tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10190420194289198672024-03-13T22:10:27.570-06:00Feeling the FictionUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger452125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1019042019428919867.post-16919292357910647322018-07-12T18:58:00.000-06:002018-07-12T19:02:32.822-06:00FREE copy of Tetterbaum's Truth!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Prior to the release of the seventh book in the Just Call Me Angel suspense series, we are releasing several hundred free copies of the first book (Tetterbaum's Truth) and asking those who receive free copies if they would please leave an honest review of the book on Amazon and Barnes & Noble.</div>
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So, be one of the first 200 people to use the coupon code below and receive a FREE book of Tetterbaum's Truth! Can you handle the truth?</div>
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HOW TO RETRIEVE YOUR FREE EBOOK DOWNLOAD</div>
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1. Go to <a data-ft="{"tn":"-U"}" data-lynx-mode="async" href="https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.Smashwords.com%2F&h=AT2eiC_vmwJQglv9Bdi1nbvIbYd4WxQV-ncGT6CXbk1o6wZYCUlFU9ABSq3nxCfR2lJ78fn0RzeGcCokI_ul-BUctV0OKrHQTqV46UpY_BlmUc9NUkDe0QhGPV9XZfeBP1p-a-SV0x_3krLHBZ74u6WUtLrioFgTlCU" rel="noopener nofollow" style="color: #365899; cursor: pointer; font-family: inherit; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">www.Smashwords.com</a></div>
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2. In the Search bar, type: TETTERBAUM’S TRUTH by S.R.Claridge</div>
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3. Select the book from the list</div>
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4. Click on BUY</div>
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6. Click on CHECKOUT</div>
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7. At this point the price will drop to $0.00 and you will be able to select in which format you would like to receive your download.</div>
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Thank you...thank you...thank you to all of my readers and new readers and for all of fans of the Just Call Me Angel series. I am excited about the upcoming release of book seven and will share details with you in the next few months.</div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1019042019428919867.post-19581577341103290742017-05-11T22:32:00.000-06:002017-05-11T22:32:21.338-06:00The Death of Two Friendships<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Earlier
this week, I discovered that a long-time friend of mine unfriended me. I don’t know why. I don't know exactly when. Her mother passed away and when I reached out
to her via phone, text and FB, I realized that, in her mind. we were no longer
friends. She never returned my calls. She never acknowledged my reach. Forty-years of friendship degraded in an
instant. I was teary-eyed for two days
before anger began to replace mourning.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Today, I
learned that a few months ago a friend of my husband’s stopped being friends
with him because of my Facebook posts about Trump. He told my husband, “We don’t like your
family’s posts.” And for the past
several months he has not returned my husband’s phone calls. This was a person who was in our wedding. This was a person who had been friends with
my husband for over thirty years. This
was a person to whom my husband would chat on the phone with at least once a
week.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">I am
shocked and deeply saddened…but not for the reasons you might think.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">True, I
don’t hide the fact that I think Trump is unfit to be the President of the
United States nor that I find his sexism, racism and bigotry distasteful. That’s
simply my opinion and is not stated in an attempt to alter anyone else’s
opinion. Everyone is entitled to an opinion…at
least, last I checked. On my Facebook
page, I express my thoughts, rant about my frustrations, share my happy events,
etc., because, well, it is <i>my</i> page;
and no apology should be needed, nor will one be rendered. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">What I
find ironic is that this man wasn’t even Facebook friends with me… so he was
either purposefully going to my page – as my profile is public - to read my posts, or a mutual friend was
reading my posts to him. Childish
behavior in either case. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">I have many
friends who support Trump. I have many
Republican friends who don’t support Trump. I have Democrat friends who abhor
him and Independent friends who simply shrug and shake their heads. The point is… my friendship with these people
exists despite any of our political affiliations. I don’t like or dislike a person because of
their political preference and I certainly would never unfriend someone who has
been a good friend for years simply because I disagree with their Facebook
posts. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">This
behavior is absurd, calloused and ludicrous at best; not to mention hurtful,
self-righteous and belittling.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">And let’s
not overlook the fact that this man ended a life-long friendship with my husband
because he didn’t like MY posts, not my husband’s posts. How much of a high-horse does one have to be
on to deem a thirty-plus-year friendship no longer worthy over the fact that
someone’s spouse doesn’t like the current President? Wow. Just. Fucking. Wow.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Yes, I
dropped an F-bomb because I think it’s appropriate in this context. I’m sure it will offend someone…and you know
what… I. Don't. Care. I’m offended by the manner in which my husband and myself
for that matter have been treated… all because I voiced my opinion. So...what...I should sit quietly and smile, stifling
my thoughts, feelings and revelations, so to make others feel comfortable and
appeased, for when I am my true self, my friendship is for naught? That is the message that has been sent and
painfully received.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">I cried for two days and now I'm done with the pity party. I'm done with the tears and I'm done caring about what other people think of me. My opinions are mine. My thoughts are valid and my truth is real. If you don't agree with it, that's okay, for perhaps it isn't your truth. But what is not okay is to judge me and deem me intolerable and unlovable; and to throw my husband under the bus because of my political opinions is not even remotely acceptable on any level whatsoever. Pull the stick out of your stuffy ass, loosen your collar, unwad your panties and get a grip already!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Despite
the fact that I have been berated for my opinion, called a liberal, a
snowflake, told that I was going to hell, and had people walk out of our lives,
etc., the facts remain evident.
Fact: In almost every election I have voted for a Republican
candidate. But, that’s not important. Let’s disregard the fact that my husband and
I have moral and ethical values with regards to family and business. Let’s
not look at the fact that my husband and I believe in showing kindness and love
toward others, believe in teaching our children the fundamentals of faith, the
commitment of a relationship, the meaning of family with God at the center of
it all, that equality matters and that judging others is wrong. Let’s
take every similarity we share with this man and with my girlfriend who dumped
my friendship without even the decency of an explanation, and degrade and
disregard it, void it and mark it irrelevant.
Yes, let’s take every ounce of goodness that exists in me and my husband
and toss it to the wind because I don’t like Trump as President. Again I say, “Wow.” Just. Fucking. Wow. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Fact: my husband didn’t deserve this and I predict
that this man will come to regret his decision in time, because, you see, in
four years (eight at the most) Trump will be out of office and another
President will fill those shoes. It
might be a Republican. It might be a Democrat. It might be an Independent Candidate. Who knows?
But what is certain is that the friendship this person abandoned will
not be there waiting for him when Trump is gone and he decides that my husband
is suddenly worthy enough to be his friend.
The truth is when you abandon someone in this manner it is you who is
unworthy of their friendship.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">I am
outraged. I am wounded. I am repulsed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">I have
close friends who support Trump and when I look at them, do you know what I
see? I see them. I see the person, the heart, the mind, the
soul I have loved for years. I see the
memories of our friendship, the warmth of their smile, the quirks and unique
characteristics that make my heart bond to theirs. I don’t look at them and see Trump. I don’t look at them and see a Democrat or a
Republican or an Independent. My love
for them transcends our political differences at the moment. Because in the grand scheme of things… what I
believe politically and what they believe politically doesn’t change who they
are and who I am. It doesn’t negate our history. It doesn’t void my affection for them. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">If my
close friends feel strongly about supporting Trump, then I think they should do
just that. And if my close friends feel
strongly in standing against Trump, then I think they should do just that. Educate themselves and then follow their convictions. Follow their heart. Stand for what they believe in. And they should do it without fearing that
they will lose friendships over it. I
would never leave a life-long friendship in the dirt because of political
opinions. Never. The mere thought of it is degrading to the
defining qualities of love. The mere act
of it is anti-love. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">So, to
these two people in particular… I and my husband would never have left you,
never condemned you, never judged you and always loved you. But now, standing at the threshold of your
judgment, I only have one thing to say…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Kiss my ass.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1019042019428919867.post-19351560340772031992016-12-22T09:47:00.000-07:002016-12-22T09:47:22.552-07:00Be the HO HO HO in his Merry Christmas!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">I receive email,
mostly from women, talking about my books, the characters in my books and often
times about their own lives and the struggles or triumphs therein. Today, on the verge of Christmas, I wanted to
share an excerpt from one of these letters:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">“I’ve
read all of your books and your blogs including the really really old stuff
[Desire the Fire] about keeping a marriage alive. No Easy Way is my favorite book because of
Tom and Kate’s marriage and how I can relate to the problems they face. I’ve been married twenty-seven years. Our kids are grown and gone and I have two
grandbabies on the way. It’s an exciting
time in our lives but I sometimes miss the passion I read about in yours and
other’s books. I think it’s that drive
for passion that leads people into affairs and I [like every woman out there] am
looking for a way to avoid that. I want
to give my husband something special for Christmas to show him that the bedroom
doesn’t have to be boring for us just because we’ve been together so long. What would you recommend? If you were writing us into one of your books
how would you keep our marriage alive?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-gIOlSxGDJB0/WFv_m4-fcfI/AAAAAAAADd4/hp6eE4oNtA8Qm6MMe8aI8xex9ha82sEHQCLcB/s1600/blog1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="129" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-gIOlSxGDJB0/WFv_m4-fcfI/AAAAAAAADd4/hp6eE4oNtA8Qm6MMe8aI8xex9ha82sEHQCLcB/s200/blog1.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Marriage takes a lot
of work, but I believe that half the battle lies in wanting to not only keep
the marriage alive, but make it thrive.
How do we do that? If I had a
magic answer I’d be among the world’s wealthiest.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Years ago I was
working on a project wherein I presented on this very topic. It was based on the F-word and called the
Four F’s. For men, those four F’s were
represented in: Food, Friends, Football,
Fucking. For women, the four F’s were
represented in: Fine Dining, Friends,
Footwear, Fantasy. The gist of the
presentation was that men and women’s desires are quite different and once you
understand the differences you will be better able to meet your spouse’s needs.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><i>Disclaimer: Not ALL men are the same and not ALL women
are the same. Thus, I am speaking in generalities here.</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cz836bKEmKk/WFv_POk1_0I/AAAAAAAADdw/hH65_CskGPE5fAu8dB5N2F0__nMdPCslgCLcB/s1600/blog2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="100" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cz836bKEmKk/WFv_POk1_0I/AAAAAAAADdw/hH65_CskGPE5fAu8dB5N2F0__nMdPCslgCLcB/s200/blog2.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style", serif; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">My recommendation for
surprising your husband with something special on Christmas is to surprise him
with </span><b style="font-size: 12pt;">you</b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">… that is to say, a version of you he hasn’t seen before. If you don’t normally wear lingerie, wear
it. If you don’t normally light candles,
light fifty of them all over the bedroom. </span><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">(Just don’t burn down the house in
the process.) </span></i><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> If your normal sexual
activity is confined to the bedroom, do it elsewhere. Try the middle of the family room floor or
the counter top in the kitchen. </span><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>(Knee pads advised and don’t forget to sanitize
the counter top afterwards.) </i></span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">If you don’t
normally participate in S&M activities, go a little Fifty Shades. If he likes porn, get some magazines or watch
a movie together. If you’ve never added
food to the mix, go a little 9½ Weeks. If you don’t normally use sex toys, get
some. </span><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>(Buy batteries too!)</i></span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> If you don't normally play erotic music in the background, turn some on and turn it up! When is the last time you massaged his hands, feet and other areas? </span></span></div>
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-oZssMmkBME8/WFwDItwG-6I/AAAAAAAADeM/gNrzqvr5Vs8nAZ4CQZiepP36OftrnqohACLcB/s1600/blog4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-oZssMmkBME8/WFwDItwG-6I/AAAAAAAADeM/gNrzqvr5Vs8nAZ4CQZiepP36OftrnqohACLcB/s200/blog4.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style", serif; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Take a hot, steamy, candle-lit shower together and do stuff to each other that you don't normally do. </span><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>(I'm reminded of the lyrics to an Olivia Newton-John song called, Soul Kiss..."I get down on my knees and..." You get the gist.)</i></span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> Get creative
and think outside of the box. Ask
yourself what gets your spouse going?
What drives him crazy? What turns
him on? And then do that. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">When I used to
present on this topic, some of the most common fears were: What if I offend him? What if he’s not “into” it? What if he thinks I’m crazy? Let me belay these concerns by saying that most
men are more adaptable and open than they are given credit. Many of them don’t bring these ideas to their
wives because they fear the same backlash, but when the wife presents it as her
idea, there’s typically little objection.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-uFLLCo2_emE/WFwC1L0RBcI/AAAAAAAADeI/kU1AAUGT47ozBstRbHkiiBbm_3z2tJYhQCLcB/s1600/blog%2B5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-uFLLCo2_emE/WFwC1L0RBcI/AAAAAAAADeI/kU1AAUGT47ozBstRbHkiiBbm_3z2tJYhQCLcB/s200/blog%2B5.jpg" width="182" /></a><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Key to re-igniting
that sexual spark in your marriage is to open your mouth and talk about the
things you’ve both thought about, but have been afraid to verbalize. There is
no “right” or “wrong” involved in your romantic relationship with your
spouse. You two set the boundaries. You two decide what is acceptable. You two create the fantasy.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">If you try something
and it doesn’t work, you have, at the very least, given each other a memory at
which you can share a laugh for years to come.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Everything worth
having in life takes work and marriage is no different. Sex isn't the most important element of a relationship, but it is an element that cannot and should not be ignored. Physical affection is a manifestation of emotional connection. The truth is that real life isn’t romantic and mushy-gushy like
you see in movies or read in books. But…you can create magical moments in your
marriage that are… if you lay down your inhibitions and use your imagination.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">I think most men
would agree that sensational sex is a great stocking stuffer. So, for one night, be the HO HO HO in his
Merry Christmas!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1019042019428919867.post-33254180596950686822016-10-31T10:45:00.002-06:002016-10-31T10:45:47.105-06:00Social Networking Feels Like Stalking<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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One of my authors said to me, “I feel like I’m stalking
people when I’m doing a social media marketing campaign.” </div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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“Yes!” I responded. “That
means you’re doing it right.”<o:p></o:p></div>
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Social networking is not stalking, though I understand how
it can feel that way, (especially if you’re doing it right) because in
implementing your target marketing approach, you often find yourself visiting
and re-visiting the same pages.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Most people don’t understand how social networking really
works and why it is so important in<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sdHNXhXI8As/WBdzSeBAN_I/AAAAAAAADcw/PKmEI54R0kAvZqa8q1sAPPUKm4XlpyErgCLcB/s1600/1413931343-how-set-social-media-goals-marketing-forward.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sdHNXhXI8As/WBdzSeBAN_I/AAAAAAAADcw/PKmEI54R0kAvZqa8q1sAPPUKm4XlpyErgCLcB/s200/1413931343-how-set-social-media-goals-marketing-forward.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
building a fan base. This is because we, as humans, are ME focused
and we forget that to engage someone we must stop and think about what is
important or relevant to them. Thus, in
networking we must target our efforts, partnering with those accounts that are
similar in content to our own. <br />
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The benefit of social networking is that you increase the
visibility of your product and yourself.
<o:p></o:p></div>
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What does it take to be a good social networker? The willingness to put yourself out there
(knowing a certain level of vulnerability comes with it), a lot of time and a
commitment toward action.</div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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VULNERABILITY<o:p></o:p></div>
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The simple fact is that you cannot have privacy AND be in
the public eye. <o:p></o:p></div>
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When you place yourself in the public eye, you must expect
that a certain percentage of “weirdos” will emerge and be drawn to you. This comes with the territory and if you
can’t handle it, then don’t go public. <o:p></o:p></div>
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My Facebook page is public because I am an author and the
amount of books I sell is directly related to the amount of contact I make with
the virtual universe. I also run a
publishing company and use social media to assist in marketing my author’s new
releases. Thus, I “friend” just about anyone who requests my friendship,
viewing every individual as a potential new contact, new reader and new fan. I believe paths cross for a reason, even in
the virtual world, and I can honestly tell you that I have made some very good
friends over social media. The risk is
high at times and I have had moments where I have felt threatened, but those
instances are few and far between. The
truth is that I have had way more positive experiences in social media than
negative ones.<o:p></o:p></div>
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If I “friend” someone who then behaves inappropriately, i.e.
posting porn or solicitations on my wall, commenting rude or explicit things,
sending me nude pictures, etc., I simply block them and move on. In putting myself out there publicly I am
assuming responsibility for the fact that I may encounter some strange
individuals and thereby accepting the culpability that it is my job to block
them when needed.<o:p></o:p></div>
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It is no one else’s fault when a “weirdo” emerges. <o:p></o:p></div>
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GROWTH TAKES TIME<o:p></o:p></div>
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Social networking takes time and effort because in order to
grow your visibility, you have to help grow the visibility of others. For me, those others exist primarily in the
entertainment/literary realm. </div>
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This is
how it works:</div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_qcb_NiF_Gw/WBdzoUKYuaI/AAAAAAAADc0/mEMIINBmqZoNgYGIMhTk232PkUAJf8IGACLcB/s1600/socila-network.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="145" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_qcb_NiF_Gw/WBdzoUKYuaI/AAAAAAAADc0/mEMIINBmqZoNgYGIMhTk232PkUAJf8IGACLcB/s320/socila-network.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Every time I go to an author, actor or artist’s page and
“like” something, it shows up in the news feed of all of my “friends.” This promotes that person’s page. In addition, my name shows up in their post
when I “like” it or comment on it, giving me visibility. The hope is that those people will
reciprocate the action by “liking” or commenting on one of my posts, thereby
rendering that post visible to their “friends” in their news feed. In essence, by “liking” and commenting on
each other’s posts, we are connecting our “friend” base and over time,
expanding it.<o:p></o:p></div>
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When people continue to see the same name popping up in
their news feed, they are more likely to become curious and click on it. In order to make the same name appear over and over, you must visit the same pages over and over and continue your efforts of "liking" and commenting. It is a process and involves hundreds of clicks on your targeted sites every week. </div>
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So, if you’ve ever felt like you were wasting
time traversing your news feed and “liking” posts, you’re not…you’re actually
helping grow your own visibility and the visibility of the people, places and
projects you like.<o:p></o:p></div>
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TARGET YOUR NETWORKING EFFORTS<o:p></o:p></div>
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Liking everyone’s posts would be impossible, so it is
important to target your social networking to the people and projects that are
related to you and your work. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-gyExxBBU4GE/WBdz8tUVDjI/AAAAAAAADc4/ExmCwUc4JFo0cvGTcFG4l--3jqrBqBUNACLcB/s1600/poll-how-weird-are-your-social-media-stalking-hab-2-22388-1414590082-28_big.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="132" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-gyExxBBU4GE/WBdz8tUVDjI/AAAAAAAADc4/ExmCwUc4JFo0cvGTcFG4l--3jqrBqBUNACLcB/s200/poll-how-weird-are-your-social-media-stalking-hab-2-22388-1414590082-28_big.jpg" width="200" /></a>For example, my daughter is an actress. Therefore, when she is filming a particular
project, I will target my networking efforts to that project and the people
involved therein. Anything that they
post that is related to that particular project, I “like” or comment on. Sometimes I will even “share” it to my own
wall. Or, if I really want to drive viewers
to it, I will download the pictures or information they have posted and then post
it on my wall as if it is a new post from me.
This feeds directly to my “friends” list as a post by me, not just a
post I have “shared.” Posts by you will
statistically generate more interaction from those on your “friends” list than
posts you have “shared.”<o:p></o:p></div>
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Commenting, liking and re-posting literally builds a network
between you and the people you support.
In growing their visibility, you are expanding your own. But it doesn't happen overnight and it doesn't happen without the commitment to visit those targeted pages over and over and over again.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Doesn’t it behoove me to network with people who have more “friends”
than me? Absolutely. Those with the most followers, fans, friends,
etc. have the farthest reach in the virtual world. If they “like” or comment on your posts, it
can only help you; and you should definitely be “liking” and commenting on their
posts. <o:p></o:p></div>
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There is no marketing effort that is in vain. Every time your name appears you are getting
it out there. The goal of social
networking is to get people talking about you, your project, your product, your
vision. Thus, every action you take in
this direction…every “like”…every comment…every “friend”… is a step in the
right direction. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Remember, giant leaps
begin with small steps. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Although constantly visiting the same pages over and over
can feel a bit like stalking, it is important to realize that the difference
lies in your reason for being there. If
you are visiting for promotional purposes and the opportunity to grow your
base, you’re marketing. If you are
visiting for personal purposes to see what they did over the weekend, then you
might be guilty of stalking. <o:p></o:p></div>
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One author asked, “What if someone gets mad at me or thinks
I’m strange for constantly commenting on or liking their posts?”<o:p></o:p></div>
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That’s their problem, not yours. As long as your comments are polite and
professional, there is nothing wrong with commenting or “liking.” <o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_xMBV-PAwWg/WBd0SP4-bgI/AAAAAAAADc8/4sKBF1mxPuE1utxkLMKQorNZtE39y5LHACLcB/s1600/Untitled3.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="111" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_xMBV-PAwWg/WBd0SP4-bgI/AAAAAAAADc8/4sKBF1mxPuE1utxkLMKQorNZtE39y5LHACLcB/s200/Untitled3.png" width="200" /></a>There are some people who do not understand how social
networking works and who will be prone to think that you are visiting their
page with ulterior motives. These people
put themselves out there publicly and then pretend that they are victimized or
harassed when their pages are frequently visited. They are narcissists who
believe everyone wants them and everyone is stalking them. Honestly, these people should not be in the
public eye because they cannot handle it.
So, don’t worry about them. If someone gets offended by the fact that you
“like,” comment or re-post their posts, mark them off your list and move on. Those who understand the value of social
networking will not be offended by your actions.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Social networking is just that…networking. It is building a network of people with
common interests. So, determine your
target market and begin reaching out to those people today. ~<o:p></o:p></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1019042019428919867.post-60335722899723994222016-09-01T15:47:00.001-06:002016-09-01T15:47:26.829-06:00Life is Funny and Funny has FUN in it!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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OMG! People! Lighten Up!<o:p></o:p></div>
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Comedy exists to bring pleasure and release, not to force deep
contemplation or discussion about humanity and the society therein which we
dwell. Can’t funny just be funny? Why is everyone so damn serious all of the
time? I don’t want to go off on a rant
here…but…<o:p></o:p></div>
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I posted a video excerpt on my Facebook page from the
television show, 3<sup>rd</sup> Rock from the Sun. It’s a comedic look at voting. After that post, I got emails asking me why I
would struggle to vote this year and many telling me who was the “right”
candidate for America. Are you kidding
me? Can't you put your stupid, political opinion
aside for ten seconds and just enjoy the humor of a sitcom?!<o:p></o:p></div>
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Then, I posted a clip from the game show, Family Feud, with
Steve Harvey, who I think is quite amusing.
The question in the clip is: <i>Fill in the blank, as a married man I would
_____ for sex.</i> The first guy hits
his buzzer and blurts, “Pay!” Steve
Harvey’s expression is priceless, as it is when the other answers emerge. Lie.
Beg. Kill. Die. You can watch the clip here: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/susan.claridge/posts/10209758709220354?pnref=story" target="_blank">https://www.facebook.com/susan.claridge/posts/10209758709220354?pnref=story </a><o:p></o:p></div>
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I posted that what I found most amusing was that two of the
women answered with “cook” and “clean.”
These are obviously wrong answers for the show…but I teasingly remarked that if
men would merely cook and clean more often they would never HAVE to pay, lie,
beg, kill or die for sex.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Multiple emails filled my box with people who were offended
by this post. They wanted to know how I could condone a
married man paying for sex. Another
person wanted to know why I thought it was okay for a man to lie in order to
get laid. One person asked why I thought it was acceptable for a woman to expect a man to have to cook and clean in order to get sex. Unbelievable. A fourth wanted to know why married people
would want to hire prostitutes in the first place.<o:p></o:p></div>
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People… people…breathe.
I simply posted a clip I thought was amusing. It’s spoofing the fact that sex is so
important to a man that he will do just about anything to get it. It’s supposed to be fun, lighthearted, funny. There is no deeper, hidden meaning. Steve Harvey isn’t saying that married men
should pay, beg, lie, kill or die for sex.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Chill out already! Don’t
be so frigid in your thinking that you can no longer appreciate humor. Comedians joke about sex all the time…
because, well, the dichotomy of the male versus female sexual outlook can be funny.
And married women, maybe if you “put out”
a little more, the jokes wouldn’t hit so close to home, and you wouldn’t get so
upset about it. And married men, maybe you would get more action in the bedroom if you took more action in the kitchen. I’m jus’ sayin.’<o:p></o:p></div>
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I’m so tired of all of this ultra-diplomacy, where we can’t
call a spade a spade because we fear that someone, somewhere might get their
panties in a wad. Well, wad those
suckers up …or better yet, rip ‘em off and go commando. Enjoy life.
Embrace comedy. </div>
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If we lose our
sense of humor, there is nothing left. And dare I say it, but if you have lost your sense of humor maybe it signifies that you're not getting laid often enough! <o:p></o:p></div>
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The reality is, none of us get out of this living thing
alive and we’ve only got one shot…so enjoy it.
Love deep. Laugh hard. Be healthy.
Be kind to yourself and others. Make
a fool of yourself now and again. Be respectful and gracious and honest. Have a drink on occasion. Try new things. Be courageous. Be hospitable. Pray. Learn from your mistakes. Forgive. Apologize when it’s your
fault. Listen to all kinds of
music. Be kind to animals. Dream big. And get laid a lot. <i>(I didn't say pay for it or lie or beg or kill or die for it.) </i> The point is, the only things you'll look back and regret are those chances you didn't take...the stolen kiss you turned away from...the moment you let pass you by and the opportunity you let slip away because you feared what others might think about you. </div>
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Don't be frigid in the way you think, live and love. Be true. Let go of the labels and let yourself laugh at the humor in it all. </div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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Whatever you do…whoever you are…don’t take life so seriously
that you miss out on the comedy that is all around you. Life is funny and funny has the word FUN in it. I don’t think that’s a coincidence. ~<o:p></o:p></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1019042019428919867.post-43172801390537120552015-10-18T21:50:00.000-06:002015-11-12T09:31:26.352-07:00WARNING: EXPLICIT CONTENT - Sending Dick Pics Makes You a Dick<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
WARNING: This blog contains graphic pictures of male genitalia. It is not for the faint at heart so now is your opportunity to stop reading and close your browser window. I am posting this blog to make a point.<br />
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EXPLICIT CONTENT AHEAD.<br />
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It's a sad state of affairs that I am blogging about penis pics once again. Alas, this is the third time this year that a man on FB has sent me nude pictures of himself. Not the same man. Each time it has been a different man. You know what they say, "third time's the charm." So, this time, I'm going public with his pictures and his information. Hopefully, a lesson will be learned and I will not receive any further penis pictures. Hopefully, men everywhere will stop and think before pressing the SEND button on their next penis pics.<br />
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Last night as I opened my FB email I was shocked to find that I had received not one but two penis pictures from a male whom I do not know in real life. We were virtual friends existing only in the FB world. In fact, I have never had any form of contact with him. So, what makes a man decide to send a complete stranger a picture of his genitalia?<br />
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If only I knew the answer.</div>
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Keep in mind that my FB profile is public because public status is necessary due to the line of work I am in. But, it only takes a moment of perusing my profile to realize that I am married and not seeking any form of male companionship outside of my marriage. It is also evident that I'm a Christian woman and a mother who is very involved in her kid's lives; and that I do not have pornographic images in my photos folder. How, then, do I fit the demographic showing a desire to receive pornographic emails? Do these men even read my profile or do they simply see that I am female and, thusly, assume that I am going to love their dick pics?<br />
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Do they actually believe that I will open my email, fall to my knees in adoration of their manhood and write to them urgently, promising to leave my husband and begging for them to take me as their own? Is that the fantasy... because I just can't seem to get there? </div>
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Do they think that I will reciprocate the action and send them pictures? Is that the hope? If so, here's a pussy for you: </div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-nMI9XFBa-2I/ViRkvAOOX8I/AAAAAAAADWc/Qb6FIF9ywqU/s1600/cat.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-nMI9XFBa-2I/ViRkvAOOX8I/AAAAAAAADWc/Qb6FIF9ywqU/s1600/cat.jpg" /></a></div>
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How do you like my breasts? Don't they look yummy?</div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-0xy36pgtIm8/ViRkvTFVOzI/AAAAAAAADWo/W9evtp8XZxo/s1600/ChickenBreast.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-0xy36pgtIm8/ViRkvTFVOzI/AAAAAAAADWo/W9evtp8XZxo/s320/ChickenBreast.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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You see, that's as explicit as I get and the inuendo alone is quite enough. </div>
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I think it's time for a giant dose of reality.... Men, you might want to sit down before you read this because it may come as a shock to you. Here we go:</div>
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<b>Women think penises are weird looking, odd and rather gross. When they are flacid they serve us no purpose whatsoever. When they are strongly erect, we like them to pleasure us but we don't want to stare at them. They are not a part of the human body that we want to gawk at or gaze at longingly. We do not want to receive a picture of your genitalia...ever. This applies to the men we love and certainly applies to the men we don't. So, go ahead and do whatever it is that you do with it on your own time, but when the cameras are out keep it in your pants...literally.</b></div>
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I'm sorry, but it's true. The male genitalia is not considered a work of art. It's useful and practical but not beautiful.</div>
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That being said, if you want to entice a woman, send her pics of the parts of you that are beautiful and at which she longs to gaze. For example: your eyes, your smile, if you have nice abs or nice arms or a nice ass (not naked but in some fine-ass looking Levi's). Those are the parts that she likes to look at. Your dick, as fine a tool as it may be, is not something she wants to stare at in her email.</div>
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Even better, send her something that expresses your humor or quirky personality, your integrity or your spontaneity. Show her the beauty that matters most and that will leave an impression to last a lifetime. <b>Your inner beauty is a more powerful tool than the one dangling between your legs.</b></div>
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WARNING: GRAPHIC CONTENT BELOW<br />
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I opened my email last night to find this: <i><span style="color: red;">(Pictures have been removed because I don't want them forever on my blog. They are too graphic and gross.)</span></i><br />
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I never replied to Sandy, as anything I would have to say to him would not be nice. But, if you would like to reply to him, please feel free. He's obviously seeking attention, so what do you say we spread this post as far and wide as possible? I say we give him the notority he deserves. Maybe he could land a porn gig out of it. Or maybe some woman will see his penis, fall instantly in love with him and they'll live happily ever after. The possibilites are endless... NOT.</div>
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The truth is I'm not only offended by the pictures and by the simple fact that he thought they would be well received, I feel violated by the images and more so by his intent. I should be able to open my email without worrying about being repulsed. It stirs in me an anger, an anger that many women have felt and yet been unable to extinquish. Are we to just take it? Are we to merely accept the fact that men have the right to violate us in this manner?<br />
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<b>If this man came up to me on the street and whipped out his penis and began masturbating in front of me, it would be illegal. How then is sending these images via email any different? </b><br />
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The violation is the same. I have been forced to see something that I did not ask to see nor want to see. Ladies, do we simply delete the email, block the person and go about our business, trying to erase the discusting pictures from our minds? Or, do we take back the control and let every perverted man out there know that if they send a picture, that picture will be posted everywhere along with their contact information and profile links. Do we turn the tables and make them think twice before depressing the SEND button on their next email to another woman...one that could be going to our sisters, friends, mothers or daughters.<br />
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The fact that Sandy actually believes a woman would respond positively to this action tells me he is a real whack-job (pun intended this time), though I aleady gathered that from the pictures. </div>
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Men, the reality is that sending dick pics to women makes you nothing more than a dick...a flacid, useless dick. <br />
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Women, let's take a stand and tell the world that we will no longer tolerate this type of behavior. Send this to your female friends and let's take a stand against the men who treat women with a level of gross disrespect. If they want to send us pictures of their dicks, I say we plaster those pictures all over the world, one email, tweet, DM, IM, post and blog at a time.<br />
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Sandy's FB page: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/san.dychirs?fref=ts">https://www.facebook.com/san.dychirs?fref=ts</a> Go get him, girls!<br />
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This ri-DIC-ulous crap stops here! </div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1019042019428919867.post-57632569325740928322015-09-15T09:00:00.000-06:002015-09-15T09:09:22.009-06:00Change Begins When Our Silence Ends<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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At what point is enough, enough?!<o:p></o:p></div>
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We…and by “we” I mean parents…we bite our tongues, grit our
teeth and sit on our hands because we fear the consequences of making
waves. We watch mean kids do mean things
over and over and over again and get away with it because we are afraid that if
we say something to another parent, a teacher, a principal, a director or a
coach that negative repercussions will befall our child.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Then…and here’s the topper… THEN we tell our children that
they should not be afraid to stand up for themselves. We have the nerve to quote inspirational
things <i>like “be the change you want to
see in the world”</i> and yet we are scared into stone cold silence
ourselves. Hypocrites. That’s what we’ve become. Hypocrites.<o:p></o:p></div>
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How do we teach our kids to defend themselves when we can’t
even defend them because of the fear of ridicule and backlash? <o:p></o:p></div>
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“If I say something
they might not cast my kid in a role again?”<o:p></o:p></div>
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“If I speak up my kid
might lose playing time on the field.”<o:p></o:p></div>
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“If I say something
they might make my kid’s life a living hell in class.”<o:p></o:p></div>
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“If I speak up they might get mad at me and a friendship will be ruined.”<o:p></o:p></div>
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At what point do we stop kissing ass and start covering it?<o:p></o:p></div>
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Oh, I long for the days of past when a simple punch to the
nose would end it and the bully would realize there were consequences for being
mean. But now, oh no, we have to be so
goddamned politically correct that we’ve designed a society wherein the bully
suffers no consequences. The bully wins.<o:p></o:p></div>
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The reality in our world today is that the bullies aren’t
the ones committing suicide…the victims are.
The mean kids aren’t the ones being degraded…the nice kids are. We sit back, as if puzzled, scratching our
heads and wondering why the teenage suicide rate is skyrocketing in our nation
but we refuse to step out of our political correctness to do anything to change
it. Hypocrites.<o:p></o:p><br />
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It’s time we call a spade, a spade. It’s time we stand up, for God’s sake, open
our mouths, call the mean kid a mean kid so that he can be stopped! Us shutting up isn’t helping anyone.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Bullies are assholes.
Period. <o:p></o:p></div>
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“Gasp! You can’t call
a child an asshole!” Society gawks.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ihNq3thk7DE/VfgvuaT1NII/AAAAAAAADUo/Le5_nQxaGRw/s1600/bully10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="167" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ihNq3thk7DE/VfgvuaT1NII/AAAAAAAADUo/Le5_nQxaGRw/s320/bully10.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Yes, I can and I just did.
Bullies are assholes no matter what age, size or package they come
in. They can be five or
ninety-five. And here’s the
reality: The fact that they exist and continue
to exist is our fault. Yours and
mine. Why? Because we have the power to change
them. We have the power to stop
them. All we have to do is open our
mouths and shut them down. If we had the
courage to openly identify and label a kid a bully, that kid would then be
given the opportunity to change his or her behavior. They would be presented with the ability to
choose NOT to be the asshole.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Our silence helps no one.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Our silence ultimately hurts everyone.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Our silence sets a bad precedence for our kids, who then
think they have to shut up and take it just as they see us doing. And, thus, the bully wins again and again and
again.<o:p></o:p></div>
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We force a smile, tell our kids that kindness will prevail,
all the while knowing it’s a lie. Yes,
killing with kindness is a wonderful tactic… but it won’t stop a bully. They will march right over it, smash it,
annihilate it, mock it and spit on it (literally).<o:p></o:p></div>
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We tell our kids that violence is never the answer, and yet,
we know firsthand that a punch to the bully’s nose will render him afraid to
ever pick on our kid again. But that isn’t
politically correct…so we hush…we stifle the truth…we fight to quiet ourselves
when every parental instinct is to defend our young. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Reality: If a child
punches a bully, despite the fact that the bully has belittled, spit on,
mocked, antagonized and berated the other child for months, the victim is
suspended or kicked out of our schools and the bully suffers no consequences
whatsoever.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Then we tell our kids that there is justice in this
world. Hypocrisy. What’s wrong with this system?<o:p></o:p></div>
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We have become so politically correct that we have lost all
defining qualities of what is right and wrong.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-k8DcvttL_Zg/VfgvxUilOoI/AAAAAAAADVo/3GTMhHag04E/s1600/bully8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-k8DcvttL_Zg/VfgvxUilOoI/AAAAAAAADVo/3GTMhHag04E/s320/bully8.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Silence isn’t golden, it is painful. And shame on us for allowing the pain to
linger because we are afraid to take action.
Shame on us for hushing our voices when our very voice is the best
advocate and sometimes the only advocate our child has. Shame on us for creating the hypocrisy.<o:p></o:p></div>
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“Kids will be kids,” we say and try desperately to shrug it
off, as we stick our heads deeper into the sand and wonder why the suicide rate
climbs.<o:p></o:p></div>
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We try to institute politically correct programs to stop
bullying…and though the idea is wonderful, the execution falls short because
being nice to a bully won’t change him.
A swift kick to the balls or forearm shiver, will. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Our grandparents and parent’s generation knew how to handle
bullies and it worked. Why are we not
following their lead?<o:p></o:p></div>
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When will it be enough?
When will we stop this cycle? How
many times does your kid need to be spit on, made fun of, belittled and berated
by another kid before you find your voice?
How many times does your kid need to come home from school or from a
gathering of peers sobbing, before you find the courage to speak up? How high does the teenage suicide rate need to
climb before we realize that our politically correct programs aren’t working?<o:p></o:p></div>
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This must stop.
Punishing the victims must stop. Silence must stop.<o:p></o:p><br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ap9vR5JZ5fQ/VfgvwrDdf3I/AAAAAAAADVQ/proSOKox9_Q/s1600/bully6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ap9vR5JZ5fQ/VfgvwrDdf3I/AAAAAAAADVQ/proSOKox9_Q/s200/bully6.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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Mean kids aren’t going to be mean in front of adults. They aren’t going to mistreat another child
in front of their parents, teachers or coaches.
They’re smart enough to do it when adults aren’t around. Knowing this is the case, why then do we tell
the victim to go to a teacher, parent or coach for assistance. Then, when they do, the adult shrugs and
acknowledges that unless the action is witnessed, it is as if it never occurred. Our very system sets the victim up to be
repeatedly victimized. It strips the
child of all power and all recourse.
This hypocrisy must stop!<o:p></o:p><br />
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How many tears will it take?
How many lives will it take? How many cuts on flesh will there be? How
much suffering will it take before WE stand up and say enough is enough?!<o:p></o:p></div>
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WE have to open our eyes. Our child comes to us because they are being mistreated and we, feeling the politically correct reins around us tighten, do nothing to help them. Eventually, they stop coming to us. They internalize their fears, their pain and they slip further and further away as depression beckons them. What's next? Cutting. Drugs. Suicide attempts. And then we have the gall to shake our heads and wonder what happened?</div>
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Bullying happened. An asshole we didn't stop happened.</div>
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I’m stopping it now! If
you spit on my kid, he has my express permission to spit back. If you hit him, run because he has my
permission to punch you back. If that
means we have to home school because we’ve been kicked out of our district, so
be it. We will lie down quietly no more.<o:p></o:p></div>
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My children are taught not to pick on anyone. My children are taught to be kind to
everyone. My children are taught not to
make fun of others, but to find one thing about each person that is good,
likable, amazing or interesting. My
children are taught to compliment others and to uplift them and be helpful in
any way that they can. Why then, should
my child suffer at the hands of a bully with no recourse or defense whatsoever? They shouldn't. They won't!<o:p></o:p></div>
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Political correctness is not justice. What a hypocritical joke we have become.<o:p></o:p></div>
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No more. Enough is
enough. A spade is a spade. A bully is a bully. This needs to stop right now, right
here. No more lives. No more tears. No more suffering. No more politically correct crap. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Change begins when our silence ends and I'm done being silent.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1019042019428919867.post-84795360235857098102015-08-29T17:02:00.000-06:002015-08-29T17:07:40.085-06:00Let's Talk About Nudity<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Let's talk about nudity.<br />
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If that first line didn't get your attention, I don't know what will. It is the perfect example of "hooking" the reader right out of the gate. <br />
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But in all seriousness, let's talk about nudity.<br />
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When I mention nudity I am not referring to pornography or anything grossly inappropriate. I'm simply referring to a man and a woman's body without the mask of clothing.<br />
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Men and women view nudity differently. Men are much more open about being naked. They strip down in locker rooms, urinate next to one another and seemingly have no discomfort strutting around in the buff. Most women, on the other hand, find being naked a challenge. We are so self-focused that we can't just relax and enjoy the freeing feeling of being nude. We're too busy judging our body and pointing out all of its flaws to be able to see the beauty in it.<br />
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Here's an idea ladies, let's stop it! <br />
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Your self-absorption with your body is painting a poor picture in your husband's psyche. The fact is that you might notice every tiny bit of cellulite or a stretch mark or a scar, but he's not only not focusing on it, he probably doesn't see it at all. You might think your thighs are too big but as long as those legs are going to be wrapped around him, he doesn't care. All he wants is your skin on his skin. He wants to feel you and touch you and, yes, see you. Men are visual creatures, so don't rob them of the joy it brings to behold their lover naked just because you have an insecurity about your body. And don't taint the picture for him before he even has the chance to drink it in. What I mean is, don't walk into the bedroom moaning about how bloated you feel or how saggy you think your breasts have become. Enter the room with the confidence of Beyonce. Flaunt whatever it is that God gave you and make him think that you think you're the best damn woman to ever grace the earth.<br />
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Confidence is sexy and men like sexy.<br />
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It is statistically proven that couples who get naked together have a better chance of staying together. Couples who kiss and hug more often have longer lasting marriages. Why? Because human touch is important. We all crave it because we all need it. <br />
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If insecurity has kept you hiding your body, it's time to say ENOUGH and get in the buff! <br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1019042019428919867.post-57914091557573495072015-08-17T17:26:00.002-06:002015-08-17T17:26:59.167-06:00Setting The Record Straight<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
In a previous blog I shared the email correspondence from an incident that occurred on Facebook.The email thread that I posted has become the cause of confusion and I want to set the record straight.<br />
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A friend's name (Mark F) was mentioned in the email. Mark in no way had anything to do with what transpired, nor was there anything inappropriate on his Facebook page. The man who contacted me simply saw my name and picture on Mark's friend list and contacted me without Mark's knowledge.<br />
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If you have any questions, please email me at AuthorSRClaridge@gmail.com<br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1019042019428919867.post-85969015472052043562015-08-16T12:04:00.001-06:002015-08-17T10:17:28.524-06:00Time to Stop Shrugging it Off and Start Calling it Out<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><i>If you would like to discuss the content please feel free to contact me via email.</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><i>AuthorSRClaridge@gmail.com</i></span></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1019042019428919867.post-89633130613940595432015-02-04T09:42:00.000-07:002015-02-04T09:42:45.350-07:00A Passionate Pursuit<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
My eleventh novel is coming out in just a few short days and it has caused me to reflect on my journey as a writer. Though I have written since the age of thirteen, my first novel was released in 2010 and every year since I have had releases; with the exception of last year. 2014 slipped away and before I knew it, an entire year had passed. Perhaps every writer needs a breather now and again. <br />
During the course of those twelve months, people asked if I was quitting. My only answer came in the form of a smile. See, what non-writers don't know is that writers can't quit. They might cease to publish their work, but they never stop writing.<br />
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Writing is a disease, a curse, an addiction, an obsession and a love all rolled into one. Some days you battle it. Some days you relish in it. There are moments when you birth the words through force and there are moments when they flow. But, the one consistency is that a writer writes.<br />
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With three more novels currently in the works, I hope to have several releases in 2015; however, even if it is only one, as long as my pen hits the paper or my fingertips brush the keys on a daily basis, I will be fulfilled.<br />
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In reflection, what I have learned is that it is important to find what you love and do it. No matter how others perceive it. No matter what odds are against you. No matter how many obstacles are thrown in your path. One cannot waste their life on passion. Life is wasted only on the mundane and the meaningless; never on passionate endeavors. For the pursuit of passion is never a failure.<br />
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If it fulfills you... if it is your dream...then chase after it and never, ever quit. ~<br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1019042019428919867.post-39115578875082501312015-01-25T16:37:00.001-07:002015-01-25T16:37:32.023-07:00One Resolution. One Choice. CHANGE.<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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2015 is to be a year of change. That is my one and only resolution. Change. </div>
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Things in my life will change and the change
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I will no longer
be fake in order to protect other’s feelings while mine lie unprotected and
stepped on. I will no longer waste my
time or concern on people who are only concerned with themselves. I will not strive to keep peace when that
very peace itself is a sham, a lie. I
will not keep people in my life who make me feel unappreciated, unimportant, forgotten
and worthless. I will protect my loved
ones and I will expect that protection to be reciprocated in my time of
need. Otherwise, the relationship will
be re-evaluated. I will not apologize
for who I am or for the fact that the little things in this existence matter
most to me. I will not feel bad about
the fact that I am a creative and emotional being, who feels both overwhelming
joy and crushing heartache. I will not apologize for the things that I
need… like the need to be heard, to be respected, to feel that my heart
matters, that my feelings are relevant, that even my silliest request would be
met with understanding…to be known and loved so deeply that I am cared for
without having to verbalize those wants. The
simple fact is that if I am important to you than what is important to me is
also important to you. That is
love. When you love someone, you strive
to show them, and for me love is best shown in the little things. Not lavish
gifts, but in simply making me feel important to you. <o:p></o:p></div>
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The latter half of 2014 was one of the darkest times for me and from the
darkness new life has been birthed in the form of change. Those who cannot love me in the little
things will not be trusted with my heart in the big things. Those to whom I don’t matter, will cease to
matter to me and that will be determined by your track record, which speaks truth even though your lips lie. For better is it to be alone, than to be made to feel worthless and "less than" at every turn. There is a defining moment
in everyone’s life… a moment when a choice must be made. Live according to others or live according to
yourself. I have chosen happiness and in that choice
comes the reality that I will cast from my life those that destroy my
happiness, no matter what title they bear.
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2015 is a year of change and I will set the boundaries
necessary to make those changes. I will
no longer demand to be heard, for those that love me will hear me and those
that don’t are not worth my breath.
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1019042019428919867.post-75329105170574397702014-07-10T11:45:00.001-06:002014-07-10T15:25:40.324-06:00Atypical is Fine By Me<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">I got up this morning feeling pretty good and then I made the mistake of checking my email, wherein I received a note from a woman who does not know me, personally, but only in the virtual realm. In a nutshell, she blasted me about the fact that I enjoy celebrating Halloween. Each year my husband and I throw a Halloween party and, I'll be honest, I look forward to it. In fact, I LOVE it! Fall is my favorite season and Halloween is one of my favorite holidays (second only to Christmas). For me, Halloween is about costumes, cocktails and candy. It's a time to be creative with decorations, to light hundreds of candles, to dress up and spend one evening a year hanging with friends and family in an atypical environment.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">The woman who wrote to me didn't take any of that into consideration. She only focused on the fact that I am a Christian and chose to cast judgment by writing: <i> "A Christian with a true heart for the Lord doesn't celebrate a pagan holiday because it offends the spirit of God that dwells inside every believer." </i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">The email was somewhat lengthy because she took the time to share with me why celebrating Halloween is "wrong." I won't bore you with the details, as a quick Google search will provide plentiful information of its pagan origin. I do, however, want to point out that in one simple sentence (the one I quoted above), this woman implied that I did not have a "true heart for the Lord" nor that the Spirit of God dwells inside of me. Wow! What happened to "Thou Shalt Not Judge?"</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">There was a time when I would have felt the need to defend my beliefs, but that time is gone. I don't care what this woman or anyone in the so-called "church" thinks of me. My "Christianity" is a private matter between me and God. My love for Him and His for me is personal and cannot be held nor defined by stigma, rules or superficial expectations. It is atypical and I like it that way.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">So, to the woman who wrote to me I would say only this: Tout your religion elsewhere...because my relationship with the Lord has nothing to do with religious regulations. And shame on you for being a judgmental 'BeOtch.' Can you not see that it is people like you that give Christianity a bad name? It is judgmental behavior like yours that causes people to run from God instead of toward Him? If you don't feel that celebrating Halloween is "right" then don't celebrate it. That's your choice and that's fine. But, just because you have made a choice for your life does not mean you have the right to condemn those that have made a different choice for their life. Christianity is about loving others, not about trying to convince others that your way is the right way and they should all agree with you. When will the typical church wake up and realize that true Christianity is nothing more than love at work in individual and often very private ways? Touting signs, taping mouths, sending emails, condemnation and fear tactics, etc.... these drive a wedge and cause more damage than good. Love is the key and love is the answer. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">As for Halloween...or any holiday for that matter... it is what you make it. Halloween is only a pagan celebration if you honor it as such. Just like Christmas can either be about Jesus's birth or about Santa Clause and presents. Easter can be about Jesus's death and resurrection or about a large bunny who hides eggs. Holidays mean what you make them mean. There is no blanket judgment that fits all, nor should there be. It's your heart, your focus, your life and no one has a right to speak into it...certainly not in the name of God. If God has something to say to you, He'll say it on His own. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">BTW, I'm pretty sure there's nothing in the Bible against cocktails, costumes and candy...so, bring on the Halloween festivities; and if that makes me an atypical Christian, hallelujah! There is no greater compliment in this day and age than to say I do not belong amid the "typical" Christians. Atypical is fine by me. ~ </span><br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1019042019428919867.post-48501350232586510542014-06-08T22:44:00.000-06:002014-06-08T22:44:07.793-06:00Re-Post on Why I Left Vanilla Heart PublishingI have been asked to re-post this story about Vanilla Heart Publishing and their unethical business practices; so here it is. If you are an author seeking a publisher or if you know of an author seeking representation, please read this and heed the warning. Vanilla Heart is not the only small press publishing company guilty of these charges. Do your homework before signing a contract with ANYONE. Protect your rights and your work from scam artists and liars like Kimberlee Williams and Vanilla Heart Publishing.<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style","serif";">In October 2010 I signed a contract with Vanilla Heart Publishing to publish my debut novel, No Easy Way, which was nominated for the 2010 Molly Award by the Heart of Denver Romance Writers. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style","serif";">In August 2013, eight novels later, I terminated my relationship with Vanilla Heart Publishing on the grounds of a severe breach of contract, misrepresentation, fraud and theft pertaining specifically to Articles #5, #7, #10, and #11 of the contract.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style","serif";">During my stay at Vanilla Heart, I upheld my end of the agreement. I continued to write novels, producing eight in less than three years. I continued to submit my novels to Vanilla Heart first, as per our contract she was entitled to a thirty day right of first refusal on all Just Call Me Angel books. I continued to blog, participate in blog tours, promote and market my work through book clubs, book signings, holding contests and networking via numerous social media outlets (Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, Pinterest, Goodreads, Instagram, etc.) In return for my loyalty, I was lied to, manipulated and used.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style","serif";">Upon confronting Vanilla Heart Publishing with the breach of contract, misrepresentation and fraudulent activity, I was given no apology for wrongdoing nor was there an admission of remorse whatsoever. Instead, I was sent a list of termination items wherein it was stated that I was “</span><i><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style","serif";">not to discuss the Author’s Group or any information from that group, or discuss Vanilla Heart Publishing, nor speak as an agent or former agent of the publisher, either by verbal, written, or electronic communication with any persons, groups, or agents.” </span></i><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style","serif";">It goes without saying that I did not agree to this and, per the advice of my attorney, informed Vanilla Heart that all statements that are factual, unbiased and can be proven with subpoenaed records, email correspondence or any other written form of communication do not fall into the category of slander or libel and are allowable for discussion in any setting, person-to-person, blog, group format or social media. <i> <o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style","serif";">My attorney is now in the process of reviewing back royalty statements from all of the distribution channels and thus far the information I have received from Vanilla Heart Publishing does not come close to matching the real reports in number of books sold nor in amount of money owed. I sit amazed at how I have been ripped off for almost three years. It saddens and angers me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style","serif";">I requested royalty statements from Vanilla Heart at least eight documented times since October 2010. Every statement was falsified. Every paycheck came months late. I never even received a statement for 2012 from Vanilla Heart and the check I received doesn’t match the distributor’s royalty records for the quarterly periods during that time. Each time I requested a statement or a check I was promised it and then given an excuse as to why it would be late. The excuses ranged from severe medical issues to a gardening accident and countless laptop crashes, an accountant who allegedly printed the reports too small to be read and the post office that lost checks or statements along the way. Every excuse added to the sour pit growing in my stomach. Still, I wanted to believe that everything was on the up-and-up; but, over time, there were just too many red flags.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style","serif";">Little did I know, but several of the Vanilla Heart authors were experiencing the same frustrations I was. No statements. Late checks. Excuses galore. The problem was, for a long time, none of us communicated with one another. We didn’t compare notes and that’s exactly how Vanilla Heart wanted it. Manipulative phone calls from the Publisher psychologically pitted one author against another. “She’s the next one I’m getting rid of,” was said to me on several occasions, referring to fellow Vanilla Heart authors. The Publisher made a point to let everyone know who was in her “Core Group” and who was not. I was in the Core Group and I think that was one of the reasons it never dawned on me that she might be breaching our contract at all, much less in so many ways. I was made to feel “special” as if we had more than just a business relationship…as if we were “friends.” Friends don’t steal from or lie to friends, my mind would justify… but the red flags waved.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style","serif";">It wasn’t until two of the Core Group authors left within a short period of time that I mustered up the courage to start asking questions and digging deeper into what was going on. I dug out every contract, read through every email, analyzed my notes from phone calls, etc. Every hour spent researching deepened the pit in my stomach and leant proof to the revelation I didn’t want to face: Vanilla Heart was guilty.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style","serif";">Guilty of copyright infringement.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style","serif";">Guilty of breach of contract.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style","serif";">Guilty of misrepresentation of intent.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style","serif";">Guilty of fraud.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style","serif";">Guilty of theft. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style","serif";">On August 10, 2013 under the guidance of my attorney, a termination letter was sent to Vanilla Heart Publishing. A complaint was filed with the Washington Attorney General’s Office and DCMA Take Down Notices and Perjury Statements sent to every distributor that carried my books under the Vanilla Heart imprint. All books in all formats were pulled from the market. The distributors worked quickly to make this right, as their policy is first and foremost to protect the intellectual property of the author. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style","serif";">I want to give a shout out to the employees at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Smashwords, All Romance Ebooks/OmniLit and Payloadz who were amazing in getting my attorney the information we needed (and I deserved) and in helping to protect my intellectual property rights going forward. These people were absolutely amazing and I am grateful to all of them. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style","serif";">My publisher used to call Amazon “Damazon” and always told me how slow and non-responsive they were. That must have been a lie too…because after this experience, I would dub them “Amaz(ing)on.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style","serif";">So, why am I writing this blog? Because I feel a moral obligation to warn other writers who are as naïve as I was and can become easy prey. The warning signs were there, but I didn’t see them…or I choose to look the other way. Don’t make the same mistake I did. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style","serif";">As an author, you deserve to have your books registered with the U.S. Copyright office. You deserve a signed contract on every book. You deserve to have timely statements and timely royalty payments and those statements and payments should match down to the penny. You deserve a publisher who will protect your rights and who will not breach your contract. You deserve a publisher who will conduct business in an ethical and moral manner, not hide behind excuses and outright lies. You deserve better than Vanilla Heart Publishing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style","serif";">In the past two months, seven authors have left Vanilla Heart… all of which were a part of the “Core Group.” Some of us have found other publishers who have picked up our work. I’ve signed with Global Publishing Group and my books will be back on the market in all formats by the end of the week. Others have decided to self-publish and still others are so shell-shocked they haven’t decided what to do. What happened to us wasn’t fair and it wasn’t right, but we are all dedicated writers and will come out on top.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style","serif";">The moral of the story is: Stay away from Vanilla Heart Publishing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1019042019428919867.post-33277903744815618092014-05-22T09:33:00.000-06:002014-05-22T09:33:05.481-06:00"How May I Ignore You Today?"<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style","serif";">There
is no difference between business ethics and personal ethics… for there is
nothing more personal than how you treat others in business. The two cannot be separate.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style","serif";">Over
the years, with the advancement of technology, we have lost a certain element
of that personal touch. In front of our
computer screens we don’t feel a firm handshake or see the sparkle in the other
person’s eyes as they greet you with a smile.
Behind our computer screens, we are forced to guess at intonation and intention;
and it is often difficult. At the same
time, technology allows us to communicate faster and more frequent. Questions can be answered in a matter of
minutes. Contacts are organized and easy
to find. No more manual digging through
an address book. No more answering a
phone without knowing who is calling.
Information is at our fingertips, allowing us to navigate our way
through life without ever having to pull out a Rally’s road map and spread it
across the dashboard. No more waiting
for film to be developed so you can see if you got a good picture. Results are now instantaneous… and so are
expectations. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style","serif";">With
advancement comes a whole set of new challenges. Today I want to talk about email in
particular…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-rlcKkRegp6I/U34XyaPWcBI/AAAAAAAADHM/R5xUoM1Bxuc/s1600/email.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-rlcKkRegp6I/U34XyaPWcBI/AAAAAAAADHM/R5xUoM1Bxuc/s1600/email.jpg" height="149" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style","serif";">If
I walked into your office and sat down in front of you and said, “I need help.” Would you spin your office chair so that your
back was to me and ignore the fact that I was sitting there? Of course you wouldn’t… but when you don’t
respond to an email that is asking for help, you have done just that.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style","serif";">If
I stopped you in the hallway to ask you a question, would you turn your head
away from me and keep walking, ignoring the fact that I am standing there? Of course not…but when you don’t respond to
an email that has posed a question, you have done just that.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0in;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-M0DqzI2FT9U/U34YLlOkLXI/AAAAAAAADHc/5W6JXsjC49I/s1600/email2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-M0DqzI2FT9U/U34YLlOkLXI/AAAAAAAADHc/5W6JXsjC49I/s1600/email2.jpg" height="200" width="83" /></a><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style","serif";">In
our world today, email has replaced a great deal of our face-to-face
communication. Whether you think this is
right, wrong or indifferently doesn’t matter…it is a fact we cannot avoid. The rules are simple: If you would not ignore a person standing in
front of you then you should not ignore an email they have sent to you. That email represents them sitting in your
office asking you for help. That email
represents them reaching out to shake your hand and introduce themselves. That email represents a personal smile or a
heartfelt tear. Whatever the case may
be, in today’s world of technology, ignoring an email is as rude as turning
your back on someone who is standing right in front of you.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style","serif";">Some
people seem to think a lack of time is a justifiable reason to not respond; but
this is unacceptable behavior. Everyone
has time to acknowledge the receipt of an email. If there isn’t time to answer the question or
type the necessary response, then simply type:
“I’ve read your email and will get back to you shortly.” Then, make certain that you flag it and
respond when it is more convenient for you.
This is acceptable. The important
thing is that you have acknowledged the person’s presence. It would be like me popping my head into your
office and asking a question, to which you would respond, “I have a meeting
right now, but let’s discuss it later this afternoon.” Perfectly acceptable.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style","serif";">Responses
are validation. A simple acknowledgment
is all that is needed. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-QW1LVlBshkg/U34X_y0Sl1I/AAAAAAAADHU/Fmwhyc40v6A/s1600/email3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-QW1LVlBshkg/U34X_y0Sl1I/AAAAAAAADHU/Fmwhyc40v6A/s1600/email3.jpg" height="200" width="133" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style","serif";">When
there is no response, and particularly when emails are continually ignored, it
sends a definitive message. It says, “I
don’t care about your issue.” It says, “You’re
not important enough for me to take the time to respond.” It says, “Go away.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style","serif";">No
response speaks volumes. It hurts
feelings. It belittles. It degrades.
It sends a message you would never send in a face-to-face setting… so
why, then, do you think it is okay in a virtual setting?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style","serif";">Between
my personal email, my author email, and my FB inbox mail, I receive anywhere
from 150-200 emails every day. I don’t
respond to the ones who are trying to sell me something or to the group emails…
but I do respond to every single personal email sent to me. I don’t always feel like it and I don’t
always have time, but I do it because I never want to make someone feel like
they aren’t important or that they do not matter. Email is no different than if you walked into
my office and sat in the chair across from me.
I would not ignore you in person and I will not ignore you online. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style","serif";">There
should be no difference between how you would treat someone in person and how
you treat them online. Is your business model "How May I Help You Today?" or "How May I Ignore You Today?" ~<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-smyLfQCmsbY/U34XkxD6JDI/AAAAAAAADHE/fuUPtgdaRBc/s1600/email4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-smyLfQCmsbY/U34XkxD6JDI/AAAAAAAADHE/fuUPtgdaRBc/s1600/email4.jpg" /></a></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1019042019428919867.post-90043279982498886882014-04-18T08:04:00.000-06:002014-04-18T08:04:01.721-06:00An "Action of Love" ...Not Really<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I often wonder what travels through the minds of people. I'm sure others wonder this about me as well. It's human nature to be curious and to seek understanding. I also wonder how it is that some people can so easily judge under the guise of "love." How they can put so much time and effort into something that, when that time and effort is stripped away, is nothing more than a foundation of judgment, hidden in what is supposed to be seen as an action of love. How is it that they believe it is their job or their right to take this action...even if it came from a place of love...Judgment rolled in love is still judgment. Condemnation rolled in love is still condemning.<br />
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-PPjnvm6gdew/UIdlUmnGbbI/AAAAAAAAA-g/Hw0XUvyR_oY/s1600/coffee.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-PPjnvm6gdew/UIdlUmnGbbI/AAAAAAAAA-g/Hw0XUvyR_oY/s1600/coffee.jpg" /></a><br />
As I sip my coffee this morning and pray for a softer heart and understanding... the twinge in my gut and the nausea in my stomach is a sad confirmation of my initial reaction to this "act of love." I pray for a way to define what I'm feeling so that I can dissect it, cut through the emotion and think rationally. The word that keeps penetrating my thoughts is arrogance.<br />
<br />
This "action of love" was dripping with arrogance and it sent a red flag soaring in my spirit. Asking myself if I would ever do the same, the answer is a resounding no. I wouldn't...but not because the thought behind it wasn't special...but because the river of arrogance carrying that thought is something to which I cannot relate. I would never deem myself worthy enough to take this action. I would never assume that I knew better than everyone else and that it was my duty to pass my knowledge, my perspective, my beliefs, my interpretations, and my outlooks onto them. I would never assume that I knew more than anyone else.<br />
<br />
How can an act of love send such a crushing blow?<br />
<br />
Often times when judgment is dolled out under the pretense of love, we try to use that affection to justify the judgment; but it cannot. There is no justification. There is no blanket of love large enough to mask or hide the true spirit behind the action. <br />
<br />
I don't sit here in anger this morning... I sit here in sadness. Once more, arrogance has reared it's ugly head and taken out the feet of those it encountered. Out of love, you say? <br />
<br />
No. Love waits and speaks when asked. Love doesn't force or assume a position that is not theirs to assume. Love doesn't push. Love doesn't drive a wedge. "Love is patient and kind. It does not envy or boast and it is not proud."<br />
<br />
Thought, time and effort can be beautiful actions of love but only when they are not dipped in utter arrogance, laced with condemnation and a raw, hurtful action of judgment.<br />
<br />
#crushed <br />
<br />
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<br /></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1019042019428919867.post-73862889728243990052014-04-08T09:53:00.000-06:002014-04-08T09:53:52.494-06:00Why Size DOES Matter<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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After taking my kids to school, I
usually saunter back into the house, re-fill my cup of black coffee so it’s
piping hot and sit down at my computer.
First, I check my personal email, then my author email and then I open
Facebook. I had just taken a sip of hot
coffee when I opened my FB email and saw this picture with a notation that read, "My dick is hard."<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-oYJT7ZcJuq4/U0QYnK6MYQI/AAAAAAAADGE/C-XmeW-N6ww/s1600/Blog+naked.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-oYJT7ZcJuq4/U0QYnK6MYQI/AAAAAAAADGE/C-XmeW-N6ww/s1600/Blog+naked.jpg" height="320" width="215" /></a></div>
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I added the black rectangle over his face just so he might have a tiny hope of deniability. I won’t tell you the fellow’s name,
but I am certain that since he sent his naked, full frontal picture to me, a
complete stranger, that he is quite comfortable with it being posted
online. <o:p></o:p></div>
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After regaining my composure from
almost spewing coffee all over my computer screen, I sent the picture to my
husband with a comedic notation. Then, I
stared at the picture for a moment and let the thoughts drift in and out of my
mind.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Who DOES
this?</span></i><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"> </span>That was my
first thought. I’m not judging, as I, in
no way, have a conservative, innocent or even remotely demure history…and yet,
I can honestly say that I have never photographed my genitalia and emailed it to
anyone. Interesting.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Why do
this?</span></i><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"> </span>Certainly
there is a reason…right? I mean, when
one sends a picture of one’s genitals to another person they are hoping for a
response. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Why choose
me?</span></i><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"> </span>This is where
the real analysis begins. See, on my FB
profile it clearly states that I am a married woman. There’s a link to my husband’s FB page and a
quick jaunt through any of my photos testifies to the fact that our marriage is
currently intact, stable and happy. So I
have to ask myself, if you’re going to send a picture of your privates to a
woman, wouldn’t you choose one that is single with a greater propensity to give
you the response which you are seeking? I
clearly am not the wisest demographic choice.
Then again, my ego is not so inflated as to believe I was the <u>only</u> woman
to be graced with the presence of his penis first thing this morning. One must assume that this picture was sent to
every female “friend” on his Facebook account, thereby rendering a verdict of
desperation. How desperate does someone
have to be in order to take a picture of their genitals and email it to
strangers? Now I just feel sad for the
guy.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0in;">
<i>What
response did he want?</i> Here’s the big
question. There are limited options as
to how this thing can play out. I mean,
he has to know this…right? He’s
obviously intelligent enough to work his camera phone, so one can assume he
must have had some forethought as to what might happen: A) He
gets ignored. B) He gets reported for
spam. C) He gets blocked. D) I actually respond, telling him that he has
the best penis I’ve ever seen, that I am drawn to his utter manliness and that
I must meet him in person so we can titillate between the sheets. Just so we’re clear, I opted for (C). Though, I do wonder if he ever thought he
might end up as the center of attention in someone’s blog? Maybe this is the response he was seeking
after all?<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0in;">
<i>How
confident do you have to be?</i> This is
the part I truly do not understand and to which I cannot relate. The human body is considered a work of art
and can be deemed sexy at times. That
being said, with regards to 99.99999% of the population, nudity alone is not
sexy. The circumstances in which a
person becomes nude can be sexy, their personality can add to the sexiness, and
good lighting doesn’t hurt; but to watch a great percentage of human beings
walk around naked is not arousing. If
you don’t believe me, go visit a nudist colony.
Years ago I visited one in Malibu and I can honestly attest to the fact
that most of the people there had no business being naked in public. I also walked on a nude beach in Mexico, thinking surely the nudists who
take beach vacations will look better naked than most of the human race, but
this was not the case. So, how confident
do you have to be to strip down, take a picture of your penis and email it to
strangers? More confident than even the
nudists, who parade around with their dinghies flapping in the wind and soaking
up the sun? Wow. I envy that level of confidence.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-xFpiW5xvjLA/U0QbDeX5QiI/AAAAAAAADGY/Qnv0wHZ9n_I/s1600/blog+naked2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-xFpiW5xvjLA/U0QbDeX5QiI/AAAAAAAADGY/Qnv0wHZ9n_I/s1600/blog+naked2.jpg" height="200" width="165" /></a>Which brings me to my final
thought: <i>Know your competition.</i> Our world is saturated with pornography and
whether you think it right or wrong doesn’t matter; it exists nonetheless. So, if you’re going to send out pictures of
your body parts, you might want to first analyze the competition and make
certain your parts are up to par. Otherwise,
it’s just embarrassing. I, personally,
don’t enjoy pornographic movies. They’re
incredibly redundant. I do, however, appreciate
photographs that are professionally done and tactful, i.e. the beautiful model
on the beach with the wind blowing her long hair backwards and her hands
delicately covering her breasts, or the shape of her ass silhouetted against
the sunset. I’m not anti-nudity. I just think there is a time and a place and
if you’re going to get naked, by God, make it look as good as you can. Sitting in an office chair, displaying a
penis that is no bigger than my thumb isn’t probably your best look.</div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-6tTi6EfEjZ0/U0QaA6L0O1I/AAAAAAAADGQ/3xh2iXt7uFE/s1600/blog+thomas.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-6tTi6EfEjZ0/U0QaA6L0O1I/AAAAAAAADGQ/3xh2iXt7uFE/s1600/blog+thomas.jpg" /></a>While we’re on the subject, let’s
face another harsh reality. Men, size
DOES matter…especially in photographs. We’ve
all heard the old adage: <i>“It’s not the
size of the train, it’s the power of the engine.” </i> That’s all fine and dandy if you can make
that small train do mighty things in the bedroom. But, trust me, refrain from taking pictures
of your tiny Thomas, because women want to see
you soft at heart, not below the waist. ~<o:p></o:p></div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1019042019428919867.post-70783674028518583592014-03-20T13:41:00.000-06:002014-03-20T13:41:06.464-06:00Make Spring Break Suspenseful<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
The Candy Shop has been selling like crazy and I'm very excited! Thank you to all of my readers and please remember to write a review and post it on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Smashwords or wherever you ordered your copy.<br />
<br />
If you haven't read it yet, pick it up or download it today. It's a great way to add a little suspense to your Spring Break! :)<br />
<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
"One decision can change everything."</div>
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/The-Candy-Shop-S-R-Claridge/dp/0989846776" target="_blank">AMAZON</a></div>
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<a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-candy-shop-sr-claridge/1117524828?ean=9780989846776" target="_blank">BARNES & NOBLE</a></div>
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<a href="http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/377265" target="_blank">SMASHWORDS</a></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1019042019428919867.post-50291290893775491662014-03-05T11:41:00.001-07:002014-03-05T11:41:38.176-07:00An Excerpt from the Upcoming Sequel to House of Lies<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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An excerpt from the upcoming sequel to House of Lies…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1a9bGgX2Who/UiZN3kvuHbI/AAAAAAAAC8Q/VGfdCaWxj-s/s1600/HOL+yawpitchright+crop.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1a9bGgX2Who/UiZN3kvuHbI/AAAAAAAAC8Q/VGfdCaWxj-s/s1600/HOL+yawpitchright+crop.jpg" height="320" width="228" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"> Tess
depressed the button that made the back of her hospital bed sit up a little
straighter and then narrowed her eyes at Shane.
“All you wanted to do was steal my joy.
I was happy until you started nosing around in my business! What concern is it of yours anyway?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"> Shane
swallowed hard because she didn’t want her answer to come from a place of
anger, but from the love that she felt deep down. “I want nothing more than your happiness and
I’m sorry that you think I have somehow robbed you of joy.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"> Rising
from the bedside chair, Shane turned toward the door. Maybe Braznovich was right. Maybe it was time to give up the fight to save her sister. <i>No! Not yet!</i> Her inner voice screamed and taking only two steps, she whirled back
around to face Tess. “It was my
concern because I love you. I looked into
what you were so deeply into because I cared for your wellbeing. I saw it destroying our family and your life
and all I wanted you to do was open your eyes and see what was happening before
it was too late.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"> “You
wouldn’t have been happy until I gave up everything that was important to me!” Tess seethed.
“I’m not going to do that. I’m
never going to do that, no matter how horribly you persecute me!” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"> Shane
fought the lump rising in her throat and tried to calmly continue. She silently reminded herself that her sister
was brainwashed and that the deception she had been living under would not be
undone overnight. It was going to take time.
“I didn’t ask you to stop believing what you believe or even to stop
doing what you do. I only asked that you
would take some time to study it from an objective perspective so that you
would fully understand the hold that it had on you. The hold it obviously still has on you.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"> “I
don’t feel that God is telling me to study it,” Tess rebutted.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"> Shane
had heard this excuse one too many times and it grated her like nails on a
chalkboard. She stormed to the other
side of the bed, pulled open the bedside table top drawer and took out the
Gideon Bible. Tossing the Bible unto
Tess’s bed, Shane blurted, “Look up James 1:5.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"> “I
don’t need to look it up. I already know
what it says,” Tess spat. “‘If any of you
lacks wisdom let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach; and
it will be given him.’” Tess gloated. “I
don’t lack wisdom. You do.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"> Shane’s
breath caught in her chest as a realization rushed over her. She wasn’t talking to her sister. Not really.
She was talking to the demonic, blinding stronghold that had taken over
Tess. She could see it in the hollow stare of her sister’s gaze. Tess’s body was
here but whoever or whatever was peering from behind her eyes was not Tess.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"> Slowly
backing toward the door, Shane fought to keep her composure. “Maybe you’re
right. Maybe I should go and ask God for
more wisdom.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"> An
evil smile spread across Tess’s face and sent a chill darting up the back of
Shane’s neck, the same chill she had felt when she stood face-to-face with
Maxwell Sagan. ~<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1019042019428919867.post-30679583028881005512014-02-23T19:54:00.001-07:002014-02-23T19:54:10.890-07:00Lied, Defrauded & Falsified<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I received tax information from my ex-publisher (Vanilla Heart Publishing) and couldn't help but laugh. Though she noted what she had paid me for 2013, what she failed to provide in this sloppily, hand-written W-2 form was any element of truth. Book sales? Not included. Statements? Not included. Just a random number for a random payment that matched none of the numbers provided by any of the retailers in 2013. I wasn't surprised...for you see, had she claimed the correct number of book sales she would have had to admit to fraudulent activity and theft. <br />
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I wonder... what earnings is she claiming to the government? It might be worth suggesting to the IRS that they audit Kimberlee Williams and Vanilla Heart Publishing, for I am merely one author in a line of many from which she has stolen money and, sadly from some, is still stealing. I just might take this up with my attorney and will certainly register another complaint with the State of Washington and the Better Business Bureau.<br />
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You see, for me, this was her last chance to rectify the wrongdoing. Admitting she had stolen from me and taking steps toward restitution prior to sending out legally falsified W-2 documentation would have shown at least some form of remorse, be it small and pathetic. But, that time limit has ceased and the hour of pursuing restitution is now upon us.<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-hebIxEyWGe0/Uwqwb5Ry9wI/AAAAAAAADFA/AJUF16Llp4o/s1600/stealing.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-hebIxEyWGe0/Uwqwb5Ry9wI/AAAAAAAADFA/AJUF16Llp4o/s1600/stealing.jpg" /></a></div>
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To the authors who are currently with Vanilla Heart Publishing, please be aware that Kimberlee Williams is lying to you. She has the ability to print monthly reports of your book sales from Amazon. Also, Amazon pays timely, VERY timely each month and so she should be able to pay you on time as well. No excuse is viable. EVERY excuse and play for your sympathy is a lie. In addition, Smashwords pays every quarter in a timely manner. They are never late and reports can be pulled at any time during the quarter where she can see book sales by title, type and distributor. There is no reason you are not receiving statements and payments in a timely manner. NO REASON! <br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Tq9gqqF_SlA/UwqyZm8VA1I/AAAAAAAADFM/K-pIPwiRNng/s1600/lies.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Tq9gqqF_SlA/UwqyZm8VA1I/AAAAAAAADFM/K-pIPwiRNng/s1600/lies.jpg" /></a></div>
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Thankfully, for me, the Vanilla Heart nightmare is over. I have moved on and found great success. I wish that for every author. If you are with a publisher that is robbing you blind and filling your head with excuses, break free and earn what you deserve from your work. A legitimate publisher will not give excuses because in today's world of technology and minute-by-minute reporting there is no need for excuses. <br />
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You deserve to be treated with respect and honesty and publisher's like Vanilla Heart are nothing but wolves in sheep's clothing, preying on new and naive authors. Open your eyes and enjoy the fruits of your labor. ~</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1019042019428919867.post-66901882547717654982014-01-20T21:41:00.000-07:002014-01-20T21:42:39.043-07:00If it Scares You...<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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There are times when I am tempted to play it safe, take the path most traveled and lean toward the conservative side when writing; and then, I stand up at my desk, jump up and down three or four times and shake it off. When I feel this stagnation coming on in life, I jump from a plane, skinny dip or do something else exhilarating to liven things up.</div>
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I try to make a conscious effort to live on the edge on paper and in life. That doesn't mean live dangerously, but purposefully. It doesn't mean to live carelessly, but care-freely. I think it means to embrace every chance you're given and whenever you can, choose the path less traveled and leave a piece of yourself on the trail. That is to say, pour a little bit of yourself onto the pages even if it's scary. </div>
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Writing my novels has taken me into some dark places. For the <span style="color: lime;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tetterbaums-Truth-Just-Call-Angel-ebook/dp/B00ENK5AMG/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1390279072&sr=1-1&keywords=tetterbaum%27s+truth+by+s.r.claridge" target="_blank"><span style="color: lime;">Just Call Me Angel</span></a> </span>series I studied the Mafia and for<span style="color: lime;"> <a href="http://www.amazon.com/House-Lies-S-R-Claridge-ebook/dp/B00EOWCMI8/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1390279039&sr=1-1&keywords=house+of+lies+by+s.r.claridge" target="_blank"><span style="color: lime;">House of Lies</span></a></span> I studied cult groups, past and current. Writing <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Candy-Shop-S-R-Claridge/dp/0989846776/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1390279008&sr=1-1&keywords=the+candy+shop+by+s.r.claridge" target="_blank"><span style="color: lime;">The Candy Shop</span></a> took me to a new precipice, as I studied the psychological profiles of serial killers. It was uncomfortable and, at times, downright creepy. I dove in nonetheless and I'm thankful I did. The newly found knowledge I embraced added a depth to each story that otherwise would not exist. It scared me, but the positive reviews have made those fearful moments worthwhile. :) </div>
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Trying something new or looking at something from a new perspective can cause trepidation. Those feelings are normal. If it scares you a little... you're on the right path. ~</div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1019042019428919867.post-74641817752634901112014-01-08T09:57:00.001-07:002014-01-08T09:57:35.408-07:00Sustainable Success<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ZBbLCHSKROo/UDRFQ5PCXjI/AAAAAAAAAcM/I8Z3J7aKUoU/s1600/paperpencil.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ZBbLCHSKROo/UDRFQ5PCXjI/AAAAAAAAAcM/I8Z3J7aKUoU/s1600/paperpencil.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">The
easiest part of being a writer (at least for me) is the act or art of
writing. The hardest part is the
marketing and promotional efforts. When
I have a writing day planned, I wake up excited; whereas, when I know the day
holds nothing more than plowing through marketing strategies and delivering
promos, I awaken less enthused. This
needs to change and is my first work-related New Year’s resolution.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><b>Dive into marketing and promotion with a fresh
feel, a new outlook and a positive attitude.</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">I
won’t bore you with my other business resolutions… suffice to say, if I can
tackle the first one I will be content. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">So,
how does an author effectively market their work? Ah, the age old question. There are many of us out there who often feel
as if we are spinning our wheels, but this isn’t happening only in the literary
world. It happens with everyone in every
field. We don’t see the results we want
and we get tired. We slow down. We lose our mojo. It’s natural… but, it is changeable. Success can be sustainable. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">In
this blog I’m only going to cover the first three steps:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">First,
start with a cup of coffee….okay, that’s a lie…you’re going to need a pot of
coffee. More importantly…start the day
with prayer. Thank God for all that you
have, for every blessing in your life, and hand Him your hopes, dreams,
aspirations and the desires of your heart.
Trust me, they are much safer in His hands than yours.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Second,
write down every goal you want to accomplish.
<i>Big or small, write down them all!</i> Now, tack those goals in a place where you
will see them multiple times a day.
Print them small and tape them to the corner of your computer screen. Place a copy in the bathroom, on the cover of
your cell phone, etc. Make your goals
visible.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Third,
make a to-do list. Add to it every day
and check off items every day. This will
keep you organized and help you not to feel overwhelmed. There is a certain satisfaction that comes
with checking off an item on your to-do list.
Feel the satisfaction. Relish in
it. Reward yourself for it and then
harness that sense of accomplishment and use it to tackle the next item. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">I’ll
say it again: Success is
sustainable. The key is to take it step
by step. It doesn’t happen
overnight. It doesn’t come in a
whirlwind. It arrives after years of
hard work. Dream big, work small… and
your dreams will come true. ~<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1019042019428919867.post-27791340407366351332013-12-25T08:00:00.000-07:002013-12-25T08:00:03.712-07:00Christmas Day Giveaway<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-EtlIUtZC-_c/UqixCFqgBAI/AAAAAAAADCo/FpHPO1K-S_c/s1600/twelve+days+of+christmas+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-EtlIUtZC-_c/UqixCFqgBAI/AAAAAAAADCo/FpHPO1K-S_c/s1600/twelve+days+of+christmas+2.jpg" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Merry Christmas!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>May your day be filled with joy and wonder,
love, laughter, adventure and more fun than you can imagine!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">To recap, in case you missed the original
post, I’m hosting a Twelve Days before Christmas Giveaway (sponsored by Global
Publishing Group) wherein I will be giving away free copies of my books plus
some of the other GPG author’s books.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Here's how it works... I'll post the
giveaway and the first person to email me, gets the free item of the day!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Each blog will go live at 8:00am MST (that's
7:00am for you West Coasters, 9:00am for you Mid-Westerners and 10:00am for my
East Coast friends.)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s too easy not
to play!</span></div>
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<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Email
me with the subject line:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Merry Christmas</b></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Email
me by clicking<span style="color: lime;"> </span></span><a href="mailto:authorsrclaridge@gmail.com"><span style="color: lime; font-family: Calibri;">HERE</span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Here we go!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Sing with
me....though I'm going to have to change up the lyrics a bit...<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">On the twelfth day before Christmas an author gave to me</span></i></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">A free copy of <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Petals-Blood-S-R-Claridge-ebook/dp/B00EOWKVOA/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1386793764&sr=8-4&keywords=petals+of+blood" target="_blank"><span style="color: lime;">Petals of Blood</span></a></b>!</span></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">On the eleventh day before Christmas an author gave to me<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">An S.R.Claridge <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Ebook of my choice</b> for free!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">On the tenth day before Christmas an author gave to me</span></i></div>
<br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">A <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tetterbaums-Truth-Just-Call-Angel-ebook/dp/B00ENK5AMG/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1386793810&sr=8-1&keywords=tetterbaum%27s+truth" target="_blank"><span style="color: lime;">Tetterbaum’s Truth</span></a></b> ebook copy!</span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">On the ninth day before Christmas an author gave to me</span></i></div>
<br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">An erotic spanking
story!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">(<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">The first book in the Elise Dugar Episodes by <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Susan-Sanchez/e/B00GIA27C0/ref=sr_tc_2_0?qid=1386793844&sr=1-2-ent" target="_blank"><span style="color: lime;">Author Susan Sanchez</span></a></b>)</span><o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></div>
<br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">On the eighth day before Christmas an author gave to me</span></i></div>
<br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">A <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Traitors-Among-Just-Call-Angel/dp/0989846717/ref=sr_1_6?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1386793919&sr=1-6&keywords=traitors+among+us" target="_blank"><span style="color: lime;">Traitor’s Among Us</span></a></b> copy!</span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">On the seventh day before Christmas an author gave to me</span></i></div>
<br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The truth in <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/House-Lies-S-R-Claridge/dp/098984675X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1386777892&sr=8-1&keywords=house+of+lies+by+s.r.claridge" target="_blank"><span style="color: lime;">House of Lies</span></a>!</b></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">On the sixth day before Christmas an author gave to me<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The second book in
the erotic romance series.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">(<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Susan-Sanchez/e/B00GIA27C0/ref=sr_tc_2_0?qid=1386793844&sr=1-2-ent" target="_blank"><span style="color: lime;">Anticipation by Susan Sanchez</span></a>)</span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></b></div>
<br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">On the fifth day before Christmas an author gave to me</span></i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></i></div>
<br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The third book in the
Just Call Me Angel series!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: lime; font-family: Calibri;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Russian-Uprising-Just-Call-Angel-ebook/dp/B00ENLO4Z4/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1386793998&sr=1-1&keywords=russian+uprising+by+s.r.claridge" target="_blank">(Russian Uprising)</a></span></b></div>
<br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">On the fourth day before Christmas an author gave to me</span></i></div>
<br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Spouse-my-House-S-R-Claridge-ebook/dp/B00EYGLT7E/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1386794029&sr=1-1&keywords=spouse+in+my+house+by+s.r.claridge" target="_blank"><span style="color: lime;">Spouse in my House</span></a></b> ebook free!</span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">On the third day before Christmas an author gave to me</span></i></div>
<br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Another Sanchez
Erotic story for free!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Susan-Sanchez/e/B00GIA27C0/ref=sr_tc_2_0?qid=1386793844&sr=1-2-ent" target="_blank"><span style="color: lime;">(Belting Love)<o:p></o:p></span></a></span></b></div>
<br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">On the second day before Christmas an author gave to me<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Candy-Shop-S-R-Claridge/dp/0989846776/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1386794061&sr=1-1&keywords=the+candy+shop+by+s.r.claridge" target="_blank"><span style="color: lime;">The Candy Shop</span></a> </b>for free!</span><o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></div>
<br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">On the first day of Christmas an author gave to me<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">A book about a Llama named Louie!<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">(Children’s book by Jerrye Woods, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Louie-Llama-Discovers-Christmas-Jerrye/dp/0989846784/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1386794093&sr=8-1&keywords=louie+the+llama+discovers+christmas" target="_blank"><span style="color: lime;">Louie the Llama Discovers Christmas</span></a><span style="color: lime;">)</span></span></b></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></b> </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1tQYE-AwErk/UqjKTGxXqrI/AAAAAAAADD8/lBU170dk8Vk/s1600/LouieNewFrontCover+smaller.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1tQYE-AwErk/UqjKTGxXqrI/AAAAAAAADD8/lBU170dk8Vk/s320/LouieNewFrontCover+smaller.jpg" width="227" /></a></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><o:p></o:p></span></b> </div>
</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1019042019428919867.post-78857761832711756982013-12-24T08:00:00.000-07:002013-12-24T08:00:00.180-07:00Christmas Eve Giveaway<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-EtlIUtZC-_c/UqixCFqgBAI/AAAAAAAADCo/FpHPO1K-S_c/s1600/twelve+days+of+christmas+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-EtlIUtZC-_c/UqixCFqgBAI/AAAAAAAADCo/FpHPO1K-S_c/s1600/twelve+days+of+christmas+2.jpg" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">It’s Christmas Eve!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My home and heart are dancing with
excitement!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I think about how Mary must
have felt thousands of years ago, as she rode on the back of a donkey, on the
verge of labor.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Can you imagine riding
on a donkey while nine months pregnant?!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>And then, to top it off, giving birth in a barn, in the cold, with no
drugs and no doctors.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I can’t even
fathom it, and not just from Mary’s perspective, but from Joseph’s as
well.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Here lay your wife, birthing a
child that isn’t even yours, and you are powerless to provide her with warmth
or security.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I imagine he paced back and
forth and back and forth, gnawing on his nails and praying for their
wellbeing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>On top of it being a
miraculous and historic eve, it was most certainly a stressful time.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Isn’t that true of the holiday season?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As wonderful as it is, it comes with a lot of
stress.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Shopping, wrapping, baking,
social events….all thrilling, yet exhausting.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">So, to celebrate Christmas Eve, I’m
giving away TWO copies of my new release:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The Candy Shop</span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">To recap, in case you missed the original
post, I’m hosting a Twelve Days before Christmas Giveaway (sponsored by Global
Publishing Group) wherein I will be giving away free copies of my books plus
some of the other GPG author’s books.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Here's how it works... I'll post the
giveaway and the first TWO people to email me, get the free item of the day!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Each blog will go live at 8:00am MST (that's
7:00am for you West Coasters, 9:00am for you Mid-Westerners and 10:00am for my
East Coast friends.)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s too easy not
to play!</span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Email
me with the subject line:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Day Two</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Email
me by clicking </span><a href="mailto:authorsrclaridge@gmail.com"><span style="color: lime; font-family: Calibri;">HERE</span></a><o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Here we go!</span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Sing with
me....though I'm going to have to change up the lyrics a bit...<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">On the twelfth day before Christmas an author gave to me<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">A free copy of <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Petals of Blood</b>!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">On the eleventh day before Christmas an author gave to me<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">An S.R.Claridge <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Ebook of my choice</b> for free!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">On the tenth day before Christmas an author gave to me<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">A <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Tetterbaum’s Truth</b> ebook copy!</span><o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></div>
<br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">On the ninth day before Christmas an author gave to me<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">An erotic spanking
story!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">(<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">The first book in the Elise Dugar Episodes by Author Susan Sanchez</b>)</span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">On the eighth day before Christmas an author gave to me</span></i></div>
<br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">A <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Traitor’s Among Us</b> copy!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">On the seventh day before Christmas an author gave to me</span></i></div>
<br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The truth in <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">House of Lies!</b></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></b></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">On the sixth day before Christmas an author gave to me</span></i></div>
<br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The second book in
the erotic romance series.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">(Anticipation by Susan Sanchez)<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">On the fifth day before Christmas an author gave to me</span></i></div>
<br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The third book in the
Just Call Me Angel series!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">(Russian Uprising)</span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></b></div>
<br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">On the fourth day before Christmas an author gave to me<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Spouse in my House</b> ebook free!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">On the third day before Christmas an author gave to me<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Another Sanchez
Erotic story for free!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">(Belting Love)</span></b><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></i></div>
<br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">On the second day before Christmas an author gave to me</span></i></div>
<br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">The Candy Shop </b>for free!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wM42zNGwFps/UqjI1kmJELI/AAAAAAAADDw/q1CUj3ViS90/s1600/TCS1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wM42zNGwFps/UqjI1kmJELI/AAAAAAAADDw/q1CUj3ViS90/s1600/TCS1.jpg" /></a></span></div>
<br />
<br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></div>
<br />
</div>
</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1019042019428919867.post-68237735868044103712013-12-23T08:00:00.000-07:002013-12-23T08:00:09.161-07:00Three Days Before Christmas Giveaway<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The holiday season is such an
exciting time of the year, and there’s only three days of gift giving left!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">To recap, in case you missed the original
post, I’m hosting a Twelve Days before Christmas Giveaway (sponsored by Global
Publishing Group) wherein I will be giving away free copies of my books plus
some of the other GPG author’s books.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Here's how it works... I'll post the
giveaway and the first person to email me, gets the free item of the day!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Each blog will go live at 8:00am MST (that's
7:00am for you West Coasters, 9:00am for you Mid-Westerners and 10:00am for my
East Coast friends.)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s too easy not
to play!</span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Email
me with the subject line:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Day Three</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Email
me by clicking </span><a href="mailto:authorsrclaridge@gmail.com"><span style="color: lime; font-family: Calibri;">HERE</span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Here we go!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Sing with
me....though I'm going to have to change up the lyrics a bit...</span></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">On the twelfth day before Christmas an author gave to me</span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">A free copy of <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Petals of Blood</b>!</span><o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">On the eleventh day before Christmas an author gave to me<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">An S.R.Claridge <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Ebook of my choice</b> for free!</span><o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">On the tenth day before Christmas an author gave to me</span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">A <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Tetterbaum’s Truth</b> ebook copy!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">On the ninth day before Christmas an author gave to me<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">An erotic spanking
story!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">(<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">The first book in the Elise Dugar Episodes by Author Susan Sanchez</b>)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">On the eighth day before Christmas an author gave to me<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">A <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Traitor’s Among Us</b> copy!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">On the seventh day before Christmas an author gave to me</span></i><o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The truth in <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">House of Lies!<o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">On the sixth day before Christmas an author gave to me</span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The second book in
the erotic romance series.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">(Anticipation by Susan Sanchez)<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">On the fifth day before Christmas an author gave to me</span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The third book in the
Just Call Me Angel series!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">(Russian Uprising)</span></b></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">On the fourth day before Christmas an author gave to me</span></i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Spouse in my House</b> ebook free!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">On the third day before Christmas an author gave to me<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Another Sanchez
Erotic story for free!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">(Belting Love)<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></i><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></b></div>
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<o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></div>
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<o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></div>
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