Changes in life

I never thought following your dreams and doing what it is you love to do would be so scary. I guess I always envisioned the moment when one found what they're passionate about to open a door to instant success. Not necessarily extreme wealth, but satisfaction, ease, and success with whatever it is one is passionate about. For example: Let's say you love to sew. You love making things for people, creating new designs and are good at it. In my mind I always thought that doors would open for you, you'd get contracts and have your clothing sold in stores, online and even worn on the red carpet. It'd be easy, flawless, comfortable.
No one ever mentioned fear.
I've been working at being a professional writer now for 2.5 years. In the grand scheme of things, that's not a long time. Some days it feels like forever though. I've discovered a TON about myself during this process and have realized my passion. I love writing. I love absolutely everything about it. I've found others who share my passion, either through writing or reading what I've written. I've also discovered how insecure I am. I thought I was a strong person who didn't give a rats behind about what anyone thought of her, but I'm not. I care. Deeply.
I'm getting to the point that I've been working on for two years now and it scares the absolute crap out of me. I've gotten an excellent opportunity in a writing avenue. An opportunity that will open me up to have more flexibility with my writing as well as to work from home, away from the structure of bureaucracy that I hate. I'm beyond excited for this opportunity, but scared to death to leave the security of the job I've had for years. The job I hate. The job that stresses me out so much I've had hives for two years; where I know, if I stay, I'll end up having a coronary before I reach 40. I want to leave. I'm thrilled to be able to leave. It scares the absolute crap out of me.
I always tell people who are in my position to have faith. Trust in God or whatever higher power you believe in to have your back, that everything will be okay. Why is it so hard to follow my own advice? Why is following your dreams so terrifying? Shouldn't doing what you love and loving what you do be the thing you're working to achieve? Shouldn't that be a dream come true, instead of inspiring terror?
Sigh.
Good things are happening, I'm beyond excited about what the future holds, I just have to learn to let go of the fear. Thank you for your love and support over the years. I look forward to many years ahead with you. :)

A grumpy patient

As you may or may not be aware of, I work in a locked psych institute. I hate it. I want nothing more in my life than to just be able to write for a living.
That being said, I had an interesting patient last night. This person is supposedly ex military with a pain med issue. (I say supposedly because it's sometimes difficult to judge reality with people, this person could just be REALLY obsessed with Call of Duty. The pain med issue is that this person doesn't get enough to drool all over them self.)
This person woke up from a nightmare and cussed out the nurses and myself for not giving out pain meds like candy. The med nurse got really upset and yelled right back at this patient. The patient then said, "Fuck you! You don't understand my pain! You've never been in combat!"
Here's where I get annoyed. First of all, how do you know the nurse hasn't been in combat? You don't even know his name, let alone any information about him. Secondly, do I have to have been in combat to know how traumatic that is? Really? I can't imagine or sympathize with your pain based on my personal history, which you know nothing about, and empathize with you based on your words, actions and my understanding? That's not possible? I'd have to have been next to you, to understand?
My how this patient's attitude changed when the nurse explained that he'd been 18 during the Vietnam War.
Don't presume to judge others because you have no idea what they've lived through. I've watched people die. I've created life and watched as it was literally flushed away. I know pain. It may not be your exact pain, but I understand what it's like to have life shatter in your very hands.
That mentality drives me batty. Then I remember I work in a locked psych institute. Most of the people there barely have the ability to cope with day to day life, let alone are able to grasp the social understanding that life doesn't revolve around you and that you're not that unique.
Sorry, I'm venting today. I hope you're day is filled with positivity, love and the ability to show someone they're important, for even just a moment. <3

crazy vacation

I went to visit my best friend and chosen sister, Heather for about 11 days. I came back home yesterday and I'm still exhausted from the excitement that is her life. The first day I was there, she had to do a PT test for the Army so I spent the day playing with my 4 nieces. (12, 10, 9, & 4) We had a make-up party, breakfast, lunch and basically just goofed off for the entire day. The next day we went to church. It's been over 15 years since I've been to a Lutheran church, and I have to say, it was interesting.
Monday, I made Heather go to the doctor where she had to get on antibiotics and steroids for her horrible cold. We also spent the day running errands. Once the girls came home from school, it was a madhouse again trying to get the middle girls ready for Cheer practice and the youngest one ready to go with us. The oldest was being moody. We get to Cheer practice after running just barely late, only to almost literally run into a Care-flight helicopter in the parking lot.
Tuesday I watched Baby Moose (the youngest) and went shopping and crazy with her while cleaning the house a bit for the family. Having not been around a 4-year-old that much, I was exhausted by the time Heather came home.
Wednesday she totaled her brand new Lincoln just before the girls had to go to Cheer practice.
Thursday we took the Lincoln to the shop and rented a rental car just in time to take the 9-year-old to the doctor for her annual check-up.
Friday we did a drive by tour of Washington D. C., stopping at the Smithsonian castle only to find it was closed for renovations. We decided to check out the set-up for the inauguration. Having never been to one, I was rather excited to see all the preparations. On our way back home, we got stuck in traffic. The reason: Some guy got pulled over for not wearing his seatbelt and shot himself in the chest. He died.
Saturday we drove up to PA to go to a Cheer competition. For those of you who've never been to one of those, let me tell you, it's intense. There was a ridiculous amount of half-naked children running around with porn star make-up on with just as many parents cheering them on. I was volunteered to help assist with our teams make-up. I was grateful it wasn't porn star material like some of the girls. We spent an ungodly amount of time watching the girls in skin-tight short shorts, jumping and leaping across the stage. It was actually quite a bit of fun and I was surprised at the variety of sizes of girls. I always thought a pre-rec for Cheering was that you had to be a size two or lower to join. I was happy to be proven wrong.
As soon as the girls got their award, Heather and I drove the 3 hours up to New York City. We had to make it there before midnight. Between my mad driving skills and Heather's phone app, we got to the parking garage at 11:53p.m., arriving at our hotel less than five minutes later. We stayed at the Mansfield, spending more on a hotel room than I've ever dreamed of spending. Picture this: A full sized bed with about two to three feet of walking space around the sides and foot of the bed, a closet large enough to fit 4 jackets and a bathroom smaller than my closet at home. Our view was the wall of the building next to us that I could almost touch if I leaned out the bathroom window. In a word: tiny.
We passed out, waking the next day to experience NYC. Experience it, we did...
We left the hotel room and found a tourist shop where Heather got some new socks (she forgot to pack socks) and I picked up souvenirs for a couple of people. We walked over to the parking garage to make sure we could keep our car parked for the day without it getting towed, and Heather put on her socks.
After that, we were on our way to get coffee when Heather spotted a sign for a palm reader. We hit the button and were buzzed into the creepy building where we crammed into a tiny room to have our palms read. I'm apparently going to live well past my 80s, have two kids and work in an office of sorts. I'm also severely disconnected from my spiritual self. Gonna work on that. Heather's disconnected from her husband, they need to spend more alone time together, and she's past the worst of things in her life. yea! We left the psychic to go to times square and get coffee. Heather was waiting to pick up her coffee and I took advantage of the moment to snap some pictures of the costumed people wandering downtown. I should never have left the sanctity of the Starbucks. I was accosted by an Elmo, who had me take a picture with him. What little English he could say, was "You pay now." Awesome. While I was trying to figure out what the hell just happened, three more Elmo's, Cookie Monster and two Minnie Mice surrounded me. *a warning to all, don't get caught snapping pictures of the freaks in Time's Square - it's a terrifying experience.*
As soon as I got free from the furry things, Heather and I raced down Time's Square to find Grand Central Station. We got lost. She expertly hailed a cab and we went across town to see the Statue of Liberty. Ellis Island was closed due to damage from Sandy, but we were able to take a boat tour of the harbor and snap a bunch of pictures. It was a very cold, windy day. Going out to take pictures was seriously challenging. We desperately tried to not shiver off the boat.
As we arrived back into port, we found the subway station. The super helpful (not) guy in the booth spoke heavy blackineese through a 6 inch glass and a crackly microphone. We didn't understand a word he said. We went back to the map, pondering how to get back to the hotel, finally deciding to just jump on a train and figure it out from there. It was my first actual train ride. I scared the locals.
We made it to Grand Central Station, discovering that we'd originally been across the street from it when we hailed the taxi! We went back to the hotel so I could pick up my jacket and ran up 6th street to MAZE by Gordon Ramsay. It was amazingly wonderful food. She got steak and I, the chicken. I have to say, her steak was better than the chicken, but my sides were better than hers, so it evened out. We took a more leisurely stroll back to the hotel, stopping at various locations to take pictures, explore and laugh at things. We had about two hours to kill before the main event of our trip - Wicked at the Gershwin!
We were both tired of spending money, so we decided to take a walk down 5th ave, ogling all the shops. We ended up at the mouth of Central Park just after dark. Deciding that we were brave women, we walked into the park and took pictures. She hid in the tunnel, being creepy and I laid on the grass as if someone had killed or mugged me. It was hilarious. We were going to walk further, but there was a really creepy delivery truck and we both ran out of the park squealing. It was a blast.
We ran back to the hotel so she could get her phone and I could charge mine. We had just enough time to literally run to the Gershwin to see the show. We literally made it to our seats 30 seconds before it started.
If you ever get the chance to see a Broadway play, I highly recommend it. If you can see a Broadway play not on Broadway, that would be even more amazing. Wicked was absolutely fantastic! I loved the book, but seeing it performed was breathtaking.
We left Broadway to have dinner. We went to the Hard Rock Cafe where we picked up our traditional souvenir glasses and were shown to our table. I'd like to take a minute and explain that both Heather and I have food allergies. She's extremely sensitive to wheat and gluten and I'm mildly sensitive to dairy. Her allergy is more severe than mine, so we make sure to tell everyone that comes into contact with delivering food to our table that she has this allergy. Cross contamination will make her sick for about two weeks. It sucks. Our waitress was amazing. She took our order, went into the back and talked with the head chef about the allergy and came back to explain that it would be a few minutes longer than normal to get our food because the kitchen staff is cleaning and preparing her dish separate from anything else. We were totally understanding and okay with this. Our waitress had to leave for her break. Her substitute seemed very friendly and understanding. Heather ate her salad and I patiently waited for my steak. Our food arrived, much to my stomach's enjoyment, and Heather's fish was completely raw. She returned it and the substitute waiter was very pleasant about the whole thing. He came back an eternity later with the new fish. She asked if she could have some butter as long as it didn't have cross contamination. He brought out the butter. Our waitress returned. She stopped Heather from eating the buttered food just as she was finishing lathering it on everything. She went into the back to triple check that it was safe to eat and came back with the manager. He apologized for our frustrations and inconvenience and I stopped eating because I felt bad that she wasn't able to eat anything other than her salad. The manager explained that they take food allergies very seriously and that there may be a chance that the butter was contaminated. The head chef himself was making her third salmon and it was on the house.
Before the food could be given to us, the waiters all did some stupid little dance in the middle of the restaurant. The substitute waiter came up to our table and basically accused Heather of lying about her allergy and upset with her that they were getting in trouble for giving her the butter. By this time, we were both mad. The manager came up to our table to talk to us again, comping our meals and apologizing for the behavior of his staff. Heather still feels bad for getting them in trouble, but if that guy hadn't come up and accused her of lying, she never would've had any issue.
We left the Hard Rock needing to blow off some steam. Luckily we ran into a guy pitching a free comedy show. The funniest comedian was the guy announcing the acts. There was a 21 year old blond in front of us that clearly defined the definition of dumb blond. When the guy asked us where we were from, I said "Reno." The girl turns around in her seat, "Reno?!? ..... That's far!" Wow. Really? <shakes head> The comedian teased her about that for the rest of the night.
In the morning we packed up everything, picked up the car and stopped at Bella Vita Trattoria for a slice of authentic brick oven pizza. I'm officially ruined for pizza for the rest of my life. It was absolutely beyond amazing. If you ever go to NYC, go there. Beyond fabulous.
We drove the four hours it took to get back to her house and hung out with the family for the rest of the night. I flew out Tuesday morning amongst lots of hugs and tears.

Happy New Year?

This has been the craziest beginning to a new year I've ever experienced, and we're only on day 4.
I rung the new year in by working in a psych hospital, which isn't an uncommon event for me. The next night I worked, my boss wrote me up for something I didn't even do, something that happened the previous night, and was annoyed that I wouldn't sign it. Then, when I called to get clarification on how to do the thing I'd just been written up for, she got so mad at me that she pulled a bag out of my hands with such force that she broke the zipper and inadvertently hit me in the face with it. I stood dumbfounded that this actually happened to me. Had I heard about it from someone else, I wouldn't have believed it. People don't actually do things like that at work, especially not your boss!!! Alas, it happened, and I have no words to express how upset it made me. I cried the whole way home. I wasn't able to sleep and called in sick, granting me a three-day weekend to calm my sensitive spirit.
My brother called me that night, all upset because of something that happened with his girlfriend's younger brother. I'm still laughing.
Here's that story:
My husband and sister have an on-going battle to give each other the absolute worst Christmas presents ever. It started 12 years ago with my sister giving Bry an open Bijork CD and has snowballed from there. This year she got him Justin Bieber wrapping paper and he gave her a movable keychain with a man and a woman having sex. My brother thought it was hilarious, so when he left, she discretely placed it in his pocket. He forgot it was there and spent the night in his girlfriends guest room. (she lives at home with her parents and younger brother) It fell out of his pocket and his girlfriend's 11 year old brother found it and asked his mother about it. His parents were pissed at my brother for leaving that out for the innocent boy to find, and while I feel bad for the kid's parents, I'm still laughing at my brother's predicament. What a way to be introduced to the birds and the bees! If they make it and stay together until death-do-us-part, that'll be a funny story to tell when they're older. :)
Yesterday, I decided to run a bunch of errands and finally watch Finding Nemo with a good friend of mine while having gluten-free brownies. We'd just paused the movie to frost the brownies and grub down on them when she got a frantic phone call from her brother telling her that her father had just died. She freaked out. Her roommate took her to her father's house and I spent the rest of the day cuddling and hanging out with her daughter.
This year's been wrought with stress, frustration, accidents and death, and it's only four days along. I'm not sure how that bodes for the rest of the year, but I'm sincerely hoping the bad stuff is over and we can all move on to embrace the positive, happy times life has to offer.

Interview...ed!!!!!

OMG!!!!! How cool is this?!?!!? My very first Interview! Check it out!

Thanks so much Dennis for the amazing interview you did for me!

Brokenhearted

I have a difficult time around the holidays. They're not my favorite time of year at all. I've been working on making things better, but it's been a real challenge. I haven't been on here in a while and for that I apologize. I've been very stressed out at work and it's been interfering with every aspect of my writing. About a week or so ago I got over the work BS and was able to finish writing Consumed. Edits are hand-written and just need to be typed up. After that it's formatting and publishing. I'm hoping to have it available on Friday 12-21-12.

My heart is breaking for the massacre in Connecticut. I don't understand how someone can get to that point without realizing they need help. My heart goes out to those who've lost children and loved ones. I can barely imagine their pain and I grieve for them. 
Hug your family, both the traditional and the chosen family members. Remember that this senseless act of violence isn't the norm but it's a cry for help from the desperate in this country. Try to remember the power of a simple hug.
I saw this poem on a child's tombstone once and while I wept, I found peace. I hope and pray it brings peace to you as well. I love you all.

Do not stand at my grave and weep 
I am not there. I do not sleep. 
I am a thousand winds that blow. 
I am the diamond glints on snow. 
I am the sunlight on ripened grain. 
I am the gentle autumn rain. 
When you awaken in the morning's hush 
I am the swift uplifting rush 
Of quiet birds in circled flight. 
I am the soft stars that shine at night. 
Do not stand at my grave and cry; 
I am not there. I did not die. 

~Mary Elizabeth Frye

Giveaways!!

My friends and fellow authors are doing a few giveaways for their books! Check them out, get entered in the drawings and help support IndieAuthors! (like me ;)!)

Carlyle Labuschangne's The Broken Destiny is breathtakingly wonderful!

Click Here to sign in for an opportunity to win a signed bookmark or eBook!

Katie Jennings just re-released her Dryad quartet young adult fantasy series! Very fun & moving!

As well as her new novel:

Thomas Amo's adult horror and new Young Adult novels are GREAT!

 Ashley Fontainne's Accountable to none is edge of your seat suspense!

M.E. Franco's Dion series will have you giddy for more, giggling like a little girl! 

You guys

Thanks to all of you who messaged me the kind words yesterday! I was an emotional wreck, first with nerves then with the severe disappointment. I'm unbelievably awed and humbled by the caring and compassion y'all showed me! I truly have amazing fans!
I was supposed to do a giveaway for those that showed up to the Meet-and-Greet, however since that fizzled I decided to open it up to the masses. I'm happy to say that I did get four winners and have posted their names on my Facebook page.
Because of the wonderful outpouring of love from y'all, I've also decided to try and get involved with more giveaway type things. I'll post more information as I run across them. You guys are truly wonderful and helped ease the pain of disappointment I felt yesterday and still feel today. Thank-you so much for your love and support. <3 You rock!

Meet the Author - Update

Well guys, I just heard from Cowboy's tattoo, it seems like they suffered some major damage from the wind yesterday and are going to have to cancel on us. :( 
While I'm beyond upset that this is happening, I do wish them good luck in fixing their issues. 
To those of you who'd like swag, signed books, signed cover art, pre-orders for Consumed or to enter into the drawings for a complete signed set of the paperbacks and swag (total of 4 sets- 2 for Origins, 2 for Zombie Wars) please feel free to send me an e-mail at kleokatra1@gmail.com or leave a message on my page (www.facebook.com/authorjeanbooth) or on the blog. 
♥ ya!

Meet the Author - ME!!

I'm so excited to have my first official book thing!
I'll be at Cowboy's Tattoo tomorrow (Friday, November 9, 2012) at 3pm. Cowboy's address is: 812 N Virginia St, Reno NV. I'd recommend parking in the Walgreens parking lot and walking north across the street, toward UNR. Parking is kinda bad around there...
I'm trying really hard to promote eBook sales for readers (especially my beloved fans) so this won't be a traditional Book Signing. Instead of having piles of paperbacks, I've decided that if you bring in your Nook, Kindle, iPad, whatever eReader device you have and show me your copy of my books, I'll give you a FREE signed print of the cover art for that book!
I'll have swag, a few giveaways and pre-orders available for Consumed. Also, if you REALLY want paperbacks of the books, I'll be happy to take orders for those as well, guaranteed delivery WAY before Christmas. ;)
I look forward to meeting you in person! Thanks so much for your love and support! As always, Happy Reading!

Halloween/Samhain

Happy Halloween! Happy Samhain! Here's a bit of a history lesson on my favorite holiday, as gathered from this site. :)
Halloween is considered by most in the United States as a fun holiday, mostly for children, but it has roots in ancient religions and folklore, including paganism, ancient Roman religions, early Catholic Christianity, Irish folklore, and even British politics! Children and adults alike enjoy this holiday today, with funny costumes, candy, and parties, while some countries observe this time as a remembrance of departed loved ones and religious saints.
Here is a short history of this holiday: HistoryHalloween is a holiday with ancient roots that had a much greater meaning than the boisterous, costume-filled holiday that we know today. Around 2,000 years ago, the Celts, who lived in what is now the United Kingdom, Ireland, and northern France, had a festival commemorating the end of the year. Their New Year was November 1, and this festival was called Samhain, pronounced sow-en. The end of their year signaled the end of summer, the end of the harvest season, and the beginning of a long, hard winter that often caused many deaths of animals and people. Weaker livestock were often killed and eaten during this holiday, since most likely, they would not survive the winter anyway. Because of this, and the cruel winter to come, this time of year signified death to the Pagan Celtics. They believed the night before the New Year, that the wall between the living and the dead was open, allowing spirits of the dead, both good and bad, to mingle among the living. Some of these spirits were thought to possess living people, cause trouble, ruin crops, or to search for passage to the afterlife.
Samhain was considered a magical holiday, and there are many stories about what the Celtics practiced and believed during this festival. Some say the spirits that were unleashed were those that had died in that year, and offerings of food and drink were left to aid the spirits, or to ward them away. Other versions say the Celts dressed up in outlandish costumes and roamed the neighborhoods making noise to scare the spirits away. Many thought they could predict the future and communicate with spirits as well during this time. Some think the heavily structured life of the Pagan Celtics was abandoned during Samhain, and people did unusual things, such as moving horses to different fields, moving gates and fences, women dressing as men, and vice versa, and other trickeries now associated with Halloween. Another belief is that the Celtics honoured, celebrated, and feasted the dead during Samhain. A sacred, central bonfire was always lit to honor the Pagan gods, and some accounts say that individual home fires were extinguished during Samhain, either to make their homes unattractive to roving spirits, or for their home fires to be lit following the festival from the sacred bonfire. Fortunes were told, and marked stones thrown into the fire. If a person's stone was not found after the bonfire went out, it was believed that person would die during the next year. Some Celts wore costumes of animal skulls and skins during Samhain. Faeries were believed to roam the land during Samhain, dressed as beggars asking for food door to door. Those that gave food to the faeries were rewarded, while those that did not were punished by the faeries. This is reported to be the first origin of the modern "trick or treat" practice.
In the First century A.D., the Roman Empire had taken over most of the Celtic lands. The Romans had two festivals also celebrated at the same time of year as Samhain. One was Feralia, also in late October, was the Roman day honouring the dead. The second festival was for Pomona, the Roman goddess of trees and fruit. Pomona's symbol was the apple. These two festivals were combined with Samhain in the Celtic lands during the four hundred years the Roman Empire ruled over the Celts. The goddess Pomona's apple might be the root of the Halloween tradition of bobbing for apples.
Over the next several hundred years, Christianity had spread to include the lands inhabited by the Celtics and the Romans, but the festival of Samhain was still celebrated by the people. The Christian church reportedly did not like a festival with Pagan roots practiced by Christians, so a replacement was needed. Pope Boniface IV designated May 13 as All Saints Day to honour dead church saints and martyrs. Samhain continued to be celebrated, so in 835 A.D., Pope Gregory IV moved the holiday to November 1, probably to take attention away from the Pagan Samhain festival and replace it. Since All Saints Day was sanctioned by the church, and related to the dead, the church was happy, but many Pagan traditions of Samhain continued to be practiced, including bonfires, parades, and dressing up in costume. All Saints Day was also known as All Hallows, or All Hallowmas (Hallowmas is Old English for All Saints Day). Since Samhain was celebrated the night before November 1, the celebration was known as All Hallows Eve, and later called Halloween. In the year 1000 A.D., the church designated November 2 as All Souls Day, to honour the dead who were not saints, and they eventually became combined and celebrated as Hallowmas.
On All Souls Day in England, the poor would "go a-souling". They would go door to door asking for food, and in return, would pray for the souls of their dead relatives. It was widely believed at the time that the souls of the dead would await passage into heaven until enough people prayed for their souls. The Christian church encouraged this practice to replace the old Pagan tradition of leaving cakes and wine out for the spirits of the dead. The poor would be given "soul cakes", which were pastries made for those who promised to pray for their dead relatives. In some cultures, soul cakes would be given in exchange for a performance or song as well. Children eventually adopted this practice, and were given food, ale, or money.
Jack o'lanterns are a Halloween staple today, with at least two historical roots. The early Pagan Celtic peoples used hollowed out turnips, gourds, or rutabagas to hold an ember from the sacred bonfire, so they could light their home fires from the sacred bonfire. Another tale from folklore gives jack o'lanterns their name. In Irish myth, a man known as "Stingy Jack", who was a swindler and a drunk, who asked the devil to have drink with him. Jack convinced the devil to change himself into a coin so he could pay for the drink, but Jack put the coin in his pocket next to a silver cross, which trapped the devil, preventing him from changing himself back. Jack agreed to free the devil on the condition that the devil would not bother Jack for a year. Next year, Jack tricks the devil into climbing a tree to fetch a piece of fruit. While the devil is up the tree, Jack carves a cross into the trunk, preventing him from climbing back down the tree. In order to get out of the tree, the devil promised Jack not to seek his soul any more. When Jack died, he was not allowed into heaven, because of his drunken and swindling ways, but he was not allowed into hell either, because the devil kept his word. Taking pity on Jack, the devil gave him an ember to light his way in the dark, putting it into a hollowed out turnip for Jack to carry on his lonely, everlasting roamings around the Earth. People from Ireland and Scotland would make "Jack o'lanterns" during this season to scare away Stingy Jack and other evil spirits wandering about.
Over the next several centuries, superstitions about witches and black cats were added to to the folklore and legends of Halloween. Cats were thought of as evil, especially black cats, and were killed by the thousands in Medieval times, possibly contributing to the Black Plague, due to the shortage of the rat's natural enemy, the cat. During this time, the church created the belief that evil witches existed.
In the 1500's, Martin Luther created the Protestant Church, which had no saints, so no All Hallows Day was allowed. On November 5, 1606, Guy Fawkes was executed for attempting to blow up England's Parliament. Fawkes, along with an extremist Catholic organization he belonged to, wanted to remove the Protestant King James from his throne. The English wasted no time to have a celebration to replace All Hallows Day, so Guy Fawkes Day was celebrated from then on. Many traditions of All Hallows Day were practiced, such as bonfires, and children asking for money, but the reasons why were different. Bonfires were known as "bone fires" originally, because they were lit in order to burn an effigy of the Catholic pope, burning his "bones". Two hundred years later, the effigy of the pope was replaced by an effigy of Guy Fawkes, prompting children to go door to door, asking for a "penny for Guy", so they could make their effigy to burn. In the New World, the colonists celebrated Guy Fawkes Day for a while, but as the colonies became the United States of America, Guy Fawkes Day fell by the wayside.
In the United States
Halloween was not a popular observance in early United States history, as most of the early settlers were Protestant. At the time, Halloween was considered mostly a Catholic, Episcopalian, and Pagan holiday, and therefore largely ignored. In the southern colonies, such as Virginia and Maryland, there were some Halloween customs observed. The first common events were called "play parties". These parties got neighborhoods together to celebrate the harvest, dance, sing, tell stories of the dead, tell fortunes, and have pageants for children in costume. By the mid 1800's, immigration increased, and many Irish immigrants, mostly Catholics fleeing the potato famine, brought many Halloween traditions with them. Jack o'lanterns found a new face, the pumpkin, which was very plentiful in the New World. Catholics and Episcopalians sought to preserve their traditions, so started an effort in the late 1800's to popularize and make their holidays known to the general population. By campaigning to put these holidays (Halloween and All Saints Day) on public calendars, magazines and newspapers started to publicize these holidays, and soon became popular in the United States more as a community and family holiday, rather than one of great religious and supernatural importance.
By the mid twentieth century, Halloween turned into a secular holiday, community centered with parties city-wide, parades, and great costumes. Halloween is mostly aimed to children, but young and old enjoy this holiday, with events and parties for both children and adults. Starting in 1950, the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) started a campaign for children to collect money at Halloween for underprivileged children around the world. Halloween is the United States' second largest commercial holiday, spending approximately $6.9 billion a year.
In Other Countries
Mexico, Latin America, and Spain observe All Saints Day and All Souls Day with a three day celebration starting on the evening of October 31, through November 2. In most areas of Mexico, November 1 is set aside to honour dead children, and November 2 to honour those who died as adults. Starting in mid October, shops are filled with decorations, flowers, toys made like skeletons and other macabre shapes, sweets, pastries, and candies shaped like bones, coffins, and dead bodies in preparation for the festivities. Called "Day of the Dead", the spirits of relatives are supposed to visit their families homes. An area of the home is cleared away, and an altar is erected decorated with flowers, photographs of the deceased, candies and pastries shaped like skulls inscribed with their name, candles, and a selection of the deceased's favorite foods and drinks. Even after dinner cigarettes and liquors are provided for the dear departed's after dinner enjoyment. Incense is burning to help the spirits find their way home.
In preparation for November 2, the graves of the deceased are cleaned, painted, and decorated for the occasion. Families gather November 2 for a festive family reunion. Food, drinks, and tequila are brought along, along with sometimes even a mariachi band. In some areas, fireworks announce an open-air mass, the most solemn time of the Day of the Dead. Many customs vary depending on the particular city, town, or culture, but all over Mexico, Latin American, and Spain, the Day of the Dead is considered a celebration of their departed family.
Eastern Europe's celebration of All Saints Day are usually spent by praying most of the day, praying to the Saints and thanking God. Often, they visit their departed family members at the cemeteries. Slovakia, Hungary, Lithuania, Slovenia, and Poland observe All Saints Day as a public holiday, but unlike Mexico and the United States, this day is a somber day of remembrance and reflection. France, Italy, and Germany are celebrating Halloween, American style, as does Canada. Ireland celebrates American style, but a common town bonfire, a remnant of Celtic days is still lit. England still celebrates Guy Fawkes Day on November 5 with bonfires, burning effigies of Guy Fawkes, and fireworks.
Halloween Traditions
Many traditions are observed for Halloween.
Costumes: Dressing in costumes has its roots in the Pagan Celtic roots of Samhain. One theory is they dressed as ghouls to fool evil spirits let loose on October 31, so they would not be possessed by these spirits. Another theory is they dressed in costume just for fun, and to make mischief. Yet another theory is that faeries would dress as beggars asking for food, which would also be the origins of the "trick or treat" practice. After the Catholic Church replaced Samhain with All Saints Day, people would dress as dead Saints and devils for their festivities.
Trick or Treat: This practice might have had it's start in the legend from Celtic days that faeries would dress as beggars going from door to door asking for food, and those that did not show hospitality would be harshly dealt with by these magical faeries. On All Souls Day, the poor would beg for "Soul Cakes" (sweet pastries) in exchange for prayers for their departed loved ones, expediting their passage to heaven. Sometimes costumed groups would sing and perform in exchange for food, ale, or money. In the United Kingdom, Guy Fawkes effigies to be burned were prepared by children, going door to door, asking for a penny for Guy, on Guy Fawkes Day.
Bonfires: These have two origins. The first is the sacred ritual of extinguishing home fires, and one sacred bonfire is lit in each town for the end of the New Year. Some say the reason home fires were extinguished is to scare away evil spirits from homes, while others say that home fires were supposed to be lit from embers from the sacred bonfire to start the New Year. The second origin was from Guy Fawkes Day in the United Kingdom to burn effigies of the Catholic pope, and later of Guy Fawkes himself.
Apples: A seasonal fruit, and also the symbol of the Roman goddess Pomona, commonly thought at the time to possess qualities of knowledge, resurrection, and immortality. Bobbing for apples, peeling a long apple peel, and other manipulations of the fruit were thought to foretell the future, on this night of Samhain.
Jack o'lanterns: From the Irish folk tale of Jack, who tricked the devil, but was not allowed in heaven or in hell. The devil, taking pity of Jack, gave him an ember to light his way on his eternal walks on Earth, carried in a hollowed out turnip. Because of their size and availability, pumpkins were substituted for turnips in the United States. The Celtics did use a hollowed out rutabaga to carry an ember from the sacred Samhain bonfire home to light their home fires, but the significance and relation to the Irish tale of Jack is unknown.
Ghost Stories: Ghost stories probably have their roots in the original Celtic belief that the spirits of the dead (both good and bad) wandered the Earth on October 31 (Samhain). Later, when the church replaced Samhain with All Saints Day and All Souls Day, the dead were remembered, and spoken about. In the United States today, they are used to amuse and scare children (and some adults) to get them in the "spirit" of Halloween.

Information was taken from This site. :) Thanks for the history lesson! I absolutely LOVE Samhain!

Sometimes…Revenge Is A Bitch

 The Long-Awaited Finale “Adjusting Journal Entries” Is Available Now! 

The many facets of revenge are explored in this series. In the first novel, Accountable to None, the heroine experienced numerous life-altering events that set her on a course for revenge. The term revenge is a dish best served cold has never been more accurate. The flawed protagonist waited five years to wield her sword of vengeance and her rewards were sweet and fulfilling.

In the sequel, Zero Balance, the aftereffects of obtaining revenge are explored. Oftentimes while one is plotting and planning the downfall of others by making them accountable for their actions, they can suffer tunnel vision. They don't stop to consider how their actions, even if morally justified, will touch others. The quote by John Milton from Paradise Lost is in the beginning of Zero Balance and speaks this truth:  “Revenge, at first though sweet, Bitter ere long back on it self recoiles;”

The third and final book, Adjusting Journal Entries, touches upon the depth of madness that anger and pain can drive someone to. How much emotional pain and heartache can one human being endure before their sanity breaks and they become a killer?

Revenge is a normal human response to physical and mental pain. I would imagine that most of you reading this have, at one time or another, experienced a moment where you wanted to make someone pay for the pain they caused you. The players in this series do just that--they live out that dark fantasy. Unfortunately, the repercussions are tremendous. 

I invite you to explore the world of revenge in this series.

All books are available in eBook and print book on both Amazon US and Amazon UK. 

Adjusting Journal Entries (Book Three of Eviscerating the Snake)

Click here to buy on Amazon US

Click here to buy on Amazon UK

Zero Balance (Book Two of Eviscerating the Snake)

Click here to buy on Amazon US

Click here to buy on Amazon UK 

Accountable to None (Book One of Eviscerating the Snake)

Click here to buy on Amazon US

Click here to buy on Amazon UK

 I would like to thank the fantastic team at Blue Harvest Creative for their outstanding work in creating the covers, interiors and eBooks for all three books in this series. 

Synopsis:

For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. But when it comes to human emotions, the reaction is never equal. No one understands this lesson better than the partners at the prestigious accounting firm of Winscott & Associates.

Greed, power, money and sex left six people dead and four in the hospital…

Audra Tanner never realized how far and deep the ripple she created in her revenge pool would extend. Now as the dust settles on the explosion that rocked not only her life, but the lives of countless others, Audra must fight to gain control over her life.

Because others are out to end it.

What People Are Saying About Adjusting Journal Entries...

“I just finished reading Ashley Fontainne’s Adjusting Journal Entries and was I pleasantly surprised! I am not sure what genre to place it in: Legal thriller? Psychological thriller? Mind blowing ass kicking thriller? They all apply. Five stars is an understatement. Damn good reading!”

– Zach Fortier, bestselling author –

Ms. Fontainne is an excellent writer and excels at creating tenuous plots with sudden new sub-plots that take the reader by surprise. For those readers who enjoy mysteries, intrigue, thrills and danger, I heartily recommend this story.

– Joan Adamak, Amazon reviewer –

Oh what a tangled web Ashley Fontainne weaves! The attention to detail throughout the series is astounding, leading up to an intense and insane conclusion. Nothing happens by chance or coincidence...everything that happens is tied together with a great big action-packed bow...Fontainne is an undeniable talent and is...a force to be reckoned with in the publishing world.

– Charlotte Foreman, reviewer for BestChickLit.com –

Nothing short of mind blowing. Nothing is predictable – that is what makes this series awesome. The story twists and leaves you shocked and on tenterhooks... Ashley Fontainne has created three dimensional characters, some you love, others you really love to hate. They have an impact on you, and even after you turn the last page and you know your time with them has come to an end, they live on inside you.

– author Lindsay Anne Kendal  –

Fontainne...has a brilliant way of bringing to life the twisted psyches of her antagonists and she does it again in Adjusting Journal Entries. Fontainne has the unique ability to juggle several themes throughout her books as she artfully weaves them together, like a beautifully wrapped present...this last book will not disappoint.

– author Joanna Lee Doster –

About Ashley Fontainne:

International bestselling author Ashley Fontainne is an avid reader of mostly the classics. Ashley became a fan of the written word in her youth, starting with the Nancy Drew mystery series. Stories that immerse the reader deep into the human psyche and the monsters that lurk within us are her favorite reads.

Her muse for penning this series was The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexander Dumas. The revenge on all those who hurt and betrayed Edmond Dantes and the incredible rollercoaster ride his journey takes you on intrigued her. Ashley’s love for this book is what sparked her desire to write her debut novel, Accountable to None, the first book in the trilogy Eviscerating the Snake. With a modern setting to the tale, Ashley delves into the lengths a person is willing to go when they seek personal justice for heinous acts perpetrated upon them. The second novel in the series, Zero Balance, focuses on the cost and reciprocal cycle that obtaining revenge has on the seeker. For once the cycle starts, where does it end? How far will the tendrils of revenge expand? Adjusting Journal Entries, the third in the series, answers that question: far and wide.

Born and raised in California, Ashley now calls Arkansas home with her husband and four children. She also enjoys writing poetry and short stories and recently published Ramblings of a Mad Southern Woman: A Collection of Short Stories and Poetry on Life, Love, Loss and Longing, which is available on Amazon. Ashley is also a supporter of the Joyful Heart Foundation that assists victims of violent crime seeking help and healing, and donates 10% of all yearly book sales to the cause.

Connect With Ashley: 

Website 

Blog 

Facebook 

Twitter 

Goodreads

Dryad Quartet

My friend Katie Jennings is re-releasing her Dryad Quartet series today! If you haven't read these yet, now is an EXCELLENT time to get your copy on Kindle! I'm currently reading A Life Earth Bound and am totally loving this series! 

The Next Big Thing

I recently read "Where Will You Run" and "Where Will You Hide". Two wonderfully addicting books by M.E. Franco. I've also had the honor of virtually meeting her and fulfilling a life long dream of meeting one of my favorite authors. Granted, she's one of my newest faves, but I still think it's totally cool that she takes the time to chat with her fans. :) M. E. is an amazing author who gets you hooked into her stories from the get-go and won't let you go until the end. I literally couldn't put these books down, they were so good. I can't wait to read her third... "Where Will You Turn?" (which, if you're reading this, M.E., I think is a FANTASTIC title! lol)

This has been the first time I've participated in any type of blogger event thingy, and I'm really excited that she picked me to talk about my new work in progress. I'm almost finished with Consumed since I split Created into two full-length novels. Here's the synopsis:

For three hundred years I lived with Stephan; learning about the culture forced upon me, growing as a pyrokinetic vampire and healing from Mneseus' century of abuse. Before Stephan's guidance and direction, I was an empty shell. His kindness, compassion and just beliefs showed me that there could be a life without pain. Over time, I learned to love again. Foolishly I believed Stephan and I would be partners, comfortable and content with out half-life for eternity.

Then She came and ruined it.

I left them to find a place I could spend the rest of my lonely years. Mneseus' last words reverberated through the centuries, reminding me, I wasn't worthy of love. It would be now, when I finally resigned myself to an eternity of solitude, that I would find it.

Logan was everything I'd ever needed in a man, with one fatal flaw. Could I look past that, risking my heart, my future and his very life to be with him? Was love truly enough?

Here are the rules:

Answer the ten questions about your current WIP (Work In Progress)

Tag other writers/bloggers and add their links so we can hop over and meet them, and link back to my page. Be sure to check out M. E.'s blog about her next big thing: "Where Will You Turn?"

1.   What is the working title of your book?

Consumed. I thought it'd be fun to start every book in this series with a C. Didn't expect it to be over 5 books long, yet right now the book arc is looking to be 7-9 books. That's a lot of "C" words. lol

2.   Where did the idea come for the book?

When I started this series, I wanted to write a book about vampires and shifters that I wanted to read, something different, not always the happy ending, cookie cutter books that are already out there. I created Natasha and her story took off in a completely different direction than I'd originally planned (I didn't want romance or sex...) Once Changed was complete, Victoria's light, tentative voice asked to have her story told. She'd been hurt so badly and shunned from so many, I couldn't tell her no. Created was born. I thought it'd be cool to go back and forth from her past and her present, but that was proving to be quite a long book and very confusing. I didn't feel the impact was being met for either story so after months of agonizing deliberation, I split them. Consumed was born.

3.   What genre does your book fall under?

Paranormal Romance/Erotica. Not for people under the age of 18. Some over 18 will blush profusely.

4.   Which actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie rendition?

This is tough. I've thought about it and talked about it with my sister often enough that I should have an idea. Trouble is, they're so unique, such their own individuals that I have trouble casting them. Logan however, was written based solely on an actor that I completely adore. 
Here are my ideas for the main Male characters:

Karl Urban as Stephan

Dwayne Johnson as Mneseus

Vin Diesel as Raifuku "Raif"

Joe Manganiello as Logan

And for the Ladies...

Hayden Panettiere as Victoria

Holly Marie Combs as Natasha

Kate Beckinsale as Katie

5.  What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book?
After centuries of abuse and loneliness, would Victoria ever find love?

6.   Will your book be self published or represented by an agency?

Self published. I'm too much of a control freak.

7.   How long did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript?

It typically takes me three - four months when I start writing to the completion of my full-length novels, as long as I don't get interrupted during writing. If I could write full-time, it'd take less time to write.

8.   What other books would you compare this story to in your genre?

I've actually never thought about this before. I'd say, probably Laurell K. Hamilton's Anita Blake before it turned into nothing but porn. Maybe Kelly Armstrong's Women of the Otherworld series and Kim Harrison's Hollow's series. Again, I'm not really sure, but these series' all have strong supernatural female leads that you grow attached to and love, just like mine.

9.   Who or What inspired you to write this book?

My mom and I were talking about life one day a few years back and she said, "I don't know why you don't write. You're an amazing storyteller." I was baffled by this as she'd never said that before. I thought about it and started Choice about a year later. Now, I have to write. It's like breathing to me. I don't feel complete unless I have at least one writing project that I'm working on.

10.       What else about your book might pique the reader’s interest?

I became enthralled by Steve Alten's writing a few years back. He put so many facts into his books that they felt as if they could actually happen. When I finally sat down to write, I was determined to make my fictional world as close to reality as I could. I've researched everything I could, designing Atlantis and the history based off of Plato's initial description. Poseidon did marry Clieto and they did have 5 sets of twins. There are lots of little factual tidbits in my stories that I intertwined into the fictional story. I think it helps to bring the reader into the story and make it more believable. 

 

Here are the authors I have nominated (mostly because I think they're relatively unknown, awesome authors). Click on the name to go to the author's blog and click on the title or “here” links to check out their books. 

Mary Ting wrote Crossroads, a new series I'm just starting to get into.

Carlyle Labuschagne writes the Broken Series, the start of a new series I'm quickly becoming addicted to! 

Claire Smith, a newbie author that is publishing her first book SOON! I can't wait!!!