Space Opera Deluxe

What can I say? 

It has been awhile. About the only person who could bring me out of semiretirement is the fabulous

Alex J. Cavanaugh.

His excellent series has a new addition and it's a hummer. 

CassaDark

By Alex J. Cavanaugh

 “Cavanaugh returns to the world of his Cassa Series…for a fourth inventive space opera.” – Publisher’s Weekly

 His world is unraveling…

Bassan’s father is stepping down from command. His best friend almost dies when Bassan freezes. Now, he’s being sent across the galaxy to speak at an important conference. Despite saving the eleven races years ago, he’s paralyzed by doubt. Could things get any worse?

Once there, new acquaintance Zendar convinces Bassan to visit his planet for a humanitarian mission. Bassan’s special connection to ancient technology is the key to saving Zendar’s people. One problem though—it’s a prisoner planet.

On Ugar, he discovers things aren’t so straightforward. As each truth reveals itself, the situation grows more desperate. If he can’t find the right answers, he might die along with Zendar’s people. Can Bassan summon the courage to be a hero again?

Links:

iTunes – https://books.apple.com/us/book/x/id1574189874

Amazon – https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0982FL3SH

Barnes & Noble – https://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/2940164947033

Kobo – https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/cassadark

Scribed – https://www.scribd.com/search?query=9781939844859&language=0

Goodreads – https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/58461762-cassadark

Ice, Sunsets, Windmills, and a Suspicious Green Ghost

 

Kids These Days

This video says it all. Kids these days go through life with no inkling of hard times and tough measures.

Or do they? 

Or has every older generation since the dawn of time uttered the same words about the younger?

“People don’t know anything about hard times.”

“Can you imagine the present generation doing that.” 

My ancestors were the first to settle in this part of Missouri. My mother’s side in 1860 and my dad’s in 1840. First settlers, part of the first families of this county, they lived a life we cannot imagine. In reading the fascinating genealogy of my people, their words made me gasp at their unbelievable pain at losing so many children to disease. The many gravestones in pioneer cemeteries attest to that, the same years etched on the stones from several different families.

But not all is sad. Some of their words were sooooo familiar. And made me laugh.

Does human nature ever change? The past is a thread of experiences that we share. Feelings, thoughts, emotions...all a part of who we are.

Those threads bind nationalities and cultures, not in years but in centuries. Eons.

My evidence is small, true. I’d bet about every person in their late thirties and forties have said the same stuff as in the video, maybe not the same language or technology but the sentiments are certainly the same.

“People don’t know anything about hard times.” - said by Starling in 1920 about the hardships of moving by oxen and working the land in the 1860s.

“Can you imagine the present generation doing that.” - said in 1963 by my great uncle. “I remember when I was about 10-11 years old it was my job to go with (my brother) to the day stack where he pitched the hay on the wagon and I loaded it on. Then he hauled it to the fee bunks unloaded and I went from the hay stack to school."

Generations haven't changed much. 

Cold Days, Warm Bread

I think I let this rise too long. A little funky looking

I bake. Call it a leftover from my infatuation with Laura Ingalls Wilder.

Since discovering store bought bread doesn't sit well with me, I started making more bread.

In combination with my other blog, Unicorn Bell, I am posting a couple of my favorites. Plus the only wheat product I use now, King Arthur.

Although this is a French bread-type loaf, I don't usually do the spraying with water etc that goes along with making it more authentic. I like the taste and simplicity but not the work.



For a bread machine:
Add in this order:

1 C warm water
1 T sugar
1 t salt

2 3/4 C bread flour

Make a well in flour and Add, 1 1/2 t yeast.

Set machine on dough. Mine takes 90 minutes to mix, knead, and rise.

Form two loaves, or baguettes and place on greased cookie sheets. Slash tops with sharp knife.
Cover and let rise 30 minutes.

Bake at 375 degrees for 20 minutes.

For a delicious hot roll recipe, go to Unicorn Bell.

King Arthur Flour has more information regarding how to form rolls and loaves. Also a fantastic Easy Bread recipe.

Enjoy.

The Passing of Sarah

“Sarah.”

The ravaged face twitched in answer to her name. The movement so subtle the onlooker wondered if he had imagined it. An eyelid flickered and he felt her presence. One side of her face drooped like half-melted wax and he knew she would never recover. Her mouth struggled, at war with the stroke that was gently sliding her into forever darkness. Or Light, if believed.

And he knew she believed.

Her breaths came quick and shallow now, the harbinger of death. But, in the time she had left, Sarah gathered strength spoke in trailing wisps:

“Take me home.”

The man frowned and searched the other faces around the deathbed for illumination. No one answered. “Sarah,” he began slowly, “you can’t be moved. It’s hard, I know. But...you’ve had a stroke. Here. At our house. Just half a mile from your home. You were visiting...”

His voice trailed off as Sarah’s mouth moved into a caricature of a smile. Her good eye brightened and truly focused on him. “Not you. Him.” She looked beyond the man to the empty space at the foot of the bed. 

“I’m ready.” Her words came strong and the smile deepened as her eyes closed. “I’m ready.”

As her last breath ended with a sigh and her neighbor knew she was gone. His wife cried out. The son of the old woman wept silent tears.

But the man held still in awe. For a Presence passed him from the foot of the bed. He felt the gentlest of touches as It reached for the lifeless old woman. Without form or substance, the man still knew it was there and made no sound as a separate life poured out Sarah and joined with the Being. Together, they rose from the bed and dissipated, like a mist on a sunny day.

**********************
Sarah Frances Shaw Graves began her life in a dirt-floored slave cabin. She passed away on the oak floor bedroom of her white neighbors. 

Born in Kentucky in 1850, she was only six months old when her master “allotted” or hired her mother to another man, leaving her husband and Sarah’s father behind, never to be seen again. After the Civil War and freedom, Sarah married. Together with her husband and only son, they farmed and worked the land until eventually acquiring 120 acres. 

Sarah was visiting her neighbors the day she had a stroke. Her husband had passed several years before and their son never married. 

After caring for her several days, Sarah died surrounded by her white neighbors and friends in 1942 in their front bedroom. How do I know? Because as I write these words, I am sitting in the same room where she passed, the same house I’ve lived in for thirty-seven years. 

I have her beloved old cook stove on my patio. And I lay flowers on her grave in the spring.

Ancestors

A relative gave me a unique task; write the stories of our great-great grandparents, their children, and brothers. The path took me to sadness and a revelation of how hard life was in those times.

*******************************

During the Civil War, northwestern Missouri had its share of strife and violence. Coercion and midnight visits from masked riders forced many to take their families, leave their farms and homes, and run for safer states.

Anti-slavery sentiments ran high. Others were for states rights. Tempers boiled over. Neighbor hated neighbor. And no one could escape the terrible judgement that was to come.

Celia fretted in the first days of fall, as the green leaves of the hot summer began to fade and turn to yellow and orange. She plucked at a loose thread on her skirt and felt her belly jump as if her fourth soon-to-be-born child worried with her. 

Eight months pregnant and soon, they had to leave. 

It was 1863 and word had reached even the farms in Missouri, a hundred miles away, of the young men and boys slaughtered in Lawrence, Kansas. A hundred and fifty souls lost to hatred and the pro-slavery views of Bushwhackers like Quantrill and his renegades.
People in Missouri learned to speak careful, in sidelong conversations with folk they'd known all their lives. Taking a stand could mean vigilantes might come a-callin’. No one could tell whom to trust. 

Life was hard in those days. War made it more so. 

Everything they could pack was in the wagon, the four oxen placidly waiting the call. Indiana, the solidly-Union state, was their goal. Celia’s husband, Starling, mopped the back of his neck with a blue cloth rag and glanced at his wife. The boys—John, six years old and already working alongside his father, Archie, four, and Joseph Constant, two—were excited and ready for an adventure. The three were as noisy as boys could be on a fine day. 

Celia met Starling’s gaze without speaking. He squared his jaw and nodded. “You feeling like a trip, Ma?” 

Her mouth twitched but he couldn’t tell if she was laughing or about to cry. 

“Yes. Let’s be on our way.” She rubbed her protruding belly. “Three years ago, it took twenty-seven days to get here from Indiana. Let’s hope she waits that long.” 

“‘He’.” 

Celia smiled and looked down. She didn’t want him to see her tears.

Henry Thomas made his entry into the world before they reached Indiana, a healthy red-faced boy.

But, with one hand, the Lord gives and with the other, He takes away.

Whooping cough took the life of four-year-old Archie after they crossed into Indiana. In 1865, they returned to Nodaway County in Missouri and began their life again.

Celia lived to fifty-nine and passed away in 1897. 

Starling—or Uncle Star, as he was known—passed away in 1925 at a ripe old age of 88.

Joseph Constant grew up strong and manly. He married a young woman, Mary Alexander and had four children.

Their second child was my grandfather.

There's Christmas Songs and then there's Christmas Songs

When I say I color not only outside the lines but on another page entirely, here is the evidence.

I love Bing Crosby old-style Christmas songs. But this is one of my favorites.

Truly, my mind works in strange ways.

IWSG - Wishes

IWSG—Insecure Writers Support Group: The Final Frontier.

These are the continuing voyages of the Ninja Captain, AJC. His mission, to explore all new writing venues, to seek out new authors and new blogs. 

To boldly go where no blogateer has gone before.

Coming together on the first Wednesday of every month for a virtual pat on the back. 

When contemplating Life, the Great Beyond, and the nutritional value of almonds, I forget I have a blog and posts for IWSG.

*cue Slinky falling down the steps*

But toasted almonds top my munch-list, my belief in an All Powerful Deity remains unfazed, and here is my Post for Insecure Writers Support Group.

I wish:

There was less vitriol in social media, politics, and public. 

Tolerance for all viewpoints. 

More quiet Dis-cussion and less Cussin’.

I wish...  

There were fewer handouts and more handups

More encouragement and less battering of spirits

People realized the value of Routines, the Golden Rule, and a child’s laugh.

Not more time but the insight to use time wisely

I wish:

People would listen to I Believe by The Lettermen at least once a week.

Watch more sunsets and sunrises and marvel. 

Everyone had a dog or cat to love.

 I wish:

People would investigate and research rather than accepting an internet source depending on donations, listen to people with dirt on their hands and love in their hearts, and realize that desk-jockeys with book smarts have no real experience.

I want people to remember the sacrifices and courage of D-Day, 911, the Battle for Britain, Thermopylae, and watch Schindler’s List and Saving Private Ryan.

And finally, I wish for more Hope, Less Strife, more Personal Intelligence, and less Internet Intellect. More backbone, common sense, and gentle determination.

My blog, my space, my wishes

What do you wish for most in the world?

IWSG - A to Z Challenge, I Haz a Sad

IWSG—Insecure Writers Support Group: The Final Frontier.

These are the continuing voyages of the Ninja Captain, AJC. His mission, to explore all new writing venues, to seek out new authors and new blogs. 

To boldly go where no blogateer has gone before.

Coming together on the first Wednesday of every month for a virtual pat on the back. 

A to Z. Congratulations to all A to Z participants. You are so cool for doing it. I’m envious. And sad. I wish I could do more. But it just is not to be. I appreciate all the work and marvel at the participants’ ambition. *Big Thumbs Up*.

But I just cant do it. I feel somewhat ashamed. 

I iz sorry

Don’t get me wrong. It was fun but just too much. Last year I repeated my A to Z theme, Guess the Movie. Then I discovered that not only did I use the exact same movie—Young Frankenstein—but even the very same quote as the clue that I used two years before. 

DOH.

So it's a No Go this year. But still...I'm wearing my frowny face.

April 5 Question: Have you taken advantage of the annual A to Z Challenge in terms of marketing, networking, publicity for your book? What were the results?

Answer: Not so much. I like the exposure and am proud of the badges. Heaven knows we earned those, right? But I haven't pushed it. 

Are you doing A to Z this year? Feeling remorseful? Wishing you could do more? *hanging my head*

Three Authors - There Be Fantasy Here

Three of my favorite authors have books coming out this spring. Patricia Briggs, Margaret Weis, and Robin Hobbs are contributing to my bottomless desire for new reading.

Margaret Weis. Like other people seek oxygen, I inhaled the books of team Tracy Hickman/Margaret Weis in earlier times. I could never get enough. By the time Ms. Weis released the Star of the Guardian series, I thought I knew what I was getting. Boy Howdy was I wrong. The level of writing, the intrigue, the political morass; it was an amazing set of books, one of the kind of tales that I want to read again and again just to see if I missed something.

Enter Spymaster.
Released March 21st, this tome is sitting in an UPS truck and making its way to my home even as I type these words.

Spymaster, The Dragon Corsairs

Patricia Briggs. Already at my side and consumed is Silence Fallen by Patricia Briggs. Her continuation of the Mercy Thompson series came out March 7th. I was introduced to Ms. Briggs’ books via a wonderful employee at Barnes and Noble. It was the third book, Iron Kissed, but I was hooked even though I usually don't start a book series in the middle.

Her Alpha and Omega series branches off in another direction without losing the rich history of the shifters and werewolves. My personal favorite is Bran, the Marrok or leader of the werewolves. I sincerely want much more of him.

Silence Fallen


Robin Hobbs. Thanks to the advice of my good friend Marcy, I started a new series The Farseer Trilogy a couple years ago. Little did I know the journey I was about to take.

Fitz

Fitz and Fool evoke such emotions. Scenes about Nighteyes are wonderful, difficult, thought-provoking, and a dozen other emotions. Fifteen books later, my enthrallment has not waned.

May 9th, the release of the last of the Fitz and Fool trilogy is due, Assassin's Fate. The cliffhanger at the end of Fool's Quest was a killer, btw.

Assassin's Fate

If you like the urban fantasy/fantasy genre and haven't tried these, give them a go. It'll keep you in reading material for a long time.

Depending on how fast you read :D

Ghosting At the Edge of Shadows

Months fade. Days run by like water and too often, we listen to nagging excuses.

For me it was a lack of ambition. Annnnd inspiration, strong will. Of course there was determination, motivation, stress, the abundance of cynicism, questioning my ability, defeatism, and doubting everything from start to finish.

In other words, I am a writer.

And so I’m back. No promises because that gets me in trouble. Goals—when kept—work great. When not, well, it’s a killer. Having firm objectives works for some people but not so much for me. Live and learn.

And thanks for the cheese. (You know who you are)

A New Beginning and the Beginning of the End

The world of the writer seems smaller to me today. Politics intervene in friendships. Publishers fail and kick their authors to the curb. Smarmy writers tell the self-published that they aren’t worthy. Too much going on for someone like me who prefers a quiet life.

And my cat died along with my coffeemaker.

Politics. It isn’t easy for either side. Let’s pray violence doesn’t ensue due to hatred and media pushing their agenda. I hope we can give these next few months a chance without resorting to vitriol and mayhem.

Publishers. If you find a publisher who believes in you AND stays in business, “lucky” doesn’t begin to cut it. I didn't know how great Musa Publishing was until they closed shop. They paid their authors and gave us back our rights, an example of a moralistic company.

All Romance Ebooks is the opposite example. Total creeps. ARe closed its doors with a vibrating slam. How they treated their authors gives all small publishers a bad name. Two days notice and ten cents on the dollar for all those greedy authors.

Read shame shame

Writers Living in Ivory Towers. Self-publishing was my only avenue after Musa. After hearing some of the horror stories from other writers about their publishers, I didn't trust anyone with my books. It's been an okay move. I paid my way with professional editing and a great cover and I am satisfied.

But this established author doesn't believe in self-pub. It's as if she stepped into something foul and wants to scrub it off her shoes before it contaminates her life. The title of the article should clue you in: Self-Publishing: An Insult To the Written Word.

Go. Enjoy. Say a few four-letter words. Then read the comments. Trust me, you'll feel better.

D'Oro. He was fifteen when he died, my cat. 
Yes, I was expecting his demise. No, I didn't think I would react as I did because, well, I was expecting it. 

*sigh*.

He was a good cat. The kind that would sit in your lap and purr nonstop.

I buried him in a quiet place and told no one. My family will ask someday, "Hey, what happened to 'D'?" And I'll tell them. 

Until then, I'll be sad and try not to think about him too much.

Time to turn over the calendar and give 2017 a chance. 

Honor, Service, and Sacrifice

Memorial Day

It isn't about barbecues, mattress sales, and beer. 

To all who serve their country, we honor their contribution and sacrifice.

Catalyst, Cover Reveal by Kristin Smith

I'm super duper pleased to announce the cover reveal of my friend and fellow moderator on Unicorn Bell, Kristin Smith. Have a look and see why I'm so proud of her. She is a true talent.

COVER REVEAL FOR CATALYST With $25 AMAZON GIFT CARD GIVEAWAY!

Clean Teen Publishing is proud to present the official cover reveal for CATALYST by Kristin Smith.  

This is the first book in the thrilling new Deception Games series coming November 21, 2016!

Title: Catalyst (The Deception Game, Book One)

Author: Kristin Smith

Release Date: November 21, 2016

Publisher: Clean Teen Publishing

Genre: YA near-future thriller

Book Synopsis:

Too pretty.

Too smart.

Too perfect.

In a crumbling, futuristic Las Vegas where the wealthy choose the characteristics of their children like ordering off a drive-thru menu, seventeen-year-old Sienna Preston doesn’t fit in. As a normal girl surrounded by genetically modified teens, all of her imperfections are on display. But after the death of her father, everything she's ever known and loved changes in an instant.

With little skills to help provide for her family, Sienna clings to the two things that come easily—lying and stealing. But not all thief-for-hire assignments go as planned. When a covert exchange of a stolen computer chip is intercepted, she becomes entangled with a corrupt government official who uses her thieving past as leverage, her mother as collateral, and the genetically modified poster boy she’s falling for as bait.

In order to rescue her mother, there may only be one option—joining forces with the Fringe, an extremist group, and their young leader who’s too hot to be bad. Problem is, these revolutionaries aren’t what they seem, and the secrets they’re hiding could be more dangerous than Sienna is prepared for. In the end, she must be willing to risk everything to save the one thing that matters most.

Enter to WIN a $25 AMAZON Gift Card! 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

About the Author:

Kristin Smith writes young adult contemporary and science fiction novels with enough kissing to make her mother blush. She's a beach lover and a Just Dance guru who enjoys belting out karaoke (from the comfort of her own home). As a self-professed chocoholic, Kristin is a firm believer that if a dessert doesn't have chocolate in it, then it's not considered a dessert. (Except for crème brûlée. She can always make an exception for crème brûlée.) Kristin currently resides in the middle-of-nowhere North Carolina with her husband and five incredibly loud but extremely cute boys. To read more about her obsession with YA novels or her addiction to scarves, you can connect with her at the links below.

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IWSG - Routines. HTML and A to Z

Insecure Writers Support Group: The Final Frontier.

These are the continuing voyages of the Ninja Captain, AJC. His mission, to explore all new writing venues, to seek out new authors and new blogs. 

To boldly go where no blogateer has gone before.

Coming together on the first Wednesday of every month for a virtual pat on the back. 

Routines are about the hardest chore. I try, I really try but sometimes stuff gets in the way.

My daily goal is to get all my stuff done by 9 am then spend two hours plus writing. After noon, I start in again about 1 – 1:30 and continue until 4-ish.

But Life doesn’t work that way and interference results. Cows have calves, toilets overflow, and cats need a trip to the vet. Grownup kid calls and spouses want a hand fixing the tractor. Weather interferes. Computer goes loony tunes.

But more likely the interference begins with shiny objects, the proverbial Squirrel! Oh well.

B.I.C. is still the best advice. Avoiding Facebook is the other.

Spouses though...What can you do when he says, “Hey honey. Did you know its national Pillow Fight day?” *sigh*

HTML and other strange letters. Do you know how to leave a comment with a link to your blog? It is an efficient way to tie your name to your site. 

I’ve clicked on names that takes me to multiple blogs or Google+. If you sign off with a link, it directs people to your blog. Way easier.

Go to this site for the recipe.

A to Z. My blog—Spirit Called—is not participating this year, but Unicorn Bell is. Wander over there for our posts.

Do you have a writing routine? Can you keep it in any semblance of order? Do you have a sign off for blogs? Crazy enough to participate in the 2016 A to Z Challenge?

A to Z Challenge, Unicorn Bell, Backing up Data...

...Updates, Conspiracies, Healthcare.gov, and the descent into Madness.

A to Z Challenge blogfest is huge, a monster. I participated in 2011 and a two more years after that. Don’t think the word challenge is there for looks because it is most definitely hard. Not only posting every day except Sundays, but commenting on other posts every day as well. But when it’s done, you’ve made new friends and experienced new outlooks on life. Plus instilled a discipline in your writing. Good stuff all around.

Over at Unicorn Bell—our writer’s blog—we are participating in this year’s Challenge. The eight moderators are taking turns posting each day, commenting on blogs, and bringing new perspectives to the game. Check in and see how we do.

Backing up info. My OCD comes out when backing up my documents, files, financial records, photos, and emails. I am

nothing if not redundant. Since I have Amazon Prime, I let it back up photos and docs. Google catches docs also. Norton makes my system image and backs up all of the above as well.

I have a Seagate 2 terabyte external drive for most stuff and use Google Cloud, Amazon Cloud drive, ICloud as backups for the backups of the backups.

Can’t be too safe with your important records.

HealthcareDotGov. The cost of our individual health insurance became unsustainable when it went from $500 a month to $1200 in four years, forcing us into the Obamacare marketplace.

If you’ve heard about the horrors of working through the bureaucratic morass of signing up, believe me it’s all true. I’m still fighting the paperwork.

Win 10. I became a conspiracy theorist—looking over my shoulder—right after I upgraded to Windows 10 and the

subsequent battle to clean it out again.

Rather than allow automatic updates to my computer, I check once a week for anything labeled “Security”. An Important or Optional update always rates another look and research.

One of the updates, KB3035583 is labeled important. Lookee here what it actually is, a way for Microsoft to worm its way back into my ‘puter.

Since I cleaned out the folder containing the mutant Win 10, I discovered it is still knocking on the door wanting in.

Are you an A to Z Challenge Crazy Person? Overindulge in backing up? Have skyrocketing insurance costs? Wonder who is peeking in your computer?Descending into Madness like me? 

Win 10. Do you really want it?

I’m a geek freak. I love new programs and technologies. So I was interested when Microsoft offered the Windows 10 upgrade. Since my computer was six months old with Win 7 OS I was sure it would work.

I hesitated for a while since reports of the horrors of Win 8 are legion. But there was the “free” button, upgrade now and if you don’t like it, well boy howdy, you can go back.

I listened. I upgraded and all was good...for a while. Then stuff began happening. See my progress, from Hey this is cool to What did I do and Baseball Bat 

I said no thanks and went back to good old Win 7. ‘Cuz that’s what they say you can do, right? If you don’t want it, just go back to your old OS. Easy as pie.

Not so fast. The registry of some programs didn’t go back to the restore point. Win 10 stuff stayed. The automatic backup went looney tunes requiring a fix to clean it up.

And there's that darned Window thingy insisting I needed to upgrade to 10, over and over and over again.

It seems Microsoft has tentacles that reach down the throat

of your computer like the thing in Alien and lays its eggs in the body of your ‘puter without you knowing.

Do you see the little box that keeps popping up saying your upgrade is waiting on you? Uh oh, someone’s watching you. Check the updates. If the optional update has a checked box by the Windows 10 upgrade, be careful. You might accidentally download the horror again.

And there is an interesting folder on your computer: $Windows.~BT with a 5 gb stored there. That is your alien growing in your chest. It is waiting for a signal.

“Oh no, not again." - Spaceballs

If you don’t want Microsoft and its minions to be a backseat driver, here are a few sites for more information.

Information on Win 10
How to clean it up

Check out both of these sites before attempting to sort stuff out or delete. I took their advice and turned off the Automatic Updates. If I need to download a security patch, I will do it myself. But no more optional downloads if I don't see the need. 

And ask yourself how much you want that spiny alien watching over your shoulder.

Win 10: Good or bad.