a few reviews on Goodreads and a few on Amazon. As like all authors, we are still looking for more input and would love, if you do read it, that you tell us what you think.

Tristen & the Magic Shop is the first of a series of books, with the second in process and expected to have a winter release under the title Tristen & the Whining of the Wind.

Tristen is available as an EBook through Amazon and B&N for $2.99. Also, it is available as a Paperback for $8.99 through Amazon. If your interested in our magical story and you want to know what happens when you mix a druid's stone and a glass of water, you might want to click on of the above links.

The second book that we self published through Amazon is LIBERTY.

Liberty Sytes has spent her entire life trying to forget her mother’s schizophrenic episodes, the fear on her mother’s face and the paranoia that would broadcast in her eyes.

However, while standing on the Wildwood Boardwalk, as a part-time class two cop, she begins to remember. Not because of sadness or longing for her mother, but because suddenly she feels the paranoia of being watched.

Unfortunately, the feeling of being watched turns to blacking out and then the blacking out leads to the sights of murder. Libbi is forced to prove her own innocence and sanity after being found directly in the center of a gruesome murder scene.

Will her own new found secrets, if told, prove her innocence or seal her guilt? She remembers one thing, from watching her mother, that it may be best to leave some secrets untold.
Liberty, our paranormal thriller, has also received a few reviews. There are a few on Goodreads and one on Amazon. Liberty is also the first of a few paranormal thrillers, but it is yet to be determined if they will be direct sequels or not. It's one of those things you have to read to know what we mean. Either way, if you like to wonder what's going to happen as you turn the page and enjoy a thriller spiked with some romance, give it a shot.

Liberty is available as an EBook from Amazon and B&N for only 99cents. Also, Liberty is available in Paperback form for $9.99.

Thanks for taking a minute to read about our two books and for joining us on this blogfest. We hope everyone is enjoying themselves and getting the word out about their books. Don't forget to follow the link below and read about more books by other authors in the Blogfest!

Getting Ready for the Internet Bookfair Blogfest!

2011-10-24T06:20:00.000-04:00

Good morning fellow bloggers,

We just wanted to take a minute and remind everyone that they Blogfest is tomorrow. If you are unsure as to what is going on tomorrow, here is what you should do.

Make sure that you have the proper link to your blog set up on the list. The list will remain at the hyperlink that it is already on, that way the buttons will bring you back to the main page from your blog and the reader can go to the next author. One other important thing to remember, make sure you post the button on the link, that way people can navigate back to the list. Once you have that done, write a synopsis of your book, maybe of all your books. Include links to the places your books is sold, where it has been reviewed, and anything else you want to add.

The idea here is to get out there, get to know as many authors as you can, as many books as you can, and maybe buy a few books. Ultimately, if you are buying some books, the result will be that you will sell some too. I hope that everyone has a great experience tomorrow and we hope that everyone sells a book or two. Maybe you will even get a few Goodreads.com reviews also.

Thanks for joining us, we hope you have a great time, and get ready for tomorrow!

GRAB THE HTML FOR THE BUTTON ABOVE AND ADD IT TO YOUR LINK.

Internet Book Fair Author and Book list.

P is for...

2011-10-19T16:59:00.000-04:00

And now for the ABC YOUR HOME STATE, we bring you the letter P.......

Pine barrens: Little do most of you know, but the state of NJ is 1/3 forest. The Pine Barrens is a large forest that covers from central the top part of southern NJ. It is filled with cedar trees, scrubby pines, and lakes and rivers. The sand floors and woods are the supposed home to the Jersey Devil, just don't get caught there in the middle of the night.

Pirates: Another thing we are famous for is pirates. There are legends along the Jersey Shore of Black Beard burying his treasure and of pirates from days of old landing and using our shores.

Park place: Along with the rest of the Monopoly board, we have Park Place. Did you know that the original Monopoly board is based upon Atlantic City?

Ports: Because we have a major river, several cities along the water, and ocean access; the state of NJ has several large sea ports for shipping, trade, and commerce.

A. Theraputic Writing.

2011-10-13T14:42:00.000-04:00

There has been alot going on in my world the last few years. I don't handle stress real well and I tend to bottle things up untill something so mundane makes me go off the rocker.

I have wrote in a journal as a child and whined all my sorrows away and talked about the boy I was crushing over. I am over journal writing.

I was talking to Mike the other day and asked if he waould mind if I wrote about what was going on the last couple years and how I felt about everything, hoping it could be an outlet to my stress. Mike being the most loving suportive husband there is told me to go for it.

I have started and so far I have a few short stories explaning my family background, why I choose to do this and today after a conversation threw texting with Mike and talking to my mom at work I wrote my first theraputic piece and I have to say it is a scribbled mess, that Mike is going to have to type out. (he is a much faster typer then I). It helped though, I cried through writing most of it out but I did feel slightly better after getting it out on paper.

I think I just found my new stress reliever and Mike something else to type along with all of our other projects.

O is for...

2011-10-12T07:00:00.001-04:00

This week's ABC YOUR HOME STATE hosted by Fleur de Aleta is on the letter O. This is one of our favorites.

Ocean - One of our greatest assets, resources, and recreational sources in our state is the Atlantic Ocean. The water isn't exactly clear, but in the summer it is just warm enough to enjoy some body surfing, boogie boarding, and swimming. Of course, for those who are lucky, there is deep sea fishing, wave runner riding, and boating. The ocean gives us fun, food, and tourists; I don't know what would happen to Jersey if we didn't have the ocean.

Ocean City - Adjacent to the ocean is Ocean City. A quaint barrier island that is filled with shopping, amusements, and aside from being a shore town, it is a dry town. Their main goal is to sell the family image.

Ocean Oasis - A water park in Wildwood NJ that is more of a spa/water amusement park. There is nothing better than a place that you can have a margarita, slide a water tube, ride the lazy river, hang out with the kids, or go with just adults. Oh yeah, it does get better for us, it is right down the street.

Lake Oswago - A cedar lake in the Pine Barrens. Cedar water is water that is dyed to look like Root Beer from the roots of the cedar trees that grow around it. It may look dirty, but the water is completely clean. Lake Oswago is one of the many lakes and rivers in the Pine Barrens that have the unique water.

M. Dreams

2011-10-10T07:00:00.001-04:00

Dreams are an essential ingredient to the creative process. Without a dreaming mentality, a writer is just that, a person that puts words on a piece of paper. But those dreams are the fuel that gives those words life, energy, and power.

It’s a great feeling to conjure up some of the thoughts that we have as writers. I can’t tell you how many times my mind has wondered to places of what ifs and I wishes. What if we write that one book and I wish that we get that book deal. Let’s say that it can get creative and sometimes out of hand (Almost Puff Daddy from the 90’s MTV video over the top bad.)

Realistically, I know that out of millions of writers, published and unpublished, that only happens to a small few, but why not dream. Why not hope that you get that deal? Do you ever find your mind wandering into a cloud filled with unobtainable money and success?

I think for me, success is going to be measured on a case by case basis. Our first step is to get the ever difficult agent, publisher, book deal, and finally sell some copies. I know that it seems boring, but it is the way it is usually done and we would like to get on that track. At this point, I would be happy to be published on a traditional track, I can’t promise that if Amy and I get published we will be happy, but it is the first step.

What is your goal? Do you have a point of literary bliss and an ultimate goal? Do you have a deadline?

Internet Book Fair BLOGFEST!

2011-10-06T06:00:00.006-04:00

Hey everyone. I don't know if there is anyone out there doing this already, but I am wondering if we can have ourselves an old fashion book fair.

I am sure most of you remember the book fairs that we had in school. You know, they bring huge book stores on wheels and sell as many books as they possibly can in a few days.

In our digital age, there is no reason that we can't and shouldn't have ourselves a good old fashion book fair to let everyone and anyone we know about our books. If you're interested, sign up below and spread the word. The more books we have to talk about, the better.

We will schedule the Book Fair for 10-25-2011. Please enter below and on the day of the book fair write a post describing your book, give links to where it can be bought, enter reviews you've received on Goodreads and other sites, and anything else you can think is relevant.

Make sure you sign up, tell people about it, and on Book fair day get out there and meet new books and authors.

GRAB THE HTML FOR THE BUTTON ABOVE AND ADD IT TO YOUR LINK.

N is for...

2011-10-05T14:06:00.000-04:00

This week in the Fleur de Aleta ABC YOUR HOME STATE blogfest we are discussing the letter N.

Newark: Not exactly the greatest part of NJ, but Newark is one of our larger cities and is right outside of New York. The few times that I was there, I will report, it wasn't clean, it was kind of scary, and it smelled. For all of you that have heard jokes of NJ, I believe this is where they stem from.

Nor'easter: Not only is NJ hit by several large storms called Nor'easter on a yearly basis, we have a Topsy curvy ride that spins you upside down named after the storm.

North Wildwood: Shore town that is in our backyard and a great place to enjoy a free beach at the Jersey Shore. Home of the Irish festival, the North Wildwood Beach Writer's Convention (Coming up on 10 years this year), and amazing food, ice cream, and fun.

M. Do you Believe in Angels?

2011-10-04T13:43:00.001-04:00

I am going to start this post off by announcing, "I am no longer driving."

This has been a rough few years lately. I know that some of you that have been our Internet friends, have watched us go through quite a bit. Well it just keeps getting better.

Yesterday, on the way to work, one minute I was driving and then the next I was waking up to someone knocking on my car window. Somehow, I am not sure how, I ended up in a pile of bushes with my car sitting at a forty five degree angle. All I remember is driving and then waking up, of all the strange things that I have gone through in my life, this was the weirdest feeling in the world. It was like I lost time.

But that really isn't the crazy part of the story. It gets weirder.

The guy that stopped was a fireman and proceeded to call for help and a woman also pulled over. They were waiting with me until the police and ambulance got there. The fireman wouldn't let me out of the car, but when I finally did get out of the car, I noticed there wasn't a scratch on me. More insane, I looked at the tire imprints from the car in the grass behind me. The car had traveled around 20 to 25 yards. Not only had it driven alongside woods and trees, but it had navigated around a gas main standpipe, 2 banks of trees, and landed in the softest place on the side of the road.

It was like someone, other than myself steered the vehicle around several obstacles and safely placed me in a bed of bushes to give my wonderful clunker of a car a few scratches. By the way, I love that car.

To make a long story short, I will say, I don't know who took over yesterday and on what level of existence they are from, but from me to them, I will say, thank you. Because of my mystery "angel" yesterday, I am alive.

Do you believe in angels?

A. Pre-Reading

2011-09-29T11:31:00.000-04:00

We bought our 9yr old a Kindle for his birthday. He has just started to get into reading but still struggels alittle, so when he asked for the Kindle we jumped on it. He also got $100 in amazon gift cards from family. We let him pick one game, HANGMAN and the rest hat to be books. He has about 6 books on there now and last night I was telling him about a book I heard about Juniper Berry, by M.Pm Kozlowsky. I read about it on another blog and it peeked my instrest. So I told my son I thought he might like it. He said ok but wants me to read it first, so when he reads it he has some one to talk to it about. I loved that idea! What a better way to get him intrested in reading more. He loves to talk, so this gives him a reason to read and get to talk to me more one on one. So here I sit today reading and I have to say I am really enjoying it and looking forward to having my son read it so that I can talk to him about it!

M is for...

2011-09-28T21:09:00.000-04:00

Welcome to week M in the Fleur de Aleta ABC Your Home State Blogfest! Sorry that we are so late to post today, but it has just been one of those weeks. The heck with the excuses, here we go...

Millville Motorsport Speedway: Despite the fact that I don't really enjoy watching vehicles speed around a circular track and race each other, I am going to tell you about our track. It's fairly new and isn't set up or used for any major races yet, but seems to be growing and helping Cumberland County flourish, so I guess it isn't that bad.

Moorestown: Voted in the top 10 places to live in the entire country for about 5 years straight. Otherwise, aside from a few celebrity citizens like sports stars and such, it isn't much to mention.

Malls: In the state of NJ we don't lack in one thing and that is malls. They come in all different shapes, sizes, and are designed to service different people, but we are full of them.

M. Self publishing is a lonely path

2011-09-27T05:00:00.000-04:00

It is tough to compare our experiences as self published authors to the traditional author. Mainly because we don't have a basis for which to compare, but so far I feel self publishing is a lonely path.

There is the entire world of Facebook, Twitter, Blogger, Goodreads, etc., but no matter how loud you ring your bell and shout your story, only a few are there to hear it. On a good note, Liberty has received two Goodreads ratings to average out at 4.5 and one small written review. I don't know how, but some of the people out there are reading and actually liking it.

Despite the minute successes that we have received, there are so many others that we would love to share our stories with and just can't think of how to do it. You can post comments, try to tell people about it, but when it comes down to it, we are writers and not salesmen.

Which brings me to my point, are any of you traditionally published? Do you think that having a publisher behind you helps with the lack of feeling alone or is it to the point that they have cut costs and leave you to be a writer and a salesman?

Do you have to be a salesman to be a writer? If we wanted to be salesmen then we would have followed that path.

L is for...

2011-09-21T06:34:00.001-04:00

Here we are in week L in the ABC of your home state blogfest, hosted by Fleur de Aleta.

In the state of New Jersey, L is a popular letter; here we go! Long Beach Island: So named because of the length from tip to tip. Long beach is one of the barrier islands of NJ and houses several towns in one. The beachs are clean, beautiful, and the home to the original Ron Jon Surf Shop. Also, we aren't sure as to what the lore is behind the stories, but Black Beard was said to frequent it. Lakehurst: Town in northern NJ that is best known for being the site that the Hindenburg crashed, however the zeppelin really crashed at the Lakehurst Naval Air Station that wasn't within the city limits. Lighthouses: They are always a guiding light home and they line the entire coast line.

A. Computerless (sort of)

2011-09-20T09:47:00.000-04:00

I have been with out my main computer since Sunday now. We were getting new carpet in our office and living room. We did all the demo ourselves sat and sun and had to wait till monday for the new carpet to be put in. Its in!! and I love it!!. The computer is still not hooked up. Our des broke in the process of moving it and we had to get a new one. We both work and have two children that need to be tended too. So last night after work we started to put our rooms back to order. First the TV (had to be able to watch the GIANTS game) Then Mike spent most of the night puting the new desk together. The base is done, but not the hutch. So hopefully we will have the computer hooked up by tonight. Thank god for smart phones and laptops or I would really be going nuts!

Worst Movies Ever Blogfest!

2011-09-19T05:00:00.002-04:00

The Worst Movies Ever BLOGFEST!!!!! Brought to you today by fellow blogger Alex Cavanaugh.

So here we go, we have to come up with no more than 10 of what we feel are the worst movies ever to come out in theaters and on DVD.

1. The Master of Disguise: As we have both discribed from the moment we stood up, this is two hours of our lives that we will never get back. The characters were horrible, the actors were aweful, and the plot wasn't there.

2. Shark Boy and Lava Girl: For all of the people that read this and don't have kids, let us stop your future children from watching this. It is a dumb attempt to rewrite The Never Ending Story in a different way, but they failed miserably. Save yourself the trouble and don't watch this one.

3. Batman and Robin: What a waste of money.

4. Waiting to Exhale: More like waiting for the movie to end.

5. The Grudge: Not our favorite scary movie, it was too unrealistic.

6. Little Nicky: Even though we are huge Adam Sandler fans, this isn't his best work.

7. Mom and Dad Save the World: What were they thinking?

8. Problem Child: They all were pretty bad so we will let you pick which ever one you think was the worst.

9: It's Pat: We still don't know what Pat and Chris are. Do you?
10: King Pin: Parts of it were stupid funny, but for the most part it lacked in any quality.

A. Back to School Night!

2011-09-15T15:29:00.000-04:00

Our children had their back to school night last. It was such a wonderful change from last year. Our children go to Catholic School as i am sure many of your towns have been faced with, we merged three catholics school in to one last year and we now share the building with the local Catholic High School as well. Last year was when this all took place and it was a tough year for all. Our school was very divided. The staff at the school worked hard in tryong to bring everyone together. They had a rough time. A few parents one who my husband and I have grown close to, decided to take matters in to her own hands and started setting up parent get togethers after schoool. Well it worked! This year when back to school night was last night, and what a difference. There was no dividing and all the parents and teachers have formed into the school communtity that made us choose Catholic school to begin with. It was a great relief.

K is for

2011-09-14T05:00:00.000-04:00

In the state of NJ, K is for...

Not Much.

Kmart: In NJ, just like most states, I assume, we have Kmart. Not quite as big as Walmart and far from the level of customer service, but it's there when you need things the other stores are out of.

K-Hovnavian: KHOV is a large building group that designs and builds small communities. The quality is there, but the houses in those developments all look the same.

Kettle Corn: Popcorn that is popped in a kettle using a mix of sugar, butter, and some salt. It comes in a bag that is larger then your head and it tastes so so so so so so so gooooood!

Sorry to disappoint, but that is all we have for the letter K. Can't wait until we move on to another letter.

A. Summer Reading!

2011-09-13T12:53:00.000-04:00

Well I did it! I set a goal to only read books this summer from Aurthors I have never read before and I did. My summer Reads this year were, The High-Impact Infidelity Diet by Lou Harry, Good in Bed by Jennifer Weiner, Switched by Amanda Hocking, The Help by Kathryn Stockett, and i just finsihed with The Devils Punchbowl by Gre Ilse. All were great books.

A. 9 years ago!!

2011-09-07T14:19:00.000-04:00

Nine years ago today, Mike and became first time parents, to a handsome 8 pound 7 oz. son. Cameron Michael. It was one of the best days of my life. We were only 21 years old and had been married almost a year. I can not believe how time flies. Cameron is amazing! He is very bright and extremely athletic he is also one of the sweetest kids I have ever met. He is also very talkative and loves to hear him self talk.

We really lucked out. Parenting is far from easy, but we do seem to have pretty well behaved children. At least that is what we are told by others.

So today is Cameron's birthday and he asked for a Kindle, so that is what he got. Now we are tring to find good books for a 9yr old and would love any suggestions.

J is for...

2011-09-07T07:00:00.001-04:00

This week we will discover the letter J, brought to you by the state of NJ and Aleta de Fleur. J is one of my favorite letters to cover in this state and here is why.

Jersey Tomatoes: They are hard to explain to someone that hasn't ever had one, but imagine a tomato with twice the flavor and size of the average tomato. I promise that they aren't inflated due to nuclear waste or anything else, it's just because NJ has some of the best soil for growing tomatoes. If you're ever in town, stop by a farmer's produce stand, and grab a few.

BonJovi: I know that we should have covered them in B, but we missed it then so we are playing the Jovi card. John Bonjovi is a NJ native and is one of the stars of our state. Now, I know that we are from NJ and are partial, but we think they are amazing. Bonjovi, in our opinion, is one of those bands that withstands the test of time. They adapt and grow musically to meet the needs of their fans through time. So, to all of you Bonjovi haters, we are sorry but they are going to stay around for years.

Jelly Fish: Not our best trait, but jelly fish are a part of our shore town's beaches. They are amazing to look at, but don't step on them - that hurts.

The Jersey Devil: As promised, here is some more information about the jersey devil. Supposedly the 13th child born to mother Leeds, the Jersey devil was born human but changed into something else. Then there is the story of a woman that wished for her child to be a devil/demon and her wish was granted. There is even a story of a woman that fell in love with a British soldier, during the revolutionary war, and was cursed by the town she lived in to have a deformed child.

There are many renditions, reports, and sightings that date back centuries that all stem from the pine barrens.

The child seems to have been born and was probably just a deformed child that mysteriously disappeared, but either way they have been able to determine that the child was born to the Leeds or Shroud family. Both of these families were founders in the sixteen and seventeen hundreds. The Leeds family was so large that Atlantic City used to be called Leedsville.

Nobody really knows where the legend started, but there have been thousands of sightings over the years from campers, travelers, and hikers. I will say, with the number of sightings that have been documented, it makes you wonder and know better then to walk the Pine Barrens alone at night.

I is for...

2011-08-31T06:00:00.001-04:00

The state of NJ isn't exactly famous for its I letter things. We don't have too much going on with the I, but this is what we can think of:

Irene: Even though she has already passed through town and caused some havoc, Irene left her mark on NJ. The hurricane that just came through town last week caused rain and wind damage while it was here, including causing some Tornados to form. It was scary and unfortunately it still is, there continues to be flooding rivers and dams breaking. She is gone, but not forgotten and will forever be a part of NJ.

Islands: We have some of the nicest barrier islands around. They range in style, expense, and quality, but they are all decent. From the million dollar homes of Avalon and Stone Harbor, to the condo filled Sea Isle City and Wildwood, there are plenty of different islands to check out.

Thanks to Fleur de Aleta for the ABC of your home state. Next week we will bring you J.

M. The Point of Your Story

2011-08-29T05:00:00.001-04:00

Do you think that your story has a hidden message?

When you write, do you write to tell a story or do you try to teach people? There are some great books and stories that I have read through the years that don't teach a thing. They are there to entertain and that seems to be all that they do.

But, then you have stories with hidden messages or ones that are closer to the surface. They are meaningful and I feel that after I read it, I walk away with some knowledge I may not have had before.

So, what do you think you write for? Do you want to teach through your stories or would you rather just entertain? Are you looking to add meaning or possibly you added meaning and didn't know you did it.

M. Post Storm

2011-08-28T09:15:00.000-04:00

The rough part of the storm is now past our house. All that seems to be left is some wind and maybe just some more rain. Good news is, we all evacuated to a place that only got rain, we are safe, but I have no idea what our house looks like.

Over night, we were receiving pictures through Facebook of our flooded town. Not that this was the first time our home town has been flooded, but these pictures were amazing. Also, there were those few morons that decided to stay and loot other people's homes. Again, I hope that the looting wasn't employed in our neighborhood, but if it did, at least we are safe.

There were reports that 90% to 95% of the entire county was evacuated and only about 5 to 10% stayed. The sad part of it is that most of the people we know stayed. I have gotten reports from most of them that they are alright, but I have no idea what possessed them to stay. I hope as the wind hammers the county, as the tail end of the storm goes by, they will remain well and safe.

This wasn't taken by us, but it was posted to Facebook by one of our friends. The place in the photo is several blocks from the back bay and it is sort of a dive bar anyway, but shows just how high the water got.

A. Jester, Our Hotel dog

2011-08-27T07:31:00.000-04:00

Due to the upcoming hurricane (IRENE) we have been forced to evacuate and leave our house. We have two dogs Jester, and Chloe and Cat Shaggy and fish a bird and hamster that belong to my 8yr old. We lucked out and found a hotel that takes dogs. Chloe our black lab is not a dog dog. She is very protective and can get very mean around other dogs. She is now staying with one of many sisters in safer ground. The fish , bird and hamster are riding out the storm back in our house. I feel bad but its just too much and I pray they are ok.

Shaggy the family cat; we tried to take to the hotel with us but they don't take cats. We did find a kennel and I know he is safe. I miss him like crazy. He is the oddest cat that I have ever seen. He follows us around like a lost puppy, waits at the door when you come home and talks. He is the very vocal and answers you when you talk to him. He jumps in the bath tub and shower with me. He also does not like to be insulted. The first time my mom met Shaggy she said he was cute but not as cute as her cat. That was 3 years ago and he still has not forgiving her. He hisses at her every time she comes near him. He normally is a very friendly cat just don't insult him.

Then there is Jester, he is our 2yr old Golden Retriever. He is my third baby. I wanted 3 children and medically we can't have anymore but are very blessed with the two we do have so my husband got me a puppy. He IS my baby. He is spoiled rotten. He follows me around the house and always has to be touching me. It can be very annoying but I love it. He is with us at the Hotel. I wasn't quite sure how he would do, but he is loving it. He rides the elevator like a pro and even sat at the Bar with us last night in the lobby. He is doing very well living in one room. We have a backyard at home so we don't walk him like we should. He has taken to leash here and is loving his potty walks. Something we will be
doing a lot more when we get home.

We are riding out IRENE in this gorgeous hotel with our children who think this is a mini vacation, my parents, their dog, my grandma, her dog, my brother and his roommate and of course Jester. I can't wait to see all my other animals but I have to say it Jester is my favorite.

M. Evacuation

2011-08-25T22:18:00.000-04:00

After work today, I spent the evening evacuating our home in Wildwood, NJ. I have heard stories, predictions, and hypothesis as to what is going to happen. But, I don't know what to believe. The news keeps changing how bad it's going to be, but either way they say it is going to be bad.

As of tomorrow evening, Cape May County is going to shut down power to the entire region to avoid electrical fires and surges. So following the suggestions to the county and town, we evacuated and we are heading up the road further tomorrow.

I don't know what is going to happen in the coming days, but I know one thing; we will be safe, well, and we will pray that when we come home there will be a home to come to. I have to say that this has to be one of the most exhausting weeks of our lives. I hope every stays well, safe, and dry. Have a great weekend, we will let you know how we are doing when we are able.

M. Natural Disaster

2011-08-25T05:00:00.001-04:00

Well, it appears that our comfortable little corner on the Eastern sea board is now under attack. Not from missiles and bombs, but from Mother Nature. Usually, being in the state of NJ has you safe from most hurricanes, earthquakes, and tornadoes, but this year seems to be testing the limits of our buildings abilities to withstand nature.

Yesterday was my first experience with an earthquake and being on the fifth floor of a ten story building made it just that much cooler. At first, I thought, it can't be, but when the slight shaking turned into the walls flexing around us, I knew something was up.

People went right into panic mode. Since we were on the fifth floor, we kind of just hung out, but other ran down the halls to the elevators. That is, until some of the more intelligent people told them not to. Why would anyone ever get on an elevator in an earthquake, that's just stupid.

After we were all reassured by the news that it had been a quake and it was over, I really got to appreciate the fact that I had been through something that statistically almost never happened on that scale on the east coast. So, I tucked it under my belt and went back to thinking about what was really important yesterday.

Of course, now there is another natural disaster marching toward us like a trained army. A hurricane that just passed through Puerto Rico and is on the southern coast is planned to draw the battle line between Cape May and Atlantic City. Just in case you didn't know, our house is in the Island town next to Cape May.

The wind force is suspected to be somewhere around 100 mph and while our house has been on the Island since 1909, I am scared. What the hell is going on. Usually we are given a reprieve from the Outer Banks in North Carolina. The storm lands there, usually, is broken up, and gives us just a tropical storm.

I am not really sure what the rest of this week will bring, but one thing is for sure, if we were ever going to get inspiration for an End of the World story, this is a good week for it.

I hope that any of you that are reading and may be in the path, will be okay. Just remember one simple piece of advice. If you are told to leave, then leave. It isn't worth staying. I hope all of you are well and I will leave you with a task. Please pray for a strong gust of wind from the west to knock this thing out to sea.

H is for...

2011-08-24T05:30:00.000-04:00

This week in the ABC of your state, brought to you by Fleur de Aleta, we are discussing the letter H in NJ.

There are only a few places that we can think of and want to share them with some fun.
Hair style: Well to start we will just get this out of the way. I know that most people that few NJ through a microscope and watch us through a tube, can tell that our sense of style is different. One of those fashion sense items is the big hair, enormous amounts of hairspray (enough that there may be a hole in the ozone above NJ), and varying styles.

Horses: Believe it or not, as the garden state, we have horses. We already told you that the first state that housed a rodeo was NJ, but little do people know we still have them today. There are horses on our farms and some are bred for racing.

Hammonton: The town of Hammonton is also known as the blueberry capitol of the world. While they have other business and history, their key fact is that the town is filled with blueberries and they are proud of it.

Hamilton Mall: One of the small malls in NJ, Hamilton mall services the Atlantic City region and houses all of the great things you would expect to find in a mall, from a Spencer’s Gifts (A place to by naughty junk) to Kay’s Jewelers (A place to buy Amy’s next gift).

Hoboken: While we haven’t ever been there, we have been told that it is one of the greatest party places in the Tristate area. Also, don’t forget, it was the home of the great Frank Sinatra.

High Point State Park: Just as the name says, it is the highest point in NJ. It stands at 1,800 feet. Compared to most places it isn’t that high and we are lucky our state gets that high.

M. Fingernails

2011-08-23T18:42:00.000-04:00

I am blogging right now, just to give my fingernails a break. Amy is currently in for a surgery and it has been about one hour and twenty some minutes. The doctor said it would take about two hours, but I was starting to think that if I didn't do something else with myself, then I would be missing at least an index finger.

It's strange, I never know how anxious and neurotic that I can be, until I am forced to wait. I am impatient, nervous, and a worrier. I know that everything is fine and my subconscious is telling me to calm down, but no amounts or reading, The Corrections by Franzen is helping. I probably should have brought a less controversial book with less talk of Xanex, alcohol, and all of the Franzen-like crazy ideas that he has.

Either way, at least I was able to vent out some feelings and release some of my frustration on all of you that will listen. Thanks for stopping in, caring, and we will let you know how everything is once this is all done. I hope all is well, again, thank you for letting me vent, Mike.

M. Everything New

2011-08-19T08:00:00.002-04:00

To fill everyone in; aside from having to force Amy to drive extra miles in a day, I love my new job.

To put it in perspective, the company that I used to work for is a direct partner with the company that I work with now.

I feel slightly like a free agent that was placed with a league rival. There is no reason for me to hate doing what I do, because it is the same thing, I am now just doing it for someone else. The people that I once worked with are at the shop daily and I still see them, which is nice, but it is different now. Maybe it's because I've gone to the "dark side." Who knows.

All I know is that all of the anxiety that I was having about the decision has passed. I feel, without a doubt, that I have made the correct decision and will be happy with my new found future. Oh yeah, and we have to keep writing.

I hope everyone has a great weekend.

A. Amy's Taxi Service

2011-08-17T09:52:00.000-04:00

As a mom of a 7 and 8 year old. I am a taxi service, between school, dance, football, wrestling, golf, basketball, cheer leading, girl scouts and play dates. Geez i am tired just typing it. I love that my children are very active and before you judge they choose to do these things we don't push. The only rule we have is if you start something you finish it, and if you don't want to do next year then that's fine.

I now have another passenger in my Taxi, my husband. Due to medical issues he is not allowed to drive till at least Sept 9 and maybe longer. His job used to consist of mostly driving and he had to resign. Luckily he was offered another job making more money. The only problem is I have to drive him and its about an hour away. So i just added 4 hours of driving to my day.

I am not complaining I love the extra time I get to spend with him and like we have said before a lot of our writing is done in the car. I just don't like getting up earlier to get him to work and then drive back so I am at work in time.

G is for...

2011-08-17T05:35:00.000-04:00

This week in the ABC of Your Home State, brought to you by Fleur de Aleta, we talk about the letter G.

So, here it is, in the state of New Jersey we have some interesting G things:

Great Adventure - In the central to northern part of NJ there is a Six Flags theme park. There they have great rides, a safari, and enormous prices.

Great White Roller Coaster - Wildwood's own wooden roller coaster.

Galloway - An extremely large township in southern NJ that is home to a large number of great sites to visit. There they have Smithville a small shopping area now, but set in old homes and shops from the past. Renault Winery is also a place that you should stop at. Of course there is the other mystery that comes from Galloway as well, it is houses in the boro of Leeds Point, which is the suspected place of birth for the Jersey Devil. A mythical creature that only haunts the forests of NJ and has been there for centuries. Granted, several of the towns and counties in NJ take credit, but it has always been the one that made sense.

P.S. We promise to go more into the Jersey Devil in a few weeks.

Gas - Yeah, one of the benefits of NJ. We have gas, like all other states, but we don't pump our own gas and it's cheaper then most other places. For once, we are spoiled!

Guests - Also known as tourists. Because we have beautiful beaches, theme parks and amusements, fairs, fishing, rockclimbing, canoeing, camping, and so many other things I don't even know about, the state of NJ is full of tourists all year long.

Golf - We have hundreds of golf courses through the state. Some of them are tour quality and others are more for amatures like us, but either way they are nice, clean, and fun. Oh yeah, and for the not so savvy golfers, we have the ones with windmills, dinosaurs, and astroturf greens - yup we have mini-golf.

Grapes - As we stated above, in NJ there is the Renault Winery, which is famous in itself. However, few people realize that we have several wineries throughout the state. Natali Vineyards, Hawk Haven, Cape May Vineyard, Cape may Winery, & many more that we haven't even tried yet.

Tristen Giveaway!!!

2011-08-14T11:02:00.000-04:00

WIN A COPY OF TRISTEN & THE MAGIC SHOP!

Now with the help of Goodreads.com, we were able to set up a Tristen & the Magic Shop giveaway. If you are interested in winning one of the five copies up for grabs, then click the link below and enter to win!!!

Goodreads Book Giveaway

Tristen & the Magic Shop

by M.A. Leslie

Giveaway ends August 31, 2011.
See the giveaway details
at Goodreads.

Enter to win

M. Decided.

2011-08-12T09:14:00.000-04:00

Well, as most of you had heard, I was in a small car crash a few weeks ago. Mainly because of the obnoxious neurological issues that ail me on an intermittent, but now permanent basis.

This can only be explained as a life altering situation.

So, what to do?

I finally decided to change my career. It was a hard decision, but it was for the best. For the past few years, I was an insurance adjuster, which required exorbitant amounts of driving. As you can see, my ailment keeps me for at least a few weeks and months a year from doing my job. It sucks, but I am stepping out of corporate America and going to work for a smaller business. I will basically be doing the same job, but I will be in one location and starting, not from scratch, but over again.

It is a strange feeling and one that I haven't ever experienced. I am happy to have a new job and the opportunity to still be able to work, despite my issues, but at the same time I am sad to close the door on a chapter in my life. I loved the company that I worked for, the people I worked with, and the pride that I had every day. It is going to be a tough adjustment, but now that it has been decided, it is the right decision. I will go forward on Monday and learn to love a new company.

LIBERTY

2011-08-11T11:08:00.000-04:00

Finally, after a year and a few months of writing, rewriting, editing, & copy-editing, our paranormal thriller, Liberty is available. We decided, like Tristen, that it would be best to self publish and without further ado, we present:

F is for...

2011-08-10T07:57:00.000-04:00

This week in the ABC of Your Home State, brought to you by Fleur de Aleta, we talk about the letter F.

In New Jersey there isn't too much going on geographically with the letter F, at least not that I can think of. We talked about it and Amy and I came up with these fun NJ favorites, we hope you enjoy.

Fried Oreo - The fried Oreo is exactly what it sounds like, aside from a heart attack style cookie. It originated on the Wildwood boardwalk and has been a Jersey Shore favorite since. I know that it sounds kind of nasty, but if ever given a chance to try it, it is worth it.

Funnel Cake - Again with the fried stuff. I think that most states might have funnel cake by now, but we have a special multi flavored array of choices. All you have to do is fry up some pancake batter and cover it with confection sugar, oh the sugar rush!

Fair - Believe it or not, we are still the garden state here in NJ. A large part of that is our County fairs. Most counties in NJ have a fair and these fairs range in style from different rides, attractions, some are more farm oriented, and there is always the key element of the F which is FUN.

Fishing - I know that we have mentioned it before, but NJ has some of the best fresh and salt water fishing in the entire country. And, I can promise that there are no extra eyes or fins.

Fist Pumping - An innate quality that we in NJ are born with. Yes it is true, we can't help it most of the time. Now, to clear something up, people down in South Jersey, where we are from, don't use it quite so often as North Jersey, but we still know how to do it.

Thanks for reading about our great state. We look forward to telling you about what we have with the letter G, next week on Wednesday.

M. Advertising

2011-08-09T06:40:00.000-04:00

Advertising is one of the hardest parts of the book process. To be completely honest, it sucks. Telling someone about your book is difficult to start and then you have to convince them to read it. I am not a magician and as of yet haven't figured out the best way to do this.

I equate book advertising to your first job. I think we are all able to remember how we felt about getting it, the stress, the uncertainty. To get a first job, you need experience and to get experience, you need a first job. Nasty little catch twenty-two, but to get people to buy your book, you need someone to have read it. To get someone to have read it, you need someone to have bought it.

So how does one go through the internet, post on social media and discussion boards, without being considered a pest and spammer? It is a fine line. If you don't do it then you will never find that first fan, but if you do it too much, you will be virtually stone and shunned from internet society.

Basically, I am looking for suggestions, comments, and what would you do's. Because, as of yet, we haven't broken the plan of acceptable advertisement.

M. Goodreads

2011-08-06T15:53:00.000-04:00

Going back to what Nathan had asked the other day, what social networking sites do you use?

It seems like everyone and their mother has a blog now-a-days and a Facebook page. Then, don’t even start on Twitter. If I could just get as many followers as a simple peacock in NY that jumped off a building, how did he get so many followers? Of course there are the select few using Google+ but the rest of us have to wait.

You could even count the discussion boards on Amazon, if you would like.

That really isn’t what I want to talk about though. I want to talk about Goodreads. Have any of you tried it yet, because I finally started using my account and I am becoming quickly addicted. It is an entire online community build around the idea of a book club and it is awesome. All you need to do is go on, make some friends, join some groups, talk about books, get recommendations, and oh yeah read.

If you haven’t checked it out yet, do so, I think you will find it to be as interesting as I do. Also, if you are already on Goodreads and looking for a new friend, look us up, we’re listed.

E is for...

2011-08-03T10:00:00.001-04:00

In the state of New Jersey, we have some great sites that have to do with the letter E. One of the greatest inventors even.

Lucy the Elephant - In Margate, NJ. A large elephant structure built in town that at one point or another we have all seen, but can't explain why it's there.

Egg Harbor - A large body of water between Cape May and Atlantic Counties that features great fishing, boating, and sometimes a not so great smell.

Edison, NJ - Thomas Edison invented items that led to for than 400 patents at his Industrial "Invention" Park. These Menlo Park inventions include the phonograph and the incandescent lamp.

100th Post

2011-08-03T06:49:00.000-04:00

Today, we have finally reached out 100th post. It has been an interesting journey and I can't explain how amazing it has been to meet the people that we have met on the way.

To everyone that reads, thank you. To all that visit, thank you. We can't wait to see what the next 100 posts will bring.

M. Decisions, decisions, decisions

2011-08-02T12:20:00.002-04:00

One of the hardest things in life is allowing yourself to relinquish control. At least for me, I hate not having control of a situation and not being in charge, except when it comes to being at home, after all I am a husband. But, when you have had control and worked to obtain a goal, it is hard to swallow that you may be losing it.

Currently, I am at a crossroad in life and instead of being a planned, outlined, and controlled person, I may have to rely on my gut to reach the next level. That scares the hell out of me.

I may take a chance in the next few weeks that could or couldn’t be one of the best decisions that I have ever made. Unfortunately, my health is forcing me to make the decision. Now, I have to let fate or whatever you may call it, guide the way.

So, here’s to all of my fellow control freaks and people that don’t fly by the seat of your pants. It’s not that I don’t like being part of the club, but I may have to take a short break to accomplish a new goal. Wish me luck and I’ll keep you posted.

A. Be Careful What You Wish For!

2011-07-29T10:00:00.000-04:00

I don't know how many times in my life I have heard those words, I find them to be so true. After have our two terrific children. I wished for a third, and low and behold we took in my 16 yr old sister. Not the third child I was wishing for. We had her for a year and a half and finally came to realize she need a lot more help to then we could give her, and her presence in the house was affecting our child in a horrific way. She has moved on and i am very grateful for the TWO children we do have.

In May Mike was finally able to go back to work after some medical issues, and we where having a heard time finding time to write. We are still writing just not at the pace we where going. I have heard Mike say several times in the last past weeks. "I wish we had more time to write" and Bang, he has a relapse and is now home again, we are not sure for how long. I love having my husband home and having the time to write more, but not at the cost of his health.

So in closing i stand by the BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU WISH FOR!

M. Self Publishing, Again

2011-07-29T08:00:00.001-04:00

Currently, we are doing the final revisions to our first manuscript, LIBERTY. We have queried, we have been rejected, we have even had a partial read done. But, it has come to a point that we are deciding to self publish our second book.

Liberty is a paranormal thriller that skirts on the side of young adult. Not to mention, because it is our first completed, it is our baby. Hopefully, in the next few weeks we will be finished with the final copy-edit and the book will be up for sale on Amazon and Barnes and Nobles.

In the coming weeks, as we get closer, there will be a better description and synopsis posted. For now just know, the second M.A. book is about to hit the world of EBooks.

M. What a Day!

2011-07-28T18:21:00.000-04:00

When I started out this day, I had no idea that it would turn out as it did. I guess that is just part of life.

While driving down the road to work, my neurological issue decided to manifest itself. I recognized it as I was turning the steering wheel to go around a bend and right away, tried to get to the shoulder. Unfortunately and fortunately, my car made contact with a guardrail.

Aside from scaring the hell out of me, it brought back the realization that, even though I have felt better for months my issues aren't completely gone.

After talking to my boss, because it was a company car and the police, Amy picked me up with my mother-in-law (who always comes to our hospital visits). We spent hours in the ER and took an interesting combination of medication through IV. The good news is that they got me back to about 80% to 90% better then this morning. The bad news is, I am back on the naughty no driving list until the doctor tells me otherwise. Maybe a blessing, because I am still shaken.

To make a long drawn out day short, dizzy, guardrail, hospital, no driving again. What a day!

D is for...

2011-07-27T08:30:00.000-04:00

Today, the state of New Jersey is brought to you by the letter D. Here are a few of the attractions that our Garden state has to offer.

Delaware river/bay - The Delaware river/bay runs most of the eastern coast of NJ to the southern tip, where it opens to the Atlantic ocean. And, is crossed by several bridges and a ferry. The water, aside from being a beautiful sight at most points is great for fishing, boating, swimming, and anything else you can think to do in the water.

Double Trouble Village - A small historic village on Island State Park in Central Jersey. The village includes several historic buildings, including a general store and a school. It is a beautiful place to view some of our history.

Unfortunately, I can't think of or remember any other D's. Hopefully we will think of more for E next week.

A. From the Pillow to The Paper!

2011-07-25T12:25:00.000-04:00

I think that I may have something very wrong with me. A lot of our writing ideas come from dreams that I have. Every couple of months, I have a weird and vivd dream. They are never the same and I am never in them. It is like I am watching a clip of a movie. More like a horror or thriller. I wake up in a cold sweet. Sometimes I am so scared that I can't fall back to sleep, sometimes I lay there to excited to sleep and wanting to wake Mike up to tell him about it. This happened again last night. One of the scariest dreams I have had in a long time. I could not go back to sleep. I wanted to talk it out with Mike, but waited till he got home from the gym, at 5:30 am. I filled him in and asked if he was intrested. Of course he said yes!!

So now we have a new idea to start forming and even though I really do think that something may be wrong with me. I also think its pretty interesting that I have these dreams.

M. Editing

2011-07-21T05:35:00.000-04:00

Why is it that I can read through something 12 times and still find mistakes?

Do the rest of you have problems like these with editing? I find that no matter how many times I read through our work, I find problems. Obviously, I correct those issues, let it sit for some time and read again. Then, Suddenly as if spawned from the ashes of the old mistakes, more arise.

It is really annoying.

Is there anything special that you do, that maybe the rest of us don't? Because, at this point, the M.A team is on the list of people that pull their hair out from edits.

C is for...

2011-07-20T08:00:00.004-04:00

We are giving the ABC of your State Blog Fest a shot, a blog fest set up by Fleur de Aleta. The idea is, every Wednesday, we have to post a fact about our home state New Jersey for the letter of that week.

We are starting somewhat late, missing A and B, but without further ado, I present the letter C.

The City of Cape May - A great shore town that houses some beautifully designed and preserved Victorian homes. A gorgeous beach and small shops filled with wares specific to the signs on the buildings.

Cape May County Zoo - Not in the city of Cape May, but in the county. The zoo houses hundreds of animals, including a tiger, cheetahs, a lion, bears, otters, and much more. The zoo is place comfortably off the Garden State Parkway and set back in the woods. Oh yeah, did I mention that it is a free zoo!

Cow Town - In Salem County. Cow town is the home of the first ever rodeo in the USA and today is the sight of a huge auction for area farmers. We are still the Garden State.

Camden Aquarium - Set in the center of the Camden Waterfront, the Camden Aquarium is a beautiful Aquarium with thousands of fish and animals. It is educational and entertaining, the only problem is getting there, the surrounding town isn't the nicest.

Cheesequake National Park - A park in north Jersey that I was recently at for a business BBQ. The scenery is gorgeous, filled with lakes and trees. Plus, it has fields and pavilions where you can set up and have fun and picnics.

I am already thinking about what to do next week, the all exciting D.

2011-07-19T07:02:00.001-04:00

A nice, simple post today. Just wondering, if you had a genie and three wishes. What would you wish for?

Mine is, more time. I could use more time in the day.

More money. Couldn't we all.

I am still thinking about what my third would be.

M. Fate?

2011-07-18T05:58:00.000-04:00

We, Amy and I, were having a discussion last night with a friend. We were going back and forth about fate, specifically, Nostradamus and his predictions.

Amy and I are from the school of thought that people and the world are not destined to do a damn thing. Things do happen for a reason, but it is up to the person to decide what to do with them. I can’t believe that we are all cords cut in space, with a predetermined length.

Others felt that the writings and predictions were too closely related and that our destinies are drawn out at birth. But, then again, the predictions aren’t written with specifics and could be interpreted to fit any necessary event.

I know this is coming from left field, and it’s only a Monday, but it really interests me. As writers and more specifically as people too determined to except no from agents, do you feel your destiny is already decided?

M. Marketing

2011-07-16T11:00:00.000-04:00

My least favorite aspect of the writing/self-publishing process is marketing. I know that you have to get yourself out there and introduce your work to the world, but it isn't easy.

Between blogging, Facebook, Twitter, and community events; you have to set aside a large portion of your time to put yourself out there. Then you have to hope that people are receptive.

I do have to say that in the community, people have been very receptive to our journey and attempt at self-publishing. Facebook is somewhat more difficult, the people on there are a hard egg to crack and every once and a while will download the book. Then there is Twitter. I have started to meet some amazing people through Twitter, people I wouldn't have ever imagined, but still you can't just go on every day and push a book. You become boring.

So how is it done? How does someone with a macaroni and cheese budget break into the world of publishing? Is there something that you are doing that maybe we aren't?

M. Why We Do This

2011-07-15T06:00:00.000-04:00

Take the stress out of your mind right now. Stop thinking about rejection letters from agents and not getting published, don’t think about self-publishing, and remember. Do you remember why you started writing?

Take a deep breath. Calm down. Let the words flow from your mind, to your hands, from your fingers to the keys or pen, and finally onto the screen or paper. One word after the other you will have a sentence, then a paragraph, and eventually a story.

Why did you write that story? If you wrote it to make millions of dollars and have a house next to James Patterson, then you wrote it for the wrong reason. Write because you love to write and when you are a writer, don’t forget why you write.

Lately, I have been letting rejection letters from agents start to leave dings on my outer shell. A few actually broke the surface and honestly it stings. I am not going to lie and say I don’t care if I don’t ever get published, but it can’t be the only reason that we write.

In reality, when you write, you are creating something that will last forever. Whether it is in a hardback copy, marked as best-seller or a manuscript in your attic for your great-grandkids to find long after your gone, it will last forever. The story line, the characters, everything about the pages comes directly from deep within you. Despite what anybody thinks, that is amazing.

Don’t let rejection keep you down. If you love to write, then be as thick skinned as you possibly can be. Don’t lose the main objective and don’t forget why you started doing this in the first place.

Tristen & the Whining of the Wind

2011-07-13T05:41:00.000-04:00

TRISTEN & THE WHINING OF THE WIND

Book two

M. A. Leslie

With the changes and trials that Tristen Parker had faced in becoming a druid, he thought he could handle anything. He had his magic and his best friend Brody, what else could a boy need?

But when the St Patrick’s Day festival comes around, he finds that life isn’t as certain as he thought. New Shannon is in party mode and just about every imaginable fun event is taking place, jugglers, bards, games, relay races, and much more.

However, as the festival progresses a strange sound echoes through the wind. And, the only way he could describe it was whining. At first he thinks nothing of it, but as the days go by and whining gets louder, he starts to worry.

Strangely as the whining increases, so do the violent tendencies of his classmates. Fights break out and kids that were once friends are throwing punches.

Again, Tristen realizes it is up to him to find out the source and stop the infection of evil that is encasing his town.

A. Stepping Out of My Comfort Zone

2011-07-07T09:09:00.000-04:00

As a writer I LOVE to read. I panic when I am about to finish a book and don't have another one lined up. I seriously have a full on heart racing sweating panic attack to the point that I can't finish the book until I know what book I am reading next. I also normally stick to a few Authors, Nora Roberts (writing under J.D Robb as well) Kay Hopper, J.K. Rowling, James Patterson. I have branched out in the past here and there and read other Author's, books someone would say you have to read this. I usually enjoy them but don't always read anything else by that writer.

So as a writer trying to get my own works read I stepping out of my comfort zone and reading a new authors for me all summer along. I was on Amazon ordering books for my children's summer reading and decided to give Amanda Hockings a try. I order Switched. This will be the third book this summer that i am reading by a different writer. Hopefully i can stick to my guns and not fall back to my safety net of reading till September. Sorry to all my favorites, I will not be picking up any of your books till the end of summer. You will be missed

A. Summer Time

2011-06-29T14:31:00.000-04:00

Schools out and the kids are home for the summer. The chaos in our lives is on a role. We live in a resort area down by the beach. The summer is in full session. No parking, college kids drinking and fighting outside our house untill the wee hours of the night. While living in a resort are has its perks, the vactioners seen to forget that we have to go to work we have children that still need to go bed and that we are NOT on vaction everyday.

We do get to enjoy the beach, where i can not wait to write this year. We get to enjoy the boardwalk and waterparks with out paying for the parking since we can walk. All that is great. We bitch and moan about all the vactioners and call them names, but the insperation that they bring is amazing. I love sitting outside and catching tid bits of their conversation and coming up with a story of who they are. Wondering if we can use any peice of them in one of our books as the villian or the victim or even just as a little side story.

We are very lucky that where we live has a quiet time and a chaotic time to influence our writing.

M. Peanut Free Zone!

2011-06-29T05:55:00.000-04:00

According to a local radio station that I enjoy listening too, sports stadiums are going to be making peanut free zones. Imagine going to a game in a peanut free environment. Should be beneficial to the people that have severe allergies. With a son that is allergic to 8 different foods, I respect this choice by the stadiums.

But, what I really found interesting was the question that was posed. If you could have an anything free section, in life, what would you choose? There was suggestions for no smoking (Which we have in NJ), no profanity, no people with a lack of common sense. There were quite a few creative answers, but I wonder, what about you? What would you like to have corralled in a section to itself?

M. Writing Outside

2011-06-25T20:35:00.000-04:00

Tonight we lit a fire out back and actually got some honest to goodness, writing done. The fire pit was stationed on the patio and our children were in bed. The noises around us were there, but not distracting.

I worked on one WIP, while Amy worked on the other. I have to say it was the most relaxing and enjoyable setting for getting writing done, ever.

The flames in the pit danced and frolicked from the wood that we had laid before us. The warmth of the fire was soothing and the summer air was relaxing.

So, I will ask, where is your favorite place to write? Do you prefer silence or the occasional din? And finally, does writing sooth you or stress you?

M. Life Around Us

2011-06-21T05:30:00.001-04:00

Do you thrive from chaos or peace?

In life there are those of us that can’t stand to be bored. We go nuts when there is a lull in the insanities of life and work. We thrive off of the chaos and have to have more than one thing going at the same time, or we lose our minds.

Of course, on the other end of the spectrum there are the people who need their peace. They need to do one project at a time and have to focus their energy to be productive. They are normally tidy people and have over organization issues.

As creative people, I think that most of us are on the chaos spectrum. We are used to our minds wandering around the universes that we create in our minds. But, I wonder, are there any of you that don’t function well in the presence of chaos?

Happy Father's Day!

2011-06-19T07:16:00.002-04:00

I hope that all you fathers out there have a wonderful day and do all the things that you wanted to do today.

A. What is Normal?

2011-06-14T09:00:00.000-04:00

Almost two years I thought my life was normal. Well my normal anyway. Then it all changed. My husband and son were sick. Really sick, like doctors every other week for one of them. Neither of there illness were life threatening, but still devastating. My son who is only 8 has several diagonis. He has ashma ( very treatable and we have under contril.) He has JRA( jurvinal Rhuemotaid Arthitis) pretty scarry and still not sure what to expect with that. He also has what they call Ashma of the gut. It causes him to throw up and lose weight( and trust me my son can't afford to lose weight) He is aslo allergic to 8 different foods, eggs, milk, chicken, beef, pork, potatoes, tomatoes, and barley. Dinners are fun at my house. as of today he is doing good and everything is being managed and we hope it stays that way. My husband went threw a over a year of not working due to his illness,( which is still yet to be diagonosed) all of his symptoms are gone at the moment and he is back to work.

Anyway when the shit it the fan for over a year, i used to cry whenever i was alone and ask for my life to go back to normal. Now that everthing seems to be back to normal, its really not. Its not the same normal as before. Durning the year of Hell as i called it. My husband and I gained alot and learned alot. We can follow our dreams to write and our marrige (which has been tested and tested over the last year) is so much stronger. He is different too. After everything he has been threw with his illness he has a new look on life. Our children got to spend a year with daddy home all day and their relationship is so much stronger.

So again what is normal? I am not sure anymore. I don't want my old normal back anymore. I just want to live and see where life takes me and my family and enjoy the ride.

M. Favorite Word

2011-06-14T05:30:00.000-04:00

My favorite word in the English language, of all time, is tintinnabulation. I think I was in sixth or seventh grade when my English teacher first taught me the word and it has stuck with me since.

For any that don’t know the meaning, it means the ringing of the bells. I think it was first used by Edgar Allen Poe in The Bells.

As for the last fact, I am not certain, but the first is true. The word has stuck with me for most of my life. I am not sure if it’s just because of how melodic it sounds, or the fact that when I say it, it evokes the meaning in the pronunciation.

Whenever it is said or if I see it on paper, my mind goes to a beautiful chorus of church bells ringing. I know that it isn’t onomatopoeia, but it does make you imagine bells ringing when you hear it.

What is your favorite word? Can you remember what word made you fall in love with the English language?

M. Stressing over nothing

2011-06-13T05:30:00.004-04:00

I met a guy the other day, at work, that had to be one of the easiest going people I’ve met. He was sixty-five and appeared to be about fifty-five.

Like I always do, I went through the normal work routine with him and at the end of my spiel, I told him to come to me with any concerns. His reply was far from normal and very true.

He looked me dead in the eye and said, “You need to know one thing to get to my age. First, don’t sweat the small stuff. And, second if you want to get to my age without a heart attack, you need to know, here comes the important part, there is no big stuff.”

I would have to say that these are words to live by.

A. Who Does More Work?

2011-06-10T09:23:00.000-04:00

I think this is an age old question in a marriage. In the old days the husband would leave for work in the morning, and the wife would stay home, clean, take care of the children, do the laundry cook the meals and run the errands of the day. Then the husband would come home exhausted and be waited on. So who did more work there? I would say the Wife.

Today is a little different. In most households both people work. In my household we both work and the other things get divided. We both take care of our children's needs, we both do laundry, (my husband does more of it.) I do most of the cooking, but not all. We divide the chores maybe not in half all the time but pretty close.

As we write together, I question this a lot. Who does more work? I feel my husband does. he is the typer, he is much better with words I feel. I am the story teller.don't get me wrong my husband is also a story teller. I think we fill in the blanks for each other when we are coming up with a plan. Of course my husband claims he does not do more work. i still feel like sometimes he does. I guess that is my own insecuritys. He tells me he couldn't do it on his own, which i know because he has tried and so have I. We need each other for Writing and everything else. So in the Long wrong does it matter who does more work? Or does it?

M. Kiss

2011-06-10T05:53:00.000-04:00

An attempt at some creative poetry, please have some mercy. This isn't what I usually try, but the mood struck and I ran with it.

Love’s Seal

Two hearts increasing pace,
Come to match tempo and time.
Lips magnetized,
Drawn as anticipation climbs.
Bodies meet and their lips find,
Their love, forever,
Sealed with a kiss.

Getting Back

2011-06-09T13:31:00.000-04:00

My husband is more of the blogger then i am. We live together, raise our kids together and write together. I have spent the last two days at the North Wildwood Beach Conference. We are very likely to have such a thing only a few blocks away from home. It was amazing, and unfortunately with Mike back to work he was not able to attend.

I wish he could have been there, but there is always next year. I learned a lot about how to get your name and book out there, and surprise, surprise social media is one of the best ways. Mike is very good with computers and social media. I am not. Love facebook, don't understand twitter at all, and as for blogging that i am going to give a try. I was just reading some of my husbands older posts and WOW. Do I have an amazing man or what? He's right we have been threw a lot in last year and threw it all our relationship has only strengthened.

I am grateful everyday for him. I look at other marriages around us, we are at that age that divorces are starting with our peers. I don't get it, when people see mike and i and we are very affectionate ( not in a you have to look away kind) we do kiss before one of us leaves. I love you comes out of our mouths at least 10 times a day. Anyway back to the point, some of our friends and family call it the honeymoon period. We have been married almost 10 years i don't think we are in that anymore i think that is our life and relationship and it might not be for everyone, but it is for us. I can't imagine any other way for us to be.

M. Love at First Sight

2011-06-09T05:37:00.000-04:00

Does love at first sight really exist?
When I was a young boy, only eight, I met Amy. Our circumstances weren't exactly normal, but in the time that we knew each other as kids, we became best friends. I was a foster child of her father and step mother and she was a weekend kid. Even though she was a girl and I was a boy, we were able to build a close friendship.

After living with her family for two years, the bond was iron clad. But, after those two years, I moved in with my own family. There was a distance placed between us and like most people do, for the most part, we lost touch.
Then, when I was older, I had a chance to get reacquainted with Amy. At first it was strange for both of us. We had expectations, but didn't know what the other would be like and if we would even find the friendship we once had. We got over that fast. We had one of those heart felt evenings until three or four in the morning of just talking that caught each of us up over the past few years.
There were a few months of a rebuilding relationship between us, but we were the only ones who didn't notice it building in a different way. Everyone else could see it, but it took us some time to open our eyes to the love we felt for each other and had felt all along. Luckily, we did.
Now that years have gone by and we have been through some great times and rough ones, I know one thing. Our hearts beat as one and have for more than two thirds of our lives. As a life long believer and someone who experienced it, I believe in love at first sight. You just have to open your eyes to it.

M. Press

2011-06-08T05:45:00.000-04:00

Today we had an article run in the Press of Atlantic City. It is a local paper, but the largest one to take a look at us as of yet.

We feel that every bit of press and exposure is a good thing. How do you feel? Do you want to have articles run and printed about your book, your life, and your story? Or, would you rather be anonymous?

M. Obstacles

2011-06-07T19:15:00.000-04:00

Do the obstacles that we face in life form our character or does our character define how we face those obstacles?

The past year has been a far cry from anything but challenging. As some of you know, I battled a year long illness that thankfully has suppressed. I don't feel that every part of the experience was horrible, even though there were days that I wondered why it was happening to me. But, if I hadn't faced the monster of boredom, I wouldn't have begun to write again.

While I was out, I was able to spend an amazing amount of time with my children. And, I know that I wouldn't have otherwise. My wife and I were able to also spend every day together and create a passion for story telling that we had always wanted to pursue. But, when it came down to it, there were days that I wasn't sure if I would ever get better.

Now that I am better, I can say that I have changed as a person. My outlook at home, work, and with life is completely different then it was before. Before last year, there were days that I would let stress get to me and I would panic over the simplest of life's issues. Now though, I look at those issues and trivial blips in life's journey as just that, blips.

We still try to write as much as humanly possible and unfortunately blogging has gotten away from us. But, when it comes down to it, I know, it will all work out. I feel stronger as a person then I ever have and can say that I now cherish life in a way that I haven't ever understood.

To answer my own question, I will say both. I now believe that your character does define how you perceive and face obstacles, but the obstacles are the blocks that build the foundation for your character.