Monday, November 28, 2011

Night-time Visitor

Over the weekend, I ran across an interesting article about a 5-year-old boy who claims he can’t sleep at night because a “man with a gray face” sits on his bed and keeps him up talking all night. I, of course, was immediately intrigued. “Angelina’s Friend” the short-story Prequel to Angelina’s Secret is a fictional account of basically the same thing: a young child visiting with the house’s unseen occupant. But unlike Angelina’s parents, this child’s parents actually believe him. Although they have never seen this man, they have heard what sounded like movement in parts of the house they knew to be empty, furniture too heavy for their small son to move has been re-arranged, and objects on shelves over their son’s head have been moved to the floor. The boy’s father (who is a former unbeliever) noted that such activities have increased since they began remodeling their home. This caught my attention because my personal experiences always seem to increase when I remodel as well.

But what I found even more interesting was the comment section after the news article. Of course, everyone on the internet is an expert. The poor kid was “diagnosed” with everything from an overactive imagination to sleep paralysis. And from readers who believed his claims, the reactions varied from “It’s a lonely, harmless ghost, who’s glad someone can hear him,” to “Move immediately” or “Call an exorcist.”

Check out the article yourself, and tell me what your take on the situation is.  

Friday, November 25, 2011

THE WINNERS ARE.........

A BIG thank you to all who joined the ARC giveaway. The winners are as follows:
Krystal Larson won the autographed ARC of Angelina's Secret
Ash Krafton won the beautiful glass angel
Aliraluna won the autographed rack card and bookmarks
Please send me your mailing address ASAP send to rzambo13@aol.com
CONGRATULATIONS to you all and thanks for helping to spread the word.

Wednesday, November 16, 2011

ARC GIVEAWAY!!!

Win an ARC!!!!!!!!! Or other cool stuff.


           
Even though Angelina’s Secret isn’t scheduled to be released until Feb. 1, 2012, YOU can read it now… that is if you win it. To win all you have to do is be a follower of this blog and leave a comment. There are other ways to gain more entries, but first let’s look at what’s up for grabs.
The prizes:
Grand Prize: An autographed ARC copy of Angelina’s Secret.
Runner Up: A beautiful glass angel (Just like the one mentioned in the book… which you haven’t read)
Second Runner Up: An autographed rack card
All prizes can only be shipped to a U.S. mailing address. Sorry my international friends, I’ll do another giveaway after the release that will include you too.

            How to Enter:
You must be a follower of this blog. Leaving a comment =1 entry for new followers and 2 entries for old followers
Posting on your blog or Facebook about this giveaway =1 entry for each
Like Angelina’s Secret Facebook fanpage =1 entry
Vote for Angelina’s Secret on Goodreads 2012 Debut Authors list = 2 entries Placing Angelina’s Secret on your “to read” list on Goodreads = 2 entriesPlease total your entries and leave in comment section. Example:
Old follower comment =2
Share on FB =1
Like fanpage = 1
Voted on goodreads =2
TOTAL 6 entries
           
            The contest will close on November 24th (Thanksgiving) And winners will be announced November 25th (Black Friday!)
            Good luck!

Friday, November 11, 2011

Why I love Kids...

1. HOW DO YOU DECIDE WHO TO MARRY?
-You got to find somebody who likes the same stuff. Like, if you like sports, she should like it that you like sports, and she should keep the chips and dip coming. -- Alan, age 10
-No person really decides before they grow up who they're going to marry. God decides it all way before, and you get to find out later who you're stuck with.
-- Kristen, age 10

2. WHAT IS THE RIGHT AGE TO GET MARRIED?
Twenty-three is the best age because you know the person FOREVER by then.
-- Camille, age 10
3. HOW CAN A STRANGER TELL IF 2 PEOPLE ARE MARRIED?
You might have to guess, based on whether they seem to be yelling at the same kids.
-- Derrick, age 8

4. WHAT DO YOU THINK YOUR MOM AND DAD HAVE IN COMMON?
Both don't want any more kids.
-- Lori, age 8
5. WHAT DO MOST PEOPLE DO ON A DATE?
-Dates are for having fun, and people should use them to get to know each other. Even boys have something to say if you listen long enough.
-- Lynnette, age 8 (isn't she a treasure)
-On the first date, they just tell each other lies and that usually gets them interested enough to go for a second date.
-- Martin, age 10
6. WHEN IS IT OKAY TO KISS SOMEONE?
-When they're rich.
-- Pam, age 7
-The law says you have to be eighteen, so I wouldn't want to mess with that.
- - Curt, age 7
-The rule goes like this: If you kiss someone, then you should marry them and have kids with them. It's the right thing to do.
- - Howard, age 8
7. IS IT BETTER TO BE SINGLE OR MARRIED?
It's better for girls to be single but not for boys. Boys need someone to clean up after them. -- Anita, age 9 (bless you child )

8. HOW WOULD THE WORLD BE DIFFERENT IF PEOPLE DIDN'T GET MARRIED?
There sure would be a lot of kids to explain, wouldn't there?
-- Kelvin, age 8
And the #1 Favorite is .........
9. HOW WOULD YOU MAKE A MARRIAGE WORK?

Tell your wife that she looks pretty, even if she looks like a dump truck . -- Ricky
, age 10

Wednesday, November 9, 2011

I'm Moving to Wales!

Okay, not really. But look at this place:





A lighthouse converted to a residence, two miles of beach, and a ghost. All for £100,000. What more could I ask for?

Built in the 1770’s, it is one of the earliest lighthouses in Wales. Supposedly, the most common occurrences at Point of Ayr Lighthouse are sightings of a man, Raymond, according to paranormal investigators, dressed in work clothes around the lighthouse that vanishes into thin air. Visitors to the lighthouse have also reported mysterious footprints in the sand, banging noises, strange lights, and disembodied voices.

So, would you live here?

Tuesday, November 8, 2011

FREE FREE FREE Download

It's here!!!!!!!!!!! Angelina's Friend, a short prequel to Angelina's Secret is available here http://www.site.spencerhillpress.com/Angelina_s_Friend.php
as a free download.
I'd love to know what you guys think about it.

Monday, November 7, 2011

Everyday Haunting


            As you all know, the resident ghosts at my house make their presence known so often that I hardly think about it anymore. But occasionally something happens that I think is worth mentioning.
           
            I watch my infant grandson a few days a week, and I have no doubt that I can’t see all of his playmates. Frequently I’ll catch him laughing at something above my head, or staring intently down an empty hall. But since they don’t seem to bother him, I don’t mind the ghosts playing with him. In fact, I appreciate it. Entertaining a small child by myself is exhausting!

            My grandson is at the age where he is discovering cabinet doors. Pulling open a door and then letting it bounce closed can keep him entertained for quite a while. One day last week I’d just put him down for a nap and tiptoed off to catch up on some housework when I heard the unmistakable sound of a cabinet door bouncing closed. Since one of my grandson’s favorite cabinet doors is just within his reach from his crib, I assumed he’d decided that nap time was over. But when I walked in the room, he was still asleep, exactly where I’d laid him down.

            Not long after I’d returned to my dishes, I heard the door bouncing again. Returning to his crib, I could see that my grandson was still sound asleep. Then I figured it out. My grandson hadn’t been over in several days, and the ghosts missed him. “Okay,” I said aloud. “I know you want to play, but the baby needs to sleep. Please don’t wake him up.” I left the room, and the sounds did not continue.
           
            However, after about an hour, I went to get my grandson up from his nap. As soon as I walked in the room, I noticed that something was off. His crib had been slid about two feet away from the wall. Being a proud grandma, I believe that my grandbaby is the strongest little boy in the world, but I know he didn’t move that crib, especially since he was in it. And since I was the only other person in the house, the only logical conclusion is that the ghosts moved it; perhaps so that they could continue to open the cabinet door without waking the baby, like I’d asked.

What do you think?

Friday, November 4, 2011

I Want These!

Every once in a while, something awesome comes along. What do you think of these?
I think I stepped in something...
I'd like to thank the little people.
Why, yes. I do love my heels

Wednesday, November 2, 2011

NaNoWriMo


It has begun. What is “it,” you ask? National Novel Writing Month. Apparently, I’ve been living under a rock, because I’d never heard of this most awesome event until yesterday. But it was started in 1999, and last year over 200,000 writers participated! The goal is to write 50,000 words (around 175 pages) between November 1st and November 30th.
As I have discovered, sometimes the hardest part of writing a novel is actually putting words on the page. I’m a bit OCD, and if I can’t think of the perfect word, I’ll simply stare at the blank screen, accomplishing nothing. For hours. But participants in NaNoWriMo don’t have time for that. Simply getting ideas on paper is a huge step in the right direction for any aspiring author. After all, when you do think of the *perfect* word, you can always go back and delete the mediocre word you’d used earlier. If you’d like to participate in NaNoWriMo, sign up at http://www.nanowrimo.org/ for support, feedback, and an official word count. I can’t guarantee I’ll reach 50k, (That’s a lot of words people!) but I am hard at work on my next novel, and I promise I’m trying to mend my wicked OCD writing ways.   

Tuesday, November 1, 2011

Happy Day of the Dead!


Today is Dia de los Inocentes or Day of the Innocents, part one of a two day Mexican holiday honoring the dead. Today and tomorrow, people will visit cemeteries where loved ones are buried and decorate their graves with Marigolds, the “Flower of the Dead.” They will also build alters containing the favorite foods, beverages, and items belonging to deceased loved ones at the cemetery and in their homes in hopes of encouraging the souls of the departed to visit them. Toys are commonly purchased for children who have passed away, and bottles of tequila are left for adults. (If that isn’t a bribe, I don’t know what is!)  

Unlike the somber American Memorial Day, Day of the Dead is often a festive event. The streets are decorated with skeletons, candies shaped like skulls, and picnics at the cemetery are common. It is viewed as a time of happiness and celebration because loved ones who have passed away can come back to visit their families.

Although I don’t celebrate this holiday myself, I love the idea of a time when spirits, or ghosts, are encouraged to come back and visit us. What do you think?