D is for Deadpool

Hello, bloggers! Welcome to the 2016 A - Z blogging challenge! For details and the sign-up list, go HERE.

For my A - Z Blogging Challenge, I'm sharing comic book/graphic novel covers that capture my eye.

D is for Deadpool

Deadpool is my husband's all-time favorite, as well as in my oldest son's top five.

Synopsis from Amazon:
The Merc with a Mouth is back; even deadlier and more deranged than before! The planet has been invaded by Skrulls; everything's gone topsy-turvy... but, in Deadpool's world, that just means it's Monday! Crazy times call for crazy men, but c'mon, this guy's insane! Like it or not, Deadpool may be the only person on the planet who can save us... but who's to say he wants to? 

C is for Captain America

Hello, bloggers! Welcome to the 2016 A - Z blogging challenge! For details and the sign-up list, go HERE.

For my A - Z Blogging Challenge, I'm sharing comic book/graphic novel covers that capture my eye, and I received amazing help from my sis, my hubby, and sons.

C is for Captain America

While he isn't my sis's (Cynthea) fave hero, she can still appreciate a good cover, and puts it best like this: 

"Most people like Captain America because he IS Truth, Justice and the American Way! 100% that man bleeds red, white and blue. And this cover shows him in all his glory. He is here to fight for you!"

I couldn't agree more! 

A is for Angels and Ahhh, there you are

Welcome to the 2015 A to Z Challenge. I'll be sharing my favorite things/things I love through photos.

A is for Angels... as in the Blue Angels

They are the flight demonstration squadron for the US Navy. 
I took this photo on our balcony and had goose-bumps as they soared by.
To learn more about the Blue Angels, you can go HERE.

It's also the first Wednesday of the month, which means it's Insecure Writer's Support Group time, hosted by Alex J. Cavanaugh! 

A is for Ahhh, there you are

Since I'm doing the A to Z Challenge, I need to stick to an A theme for the IWSG, so I chose Ahhh, there you are, when referring to my inspiration for a WIP I put aside several months ago. I'd originally got the idea for it two years ago, on a pier while on vaca with my family. After awhile, it fizzled, and I just couldn't make any sense of what the heck I was doing with that WIP. Well, on vaca this year, back at that pier, I found it... the inspiration I needed to get on track. It was totally unexpected, but I'm so grateful that it came back to me.
That pier is in the above photo as well. 

Click on the A to Z Badge to check out this amazing blogging challenge!

IWSG is a place to share/write/vent/blog about writing or whatever we feel the need to. Then, hop around and visit other writers, offering support, help, ideas, and so on. It's an amazing group!
There's also the IWSG website HERE that has loads of helpful info.

D is for Dimitri Belikov

Dimitri Belikov is a character in Richelle Mead's Vampire Academy series.

8 Facts about Dimitri:

*A dhampir (half human/half vampire)

*Of Russian origin

*Raised by his mother and grandmother
*A guardian (protector) of vamp royalty

*Enjoys western novels

*Likes 80’s music and country

*Skilled in martial arts

*In love with Rose, who’s also a dhampir and the main protag in the series

Go HERE to check out other bloggers participating in the A - Z Blogging Challenge. It's going on the whole month of April.

C is for Cooper Wanderman

Cooper stopped by my blog for a little chat. 
He's a character in Toni De Palma's YA novel, The Devil's Triangle.

Hi, Cooper! Describe yourself in one sentence.

"Uhm...screwed up. See, here's the thing. I died and now Lucy - she's the devil's sister - is giving me another shot at heaven so she sent me back to earth or life or whatever this place is. All I have to do is find a girl named Grace. Lucy was low on specifics though so, once I find this chick, I have no clue where to go from there. Between you and me, I just hope she's hot."

"Sorry, you said a sentence. One thing about me is, I get kind of carried away."

Describe Grace in one sentence. 

"This one's easy. The girl is mega-wow!"

In what way or ways has Grace changed you? 

"Don't tell anyone this, but she like sees the good in me. Yeah, if you can believe it, she's convinced me that I'm an okay guy. A guy a girl like her might even see herself loving. If she could just drop that jerk boyfriend of hers. This is going to sound so cliché and chick-flick-like, but that girl completes me."

It’s date night… dinner and a movie or something else? If something else, where?
"My life has been less than normal so I don't typically do dates. In fact, the only place Grace and I can be safe is in her room. A date in Grace's room is perfect to me."

What’s your fave song or band? 

"My favorite band is Train because they have this song called Drive-by. I like to hum it in my head (don't want the guys on the team to hear me). It's about a guy trying to convince a girl that he sees her as more than just a one-night stand. He loves her."

When 17 year old Cooper dies in an attempt to burn down his school, he finds himself in the afterlife. Lucy,

the Devil's sister who has crossed party lines, decides to give Cooper another shot at heaven. The deal? Cooper returns to Earth and has to find a girl named Grace. The rest is up to him. 

While Cooper figures out his mission, he's thrown into the life he's always wanted. Great parents, a spot on the Varsity football team and a real future are all within reach. But what he really wants is Grace, a feisty girl with an abusive boyfriend that can pound Cooper into pulp if he doesn't watch out. 

While Lucy plays demonic-puppeteer, clues to an unknown past between Cooper and Grace start to unravel. Cooper discovers that what's keeping he and Grace apart is far more sinister than anything this bad boy could have ever imagined.

The Devil's Triangle Links:
Amazon
Barnes & Noble
Goodreads

Toni's hangouts:
Toni's webpage
Toni's blog
Toni on goodreads
Twitter

Go HERE to check out other bloggers participating in the A - Z Blogging Challenge and to see the deets. It's going on the whole month of April.

B is for Brody

For my A to Z Blogging Theme in April, I will be posting my fave book characters.
In the weeks ahead, look for top 5-10 lists, quotes, and even a few character interviews. Woot woot!

Brody is a main character in Cassie Mae's (writing as Becca Ann) Reasons I Fell for the Funny Fat Friend. Brody stopped by my blog for a little chat.

Hi, Brody! Thanks for visiting!
Sure thing.

Name three must-haves you'd take on a road trip?

Hayley, Doritos, and ahem… dairy products. ;)

What's your favorite sport to play and to watch?

UFC. I’ve got a punching bag in the garage. I don’t expect to be a fighter, but the know-how comes in handy.

Describe the perfect date.

Ah hell—I mean heck—I already had it. Seeing Hayles get inked up was about the sexiest thing I’ve ever seen. I’d be willin’ to see her get another tatt whenever she wanted. Then dinner, car ride, borin’ crap that isn’t boring at all when you’re with the right girl. It’d be perfect, yeah, as long as she doesn’t throw the salt shaker in my drink again.

What, about Hayley, drives you crazy?

Everythin’. The way she says whatever she wants. The way she crinkles her nose. The way she kicks my butt when we play video games. All drives me crazy in that good way, you know? But if you’re talkin’ about something that I wish she didn’t do, I guess I’d say the way she looks at herself. Like she’s not gorgeous or worth anythin’. Even then, I’m lucky I’m the one who gets to convince her otherwise.

What, about Hayley, makes you smile?

Everythin’. See above ;)

Oh, and let’s add in her low cut shirts. ‘Cause, you know, I really like that part of her. 

Thanks to Cassie for letting Brody visit.

It’s stupid to fall for your brother’s ex. It’s even worse to enlist another’s help to win the ex over. But Brody is desperate and Hayley, his partner in American Sign Language, is more than willing to lend him a few tips. 
She’s the school’s matchmaker,’ and with her bizarre and positive personality, Brody finds her easy to talk to, even about the most awkward situations. Hayley’s tips seem to be working, but as Brody learns more about his matchmaker, he starts finding reasons to spend time with her, and not the girl he thought he was in love with. 
But Hayley isn’t ready to fall for anyone. Labeled the “Funny Fat Friend” within her group, her self image makes it impossible for Brody to share his feelings without Hayley shrugging it off as a joke. 

Convincing her Brody can, and did, fall for the “Funny Fat Friend” turns out to be harder than simply falling in love.



Links for this book and for Cassie
Goodreads
Barnes & Noble
Amazon
Cassie's Blog

Go HERE to check out other bloggers participating in the A - Z Blogging Challenge. It's going on the whole month of April.

My A to Z Reflections Post

Reflection time . . .  let's see . . . I did try to get my A to Z Challenge posts in on time, but I had a couple setbacks and on a few days, I ended up posting them late at night or I think one was the next day.

You see, when I write my manuscripts, I'm a panster who plots with a tiny outline…I dub myself with a new title … Planster. Anyway, I figured I could do this “planstering” with the A to Z Challenge.

Uh, no. It became very difficult to post everyday (save for Sundays) and there were times I just didn’t know what to write, even though I’d had a subject right in front of me. I mean, sometimes I shared things I love--Adam Levine and Maroon 5. Other times I talked about stuff that I thought others might find interesting--great white sharks and killer whales.

And then there were the days where I was like, “What the flip do I have to say that others will even want to read about?”

I have four boys. I’d call myself a soccer mom, but none of them play soccer. Basketball, baseball, and football are their sports. I’m constantly running, which I LOVE, so don’t get me wrong. I wouldn’t trade those extra-inning games or butt-numbing-bleacher moments at all. I cherish these memories and adore my sons. They come first, which is why my A to Z Challenge may have faltered a tad. It's my fault for not prepping WAY AHEAD for the Challenge, and not just with some small outline.

Which brings me to two things I learned:

Theme = the way to go

Schedule posts = a must

             I met some killer people through this challenge, which was a total bonus:

• Andrea from The Enchanted Writer – She’s seriously my favorite that I found on this challenge. Or she may have found me? I don’t know, but whatever the case, this girl rocks. I seriously want to be blogger bff’s with her. That’s how cool she is. 
• Mina Burrows - Her BLOG is awesome and full of paranormal stuff, which is one of my fav things ever. 
• Mina Lobo from Some Dark Romantic – her Challenge had a kickass theme: Dark Romance of Music. Honestly, she had some great posts and brought back some wonderful music memories.

Trustee blogs to follow, recommended by moi, besides the ones I mentioned above …

• Angela from Live to Write…Edit when Necessary - She's one of my top blogs to visit on a continual basis. First of all, she's super nice. Her blog is fun and has tons of useful info for writers. Go have a look-see.
• Dani from Entertaining Interests - She's a zombie fan freakazoid. Want to safe-proof your house from the dead or end of the world? She's got a step-by-step plan. Her blog is awesome!
• Kimberlee from Groundwire – She’s one of my critique partners and an all around incredible human being. Her agented book is out on submission, and I can’t wait until it’s picked up!!! Wait until you read her novel. Ama-zing.
• Laura from Laura B Writer - She's another one of my can’t-live-without-her-advice critique partners. And her blog is so helpful in the marketing aspect. If you want your blog critiqued, go check out her blog for details.

So... will I do the challenge next year? If I plan out my themes and schedule my posts, then absolutely. I think the Challenge is extremely useful, if done right. Which would require ME to make it work for, well, me. And there, folks, lies the key to making this whole thing work.

Y is for Yesterday

So yesterday was supposed to be my Y blog post, but I'm posting it tonight. . .

I heart The Beatles, but also love their separate works as well.

"Yesterday" was soley written and played by Paul McCartney. 
"Scrambled Eggs" was the working title until Paul penned the lyrics to the melody.
It marked the first time a Beatle recorded without the rest of the band. This was a major move in their start to individual accomplishments.

Paul McCartney and John Lennon wrote the groups earlier tunes together. By the mid 1960's, most of their songs were written by one or the other, but they continued to credit all their work like they wrote it together.

Check out other blogs in the A to Z Challenge

W is for Weird

The things below are what I've been told that make me weird. You may or may not agree.
Either way, I'm okay with that. :D

• I don't like pop tarts.
• I dip my fries in mustard.
• When I was little, instead of bread and butter, I'd replace the butter with mustard.
• I don't like Twinkies.
• Deodorant routine: 7 swipes under each arm. Hey, don't judge. It used to be 10 each.

• I'm cold most of the time and tend to wear hoodies a lot (unless I'm outside in 80 degree weather.) 
• When I grocery shop and go to grab a box of, let's say crackers, I'll move the 1st box aside and take the 2nd one. I do this with anything I buy in the store.
• I twirl my hair, but sometimes, I'll be twirling it so fast that it flips across my forehead and hits me in the eye. I'll say, "Ouch! Why do I always do that?" My hubby will laugh every time.
• Speaking of eyes.... my eye does this weird thing when I'm tired. It freaks people out so if I feel it start to creep up, I'll blink a bunch of times so that it won't wander. But sometimes, it does it before I can do anything about it. Case in point, the pic below.

Any "weird" things you'd like to share? I'd love to hear them.


Check out blogs in the A to Z Challenge here.


And don't forget to sign up for the super awesome First Fight/First Kiss Blogfest.
Click on the pic below.

S is for Stock

I was doing so well for this A to Z Challenge, and then somewhere around N, things started going downhill. But hey, I'm still here doing the challenge so that says something, right?

So, being in the flower biz and already doing blog posts in the A to Z Challenge on iris and rose, I decided to share my favorite flower with you . . . stock, also called gillyflower. It’s native to Southwestern Greece and the Mediterranean.

The name doesn’t sound very appealing, but the beauty of it and the fragrance make up for it. Stock can have a single or double flower bloom on them, with a 1-inch diameter. It has a sweet, yet spicy fragrance to it.

The colors range from white, yellow, peach, pink, lavender, purple and burgundy.

Vase life is three days to a week, depending on how the recipient takes care of them. This flower is temperamental and fussy, which is funny to me considering stock is supposed to be a symbol of happiness and contended existence. The water must be changed everyday and any foliage needs to be removed below the water line. If not, a foul odor coming from the water will overpower the beautiful scent of stock.

pink stock in vase mixed with lavender roses

If you visit your local florist, ask if they have stock. If so, take a whiff of it's fragrant scent. Then, take a bouquet home or send some flowers to a friend to brighten their day.

Take a look at other A to Z Challenge Bloggers.

Q is for Quotes

Thought I'd share some quotes that inspire me.

“Every morning in Africa, a gazelle wakes up, it knows it must outrun the fastest lion or it will be killed. Every morning in Africa, a lion wakes up. It knows it must run faster than the slowest gazelle, or it will starve. It doesn't matter whether you're a lion or a gazelle-when the sun comes up, you'd better be running.” - Christopher McDougall

So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen.
For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.
~ 2 Corinthians 4:18

"You should never be ashamed of your struggle
because you standing here is a sign of victory."
~ Christopher "Lil C" Toler



"It begins with a character, usually, and once he stands up on his feet and begins to move, all I can do is trot along behind him with a paper and pencil trying to keep up long enough to put down what he says and does."
~William Faulkner

 

This last one may not seem all that inspiring, but it makes me laugh, which ... laughter is a form of inspiration, right?

"There's no secret handshake. There's an IQ prerequisite, but there's no secret handshake."
~ Troy Dyer from the movie Reality Bites

Are there any quotes that inspire you that you'd like to share?

Check out other A to Z Bloggers here.

K is for Killer Whale

Since G was dedicated to great white shark, I thought it'd be appropriate to make K for killer whales.

                                                           

Also referred to as Orca, the Killer Whale, is considered one of the worlds most powerful predators. The name "Killer Whale" isn't derived from killing humans. Instead, it stems from the orca killing other whales.

                                                                      

These mammals are carnivores and hunt in deadly pods that use effective hunting techniques parallel to wolf packs. They use sound to communicate within their pod.  In my opinion, it would seem, the orcas living in the wild in the pods is key to their survival, not just physically, but mentally, too.

                                                     

Unlike great white sharks, killer whales are extremely protective of their young. In fact, other female adolescent whales assist the mother in taking care of her young. Mothers give birth every 3 to 10 years after a 17-month pregnancy. Holy cow! That's a LONG time to be preggers.

                                                                 

Killer whales breathe through a single blowhole on top of their head and hold their breath under water. The average orca eats 500 pounds of food a day and have up to 45 teeth, shaped for ripping bigger prey while they usually swallow smaller prey whole. Talk about a belly ache!

                                                               

Technically, killer whales are considered dolphins. They can grow up to 30 feet in length and weigh six to eight tons. Their size can be compared to a bus. In the wild, the average life span ranges 50 to 60 years for males and up to 90 years for females.

                                                                        



You can check out other blogs participating in the A to Z Challenge here.

G is for Great White Shark

The first word that comes to mind when I think of a great white shark is ... majestic.

Like lions are kings of the jungle, sharks are kings of the ocean.

That's not to say they don't frighten me. When I was younger, my parents would take me and my three brothers to the lake. Now, I'd watched the movie Jaws and knew there was no way a great white could be in the lake water, but I was still scared.

When I'd finally go in, my brothers would hum the Jaws theme song. You know. *dun-unh ... dun-unh* They'd also swim under water and grab my feet. I'd scream at the top of my lungs and not go in for days. Rotten brothers!

                                   

When a great white shark is born, along with up to a dozen siblings, it immediately swims away from its mother. Baby GWS's are on their own right from the start, and their mother may see them only as prey.

According to scientists, after a big meal, a great white shark can last a month or two before feeding again. My thought? Do they really wait that long? On documentaries I've watched, it seems like they eat a lot in more than one sitting. Maybe a big meal to them is a bunch in a short span.

Highly adapted predators, the GWS's mouths are lined with up to 300 serrated, triangular teeth arranged in several rows, and they have an exceptional sense of smell to detect prey.

                        Doesn't this shark below look like he's smiling? Creepy.

          Check out other fabulous blogs at Blogging from A to Z Challenge here.