Friday 17 April 2015

Celebrate the small things

Last weekend we went to London to visit our eldest daughter. She has spent the last few weeks there doing some work experience at the end of her Advertising Degree. It was her 21st birthday, quite a milestone, so we wanted to celebrate with her. It was only a short visit but we still managed to fit in a lovely Italian meal, a wander around Portobello Market, a trip to The National History Museum and a stroll in Regent's Park. In actual fact the celebrations continue as when she gets home in a few days we are having a party with family and friends. I still don't feel anywhere near old enough to have a daughter of 21 though!

In other news I managed a little writing. A few hundred words were added to my latest project. 

Finally, I have to mention the weather. The last few days have been glorious. It has been lovely to be able to leave the house without the need for coat and boots! I don't know how long it will last, but will celebrate the sunshine whilst it is here.

Happy weekend


Thanks to our lovely host Lexa and her team of co-hosts

 L.G. Keltner @ Writing Off The Edge
Katie @ TheCyborgMom

Friday 10 April 2015

Primroses and Fairies!

Just a short post to let you know I will be away from the blog for two or three days. I will be back around by Monday so until then I will leave you with a picture of some primroses I took in my garden today. So pretty ...


And just because this is my blog, and most of you probably know by now I have a fondness for fae folklore, here are some interesting little legends surrounding this pretty and delicate flower.

*Primroses were believed to grant fae the power of invisibility. 
*By hanging a small posy of primroses on your front door you are extending an invitation for the fae to enter your house and scatter their blessings. However, should you not be so keen to have fairies in your home, try scattering primroses outside your door. It is said that this may provide a barrier that the fae cannot cross.
*Happen to know where to find a fairy rock? Well, you could try touching it with a posy of primroses and see if it opens the door to Fairyland!

Have a good weekend.


Tuesday 7 April 2015

Dragon of the Stars Release and Scavenger hunt!



SCAVENGER HUNT! Comment to win an autographed copy of Dragon of the Stars, tons of bookmarks & postcards, and a $20.00 iTunes gift card–where is Mini-Alex? Visit Alex for a list of the participants. (Open through April 11 – winner announced April 13 at Alex’s blog.)

So ..... where is mini-Alex hiding here?Think you know? Leave a comment for Alex below then hop round the participants to find out all of his hiding places. Have fun!




Available today!
Dragon of the Stars
By Alex J. Cavanaugh
Science Fiction – Space Opera/Adventure/Military
Print ISBN 9781939844064 EBook ISBN 9781939844057
What Are the Kargrandes? http://whatarethekargrandes.com/

The ship of legends…

The future is set for Lt. Commander Aden Pendar, son of a Hyrathian Duke. Poised to secure his own command and marriage to the queen’s daughter, he’ll stop at nothing to achieve his goals.

But when the Alliance denies Hyrath’s claim on the planet of Kavil and declares war on their world, Aden finds his plans in disarray. Entrenched in battle and told he won’t make captain, Aden’s world begins to collapse. How will he salvage his career and future during Hyrath’s darkest hour?

One chance remains–the Dragon. Lost many years prior, the legendary ship’s unique weapon is Hyrath’s only hope. Can Aden find the Dragon, save his people, and prove he’s capable of commanding his own ship?
Purchase and links:

Alex J. Cavanaugh has a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree and works in web design, graphics, and technical editing. A fan of all things science fiction, his interests range from books and movies to music and games. Online he is the Ninja Captain and founder of the Insecure Writer’s Support Group. He’s the author of Amazon Best-Sellers CassaStar, CassaFire, and CassaStorm.


Congratulations Alex!

Wednesday 1 April 2015

IWSG (April)


Thanks as ever go to our host Alex J. Cavanaugh

Co-hosts for this month are Tonja Drecker, Toi Thomas, Rachna Chhabria, Fundy Blue, Donna Hole and yours truly!

April 1st is going to be a busy day around the blogosphere. Not only is it the start of the epic A-Z challenge but it is also Insecure Writer's support Day! Whilst I am not taking part in the A-Z, I am honoured to be one of Alex's co-hosts today so I will be surfing around to see what particular insecurities lurk this month.

Of course the first of April also has another special spot on the calender                     - April Fool's Day!

Apparently, the earliest recorded association between the date and it's connections with the playing of pranks and general foolishness, appeared in Chaucer's The Canterbury Tales in 1392.  Wikipedia

However, I'm sure there will be no pranks around here, just a bunch of supportive writers offering a word or two of support or encouragement. We all need that from time to time, right? 

My nagging insecurity this month involves waiting. We all know things in this business take time. A huge amount of time, effort and perseverance goes into the creative process itself but when you finally reach the end and have a lovingly crafted manuscript to share with the world, that's when the waiting really starts! It's hard not to count each week that goes by and then torture yourself with crazy ideas of what the wait might mean. Usually it alternates between they love it/they hate it. In reality of course it probably means it just hasn't been seen yet.  I don't have any magic tip for coping with the anxiety that accompanies waiting. If anyone out there does please share! But I try to distract my insecure mind with new writing projects and to take time to enjoy reading books from my ever increasing TBR pile. Remember successful writers are usually prolific readers too.