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Aspiring children's author. Love cheese, people, wine and dogs. Not necessarily in that order...
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51. 98 Publishers folded in the United Kingdom during 2013 alone ...

From the Los Angeles Times


Ninety-eight British publishers closed their doors in the year ending August 2013. The cause? E-books and online discounts.

Closures were up 42% over the previous year, according to the Guardian. The companies that folded included the 26-year-old healthcare publisher Panos London, and Evans Brothers, which published popular children's book author Enid Blyton for 30 years.

During 2012, e-book sales in Britain rose by 134% to more than $346 million. While print sales still dominate the bottom line in Britain with more than $4.6 billion in sales, that total was a 1% drop from the year before. The trend is toward e-books, and that trend has not been good for publishers.

The accounting firm issuing the tally, Wilkins Kennedy from Companies House, cited e-books, discounting from Amazon, and online trading in secondhand textbooks as the significant factors in the closures. Academic publishers, magazines and journals were included in the tally of closed publishing businesses, as well as trade book publishers.

"The rise of Amazon and other discount sellers with massive buying power means the pressure on publishers' margins is now immense," said Anthony Cork of Wilkins Kennedy told the Guardian. "While publishers might be able to sustain relatively small margins on a bestseller, it is much harder for niche publishers."
 
A great tragedy.

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52. Tips for women - no cleavage.



Global law firm Clifford Chance is facing backlash for a now-viral memo on presentation skills it distributed to only women at the firm.

The five-page memo, published in full on Above The Law, is entitled "Presentation Tips for Women" and contains tips such as "don't giggle," "don't squirm," and "don't mess with your glasses or hair."

The memo also counsels its recipients to "wear a suit, not your party outfit" and reminds them that "no one heard Hillary the day she showed cleavage." (See picture above, which tends to prove they had a point.)

Clifford Chance has dismissed allegations that the firm is sexist and told TODAY.com that the memo was compiled by a female partner based on "her personal perspective after years of public speaking,"
 and that the firm is being punished for a few items taken out of context.

The tips, as it happens, are eminently sensible.  Here is a sampling:

It is better to be more formal, practiced & professional, even in a casual crowd
  • Don't drop your volume at the end of a sentence
  • Don't jumble your words, "dunno," "wanna," "probly"
  • Breathe
  • Pretend you're speaking to the back wall
  • Your voice is higher than you hear
  • Think Lauren Bacall, not Marilyn Monroe
  • Don't lean on the lectern
  • Over-prepare the first minute, so you can begin confidently
  • Even if you memorize, bring notes on a card to ensure you don't blank
  • Don't sway
  • If you have the choice of a podium or sitting down, choose the podium
  • Make sure your cellphone is turned off
The problem is that the memo was sent only to female employees.  And, believe me, men can make a mess of a presentation, too.

Oh, and one more thing ... a very big CONGRATULATIONS to Dezzy at HOLLYWOOD SPY (One of the web's leading sites for all things, Movie, Epic, Historical, SF, Fantasy, Drama, and Adventure)  who has had his 3,000,000th visitor! Way to go  Dezzy :)

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53. Must-read blogs and sites for writers


What you find helpful, inspiring or informative can be a very subjective business, but not knowing where to go when you’re confronted by a writing roadblock is a universally frustrating experience. With that in mind, here are 20 must-read blogs and sites gathered from  and the brains of others, plus the cream of the Google search crop. Enjoy.
  1. Google. Let’s start with the obvious. Need to learn about a new topic? Stuck on a grammar conundrum? Simply need a break and fancy a trawl through what’s out there? Google it, find out and be inspired.
  2. BBC News. It doesn’t matter what you are writing, you need to know what is going on in the world, otherwise how can you talk to the people living in it. Spot trends in most shared, find out something new and let things catch your attention.
  3. The New York Times.  The reasons behind this one are twofold. Firstly you can learn about the world from another perspective: remember that your online readers could live anywhere in the world, so it’s worth knowing what’s happening where they are. Secondly, the quality of writing in the New York Times is wonderful. Read, analyse, write better.
  4. The New Yorker. Of course if you are looking to make your writing truly outstanding, this is a no-brainer.
  5. Daily Writing Tips. This is for the technical side of writing. Learn about misplaced modifiers and fragmentary sentences and put your words together well.
  6. Jeff Goins Writer. About writing, by a writer, this blog has been featured in the Top Ten Blogs for Writers for the last two years.
  7. Write to Done. Good quality, informative articles about writing, and the site that decides on the Top Ten Blogs for Writers!
  8. Fast Company. Technology, design, innovation and business. The articles are well written and the topics so diverse they could send you writing in all sorts of directions.
  9. Twitter. Yes, I went there. Some say Twitter is phenomenal, others say it is just a shameless stream of self-promotion. Well, it all depends on how you use it and who you follow. I find all sorts of interesting articles, sites, people and facts through Twitter. Follow writers (@alaindebotton @ashleigh_young), magazines (@TheAtlantic @PublishersWkly), funny people (@thewritertype @TheDailyShow) and anything else that takes your fancy (@thefworduk @beanandground). You cannot write when you are bored so, get distracted and get excited.
  10. Social Triggers. Looking at content marketing through the lens of psychological impulses. If you want to write things people will read, it’s worth taking a moment to think about what makes people tick.
  11. Copyblogger. A blog dedicated to copywriting: tips, tricks and information all about creating compelling and effective content.
  12. Letters of Note. A fascinating glimpse into words with personal intent. This site scribes and scans genuine letters, notes, telegrams etc. that are, as they say, “deserving of a wider audience.”
  13. Brain Pickings. In the words of a wordsmith, this site is “just amazing!” A site that describes itself as “a human-powered discovery engine for interestingness”.
  14. Positive Writer.  Another one that appears on the Top Ten Blogs for Writers. Practical and motivating posts from writer that hopes to encourage his readers.
  15. TED: Ideas Worth Spreading. I’m sure you will have come across these, but go back to them. New and exciting ideas presented by people who really believe in them, and a chance to give your eyes a break from reading, and for you to engage in listening and watching instead.
  16. Design Sponge. A total break from words this time. It’s surprising how a stunning image or a beautiful object can lead you to wonderfully crafted writing.
  17. Write for Your Life. Practical tips for writing and productivity. I particularly like ‘The heart, mind and murder test for writers‘.
  18. Book Riot. About books, about reading. Any good writer will be a dedicated reader, so why wouldn’t I recommend a site that is “Always books. Never boring.”
  19. Amazon. Speaking of books, the best thing a writer can do is read as much as possible about as many things as possible. Walk to Waterstone’s or your local independent book shop and peruse the shelves. Occasionally click and consume on Amazon. However you do it, just make sure you are always surrounded by books.
  20. Bad Language. A great site full of tips and thoughts on writing, marketing and technology…but then you already knew that, didn’t you?

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54. The Most Dangerous Animal in the World...


There are no words that I could add to this:

So very true ...

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55. Just for laughs ...


Image of Walter Knight
Walter Knight - Author of AMERICA'S GALACTIC FOREIGN LEGION series, occasionally borrows humour for his books from old TV shows.  The following  Q and A is from the old Hollywood Squares show. Enjoy ... it's very funny:

Q. Paul, what is a good reason for pounding meat? 

A. Paul Lynde: Loneliness! 

(The audience laughed so long and so hard it took up almost 15 minutes of the show!) 


Q. Do female frogs croak? 

A. Paul Lynde: If you hold their little heads under water long enough.


Q. If you're going to make a parachute jump, at least how high should you be?

A. Charley Weaver: Three days of steady drinking should do it. 


Q. True or False, a pea can last as long as 5, 000 years... 

A. George Gobel: Boy, it sure seems that way sometimes. 


Q. You've been having trouble going to sleep. Are you probably a man or a woman? 

A. Don Knotts: That's what's been keeping me awake. 


Q. According to Cosmopolitan, if you meet a stranger at a party and you think that he is attractive, is it okay to come out and ask him if he's married? 

A. Rose Marie: No, wait until morning. 


Q. Which of your five senses tends to diminish as you get older? 

A. Charley Weaver: My sense of decency.


Q. In Hawaiian, does it take more than three words to say 'I Love You'? 

A. Vincent Price: No, you can say it with a pineapple and a twenty.


Q. What are 'Do It,' 'I Can Help,' and 'I Can't Get Enough'? 

A. George Gobel: I don't know, but it's coming from the next apartment. 


Q. As you grow older, do you tend to gesture more or less with your hands while talking? 

A. Rose Marie: You ask me one more growing-old question, Peter, and I'll give you a gesture you'll never forget. 


Q. Paul, why do Hell's Angels wear leather? 

A. Paul Lynde: Because chiffon wrinkles too easily. 


Q.. Charley, you've just decided to grow strawberries. Are you going to get any during the first year? 

A. Charley Weaver: Of course not, I'm too busy growing strawberries. 


Q. In bowling, what's a perfect score? 

A. Rose Marie: Ralph, the pin boy. 


Q. It is considered in bad taste to discuss two subjects at nudist camps. One is politics, what is the other? 

A. Paul Lynde: Tape measures.


Q. During a tornado, are you safer in the bedroom or in the closet? 

A. Rose Marie: Unfortunately Peter, I'm always safe in the bedroom. 


Q. Can boys join the Camp Fire Girls? 

A. Marty Allen: Only after lights out. 


Q. When you pat a dog on its head, he will wag his tail. What will a goose do? 

A. Paul Lynde: Make him bark? 


Q. If you were pregnant for two years, what would you give birth to? 

A. Paul Lynde: Whatever it is, it would never be afraid of the dark.


Q. According to Ann Landers, is there anything wrong with getting into the habit of kissing a lot of people? 

A. Charley Weaver: It got me out of the army. 


Q. It is the most abused and neglected part of your body, what is it? 

A. Paul Lynde: Mine may be abused, but it certainly isn't neglected. 


Q. Back in the old days, when Great Grandpa put horseradish on his head, what was he trying to do? 

A. George Gobel: Get it in his mouth. 


Q. Who stays pregnant for a longer period of time, your wife or your elephant? 

A. Paul Lynde: Who told you about my elephant? 


Q. When a couple have a baby, who is responsible for its sex? 

A. Charley Weaver: I'll lend him the car, the rest is up to him.


Q. Jackie Gleason recently revealed that he firmly believes in them and has actually seen them on at least two occasions. What are they? 

A. Charley Weaver: His feet. 


Q. According to Ann Landers, what are two things you should never do in bed? 

A. Paul Lynde: Point and laugh.

It's fun to work old gags into dialogue of new books.  Being that most of these performers are dead, I figured they wouldn't mind.  Good humor can be a difficult thing, but it never dies.

Sincerely,

Walt Knight
Author of AMERICA'S GALACTIC FOREIGN LEGION series

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56. Do you see the dancer turning clockwise or anticlockwise?

The human brain is a complex machine. One which never ceases to amaze us all. This beautiful silhouette has piqued my interest, for reasons which will become apparent.  

If you see the woman spinning to your right, the right side of your brain is working. If you see her spinning to your left, the left side of your brain is working. If you see her spinning both ways, however, it means that your IQ is higher than 160.

I can see her spinning both ways. And it is for this reason alone that my curiosity was aroused. I'd like to add here, that my IQ is no higher than the girl next door. I can assure you...

 http://www.smart-kit.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/01/spinning-girl.gif

How do you see her?





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57. Hot Flashes and Cold Lemonade, by Susan Flett Swiderski

 If we're honest with each other, very rarely do we read a book that actually reads as good as it sounds on the back cover. Hot Flashes and Cold Lemonade, however, gallops along as promises, throwing in delightful twists and turns along the way before coming to a most unpredictably gratifying conclusion. I thoroughly enjoyed it.

[books+%26+me+032.jpg]
Susan Flett Swiderski
And as Susan says in her blog bio: 'It's as shiny as I can make it, and this old bird wants to lay at least one golden egg before I get tossed into that deep fat fryer in the sky.'

 

Hot Flashes and Cold Lemonade





Living the perfect life has always been easy peasy for Pearl Bryzinski, because she’s practically a pro at ignoring the negative and putting a positive spin on the facts, but it’s impossible for her to find anything positive about Daddy skipping town with that blue-haired floozy in a flashy brown Pinto. No matter how hard she tries, she can’t ignore the fact that he’s gone… or the fact that she’s becoming a drama queen who can sweat like a sumo wrestler doing push-ups in a sauna. It’s almost enough to suck the blush out of her rose-colored glasses. Whether she likes it or not, she’s gonna have to turn some of her wishbone into backbone.


Layer by layer, assumptions and misconceptions peel away, as Pearl learns to buck up in the face of reality, and to laugh at her imperfect… but not so bad… life. Supported by a down-to-earth husband who loves her with every blue-collar bone in his body, a mother who isn’t the self-centered witch Pearl imagined her to be, three terrific grown kids… okay, make that two terrific kids, and a Golden Boy who’s a far cry from 24-carat… and a bunch of wonderful wacky gal pals, Pearl comes to realize that her mixed bag of family and friends makes her life damned near perfect. Pearl being Pearl, she’ll never give up her rosy specs entirely, but learning to handle reality also means learning to deal with death.

 Good on you, Susan. If your first novel has anything to go by, I shall definitely be purchasing your second :)


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58. J.K Rowling writes secret crime novel under false name

J.K Rowling has secretly written a crime novel under the guise of male debut writer Robert Galbraith.
The Harry Potter author was acclaimed for The Cuckoo's Calling, about a war veteran turned private investigator called Cormoran Strike.

JK Rowling  
 
JK Rowling's secret was uncovered after a Sunday newspaper became suspicious

The book, published in April, has sold 1,500 copies in hardback so far.
Rowling's secret emerged after the Sunday Times wondered how a first-time author could produce such an accomplished work.

'Without hype'

Rowling said: "I had hoped to keep this secret a little longer because being Robert Galbraith has been such a liberating experience.
"It has been wonderful to publish without hype or expectation, and pure pleasure to get feedback under a different name."
One reviewer described The Cuckoo's Calling as a "scintillating debut". Another praised the male author's ability to describe women's clothes.
A clue that Rowling was behind the novel was that she and "Galbraith" shared an agent and editor.
The book was published by Sphere, part of Little, Brown Book Group which published her foray into writing novels for adults, The Casual Vacancy.
There were also similarities in style between The Cuckoo's Calling and Rowling's other works.
'Mature writer'
Rowling said her editor, David Shelley, had been "a true partner in crime".
Crime writer Peter James told the Sunday Times: "I thought it was by a very mature writer, and not a first-timer."
The fictitious Galbraith was supposed to have been a former plain-clothes Royal Military Police investigator who had left the armed forces in 2003 to work in the civilian security industry.
In previous interviews, Rowling has said she would prefer to write novels after Harry Potter under a pseudonym.
Another Cormoran Strike book by Robert Galbraith is in the pipeline, to be published next year.

(And thus, I shall look forward to getting my hands on a copy asap)

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59. Weird Writing Habits of Famous Authors




Truman Capote

Capote would supposedly write supine, with a glass of sherry in one hand and a pencil in another. In a 1957 Paris Review interview with Pati Hill, Capote explains: “I am a completely horizontal author. I can’t think unless I’m lying down, either in bed or stretched on a couch and with a cigarette and coffee handy. I’ve got to be puffing and sipping. As the afternoon wears on, I shift from coffee to mint tea to sherry to martinis. No, I don’t use a typewriter. Not in the beginning. I write my first version in longhand (pencil). Then I do a complete revision, also in longhand.”

Ernest Hemingway

Hemingway famously said he wrote 500 words a day, mostly in the mornings, to avoid the heat. Though a prolific writer, he also knew when to stop. In a letter to F. Scott Fitzgerald in 1934, he wrote, “I write one page of masterpiece to ninety-one pages of shit. I try to put the shit in the wastebasket.”

William Faulkner

Faulkner drank a lot of whiskey when he was writing. It all started when he met Sherwood Anderson when they were both living in New Orleans (Faulkner was working for a bootlegger). In a 1957 Q&A, Faulkner explains their relationship: “We’d meet in the evenings, and we’d go to a drinking place and we’d sit around till one or two o’clock drinking, and still me listening and him talking. Then in the morning he would be in seclusion working, and the next time I’d see him, the same thing, we would spend the afternoon and evening together, the next morning he’d be working. And I thought then, if that was the life it took to be a writer, that was the life for me.”

Vladimir Nabokov

Index cards — the man loved them. Most of his novels were written on handy 3 x 5 inch cards, which would be paper-clipped and stored in slim boxes. In a 1967 Paris Review interview with Herbert Gold, Nabokov says, “My schedule is flexible, but I am rather particular about my instruments: lined Bristol cards and well sharpened, not too hard, pencils capped with erasers.”

DAN BROWN

Dan Brown bookjacket cropped.jpg
 Dan Brown, it has emerged, occasionally dons a pair of gravity boots and hangs upside down from a special frame to help him relax and concentrate better on his writing. So-called inversion therapy, says the author of the Da Vinci Code, "does help. You've just got to relax and let go. The more you do it the more you let go. And then soon it's just, wow." This is not the writer's only unusual habit. Brown has previously said he keeps an hourglass on his desk and, on the hour every hour, sets aside his manuscript to do pushups, situps and stretches.

Thomas Wolfe (courtesy of Tom Wolfe)

In his 1991 interview with Wolfe, George Plimpton says, “It wouldn’t be a Paris Review interview unless we asked you about your work habits.” Wolfe replies, “I use a typewriter. I set myself a quota — ten pages a day, triple-spaced, which means about eighteen hundred words. If I can finish that in three hours, then I’m through for the day. I just close up the lunch box and go home — that’s the way I think of it anyway. If it takes me twelve hours, that’s too bad, I’ve got to do it.” He then mentions that Thomas Clayton Wolfe, the early 20th Century novelist, wrote while leaning over a refrigerator because he was so tall.

VICTOR HUGO

Victor Hugo - 10 (© Getty Images)
The method by which Victor Hugo overcame his writer's block is perhaps as inspired as his masterpiece, Les Miserables. A chronic procrastinator, the Frenchman ordered his valet to take all his clothes away from him. A naked Hugo thus found himself stuck in the house with nothing to do but write.

Do you have any strange writing habits? I'd love to hear about them.





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60. Watch This Adorable Little Boy Give His Mom a Lesson She'll Never Forget

If you haven't seen this video yet, stop everything you're doing and watch this little boy explain why he believes eating animals is wrong.


"These animals ... you gotta take care of them ... and not eat them," he passionately tells his mother. 

It's nice to see a compassionate mother allowing her child to make that decision for himself. 

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61. Glorious First Trailer For "THE HOBBIT: THE DESOLATION OF SMAUG"!

This incredible trailer is coming to you via the 'one and only' HOLLYWOOD SPY. If you're not following Dezmond's blog - I suggest you rectify the situation immediately. You won't regret it.

Now, without further ado. Enjoy!


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62. Facts about Sir Peter Jackson that you may not know and his shiny new toy ...

Sir Peter Robert Jackson, ONZ KNZM, is a New Zealand film director, producer and screenwriter who is best known for his The Lord of the Rings film trilogy and its prequel The Hobbit film trilogy, adapted from the novels of the same name by J. R. R.


  • Peter is 5 feet, six inches tall. 'Portly' is one description you will find in any Jackson profile but the director says he does not know how much he weighs. 'I haven't weighed myself in a long time,' he told Rolling Stone magazine recently.
  • He was born on October 31, 1961, at Pukerua Bay, a small village outside Wellington NZ, which had only 800 people.
  • He met Fran Walsh, possibly the biggest influence in his life, when she answered an advertisement for a play Peter planned to direct. The play had no parts for women, but she stayed on anyway, painting the sets. The couple have two kids, Billy, and Katie. Fran, of course, shares the writing credit for The Lord of the Rings trilogy and was nominated for Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Song and Best Picture this year (she won all three), apart from an earlier nomination for Best Original Screenplay.
  • Peter was turned down for a job at Kiwi production company Film Unit at 17. He bought the company many years later from the money he made from the first Lord of the Rings picture.
  • The Lord of the Rings was shot for 264 consecutive days entirely in New Zealand, 6,700 miles from Hollywood. 'When you realise that every day you spend on a movie it will get better, it becomes difficult to take a day off. You start with a terrible film, and try to end up with an okay film,' he said recently.
  • His pre-Tolkien films grossed less than $21 million.
  • What is the secret of his success? Elijah Wood, who become a global movie star playing Frodo, put this way to Entertainment Weekly, 'He's got a real child-like nature. He never gets irritated.'
  • Somewhere during the final work on Return of the King Peter says he was exhausted. He says he got recharged watching JFK (Oliver Stone), Goodfellas(Martin Scorsese) and Saving Private Ryan (Steven Spielberg).
  • He is best known for wearing shorts to the shoot and going barefoot. In fact, his going barefoot is so legendary that Oscars host Billy Crystal took one look at Jackson's feet and declared, 'he's wearing shoes.' 'I always dress formal to formal events,' Jackson told Rolling Stone in a recent profile.
  • Peter Jackson has put New Zealand on the map like no other man or woman (in my opinion). And this is how the great man gets around. And very deserved too.
    Gulfstream GVI G650
    NEW TOY: Sir Peter Jackson’s $80 million top-of-the-line Gulfstream GVI G650 jet flies faster and farther than any aircraft used by the New Zealand air force. 
    They'll be no bumpy rides in this beauty, but buckle up anyway Sir Peter!
    Sir Peter Jackson Jackson is in good company - chat-show host Oprah Winfrey and investor Warren Buffett are also said to be lining up to buy the same type of aircraft.

    The plane allows for a range of customisable cabin configurations and can carry up to 18 passengers.

    Jackson is reported to have required passengers to don pyjamas for flights on his earlier jet, a relatively cheaper, smaller $68m Gulfstream G550 that he bought in 2009.

    In 2011 Wellington International Airport finished building a hangar for corporate jets, allowing Jackson to keep his jet close to home.

    Before the hangar was built, he had to keep his aircraft in Melbourne. 



    “We swears, to serve the master of the Precious. We will swear on… on the Precious!”






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63. Q & A from Donna Hosie for the Release of 'The Spirit Of Numue'

I am delighted to host Donna Hosie on my blog once again. Donna is the successful and very talented indie author of, THE SPIRIT OF NUMUE, the final book in her trilogy, THE RETURN TO CAMELOT, which is scheduled for release this Friday May 31st 2013.


 



1.  Give a one of two sentence hook for you trilogy.

  
The Knights of Camelot had been sleeping for one thousand years, waiting for King Arthur to return to them once more. Now seventeen-year-old Natasha Roth has woken them up.

2.  Was it difficult mixing in modern day characters with the medieval land of Logres and Camelot?


Not at all. The juxtaposition between the noble knights and the modern day characters was great fun to write. I have one knight fall in love with Lady Gaga because he thinks she’s a damsel in distress, and the knights just don’t know what to make of my heroine, who can be quite kickass when the moment arises. It did require a lot of research though on medieval life. Every aspect had to be authentic, otherwise the reader wouldn’t believe, however fantastical.

3.  Why did you decide to independently publish when you have an agent?


I’ve been asked this a lot. I received two offers of representation for SEARCHING FOR ARTHUR, and only turned them down after a lot of thought. There was one agent who I worked with for a very long time on this trilogy, and when she decided to pull out, I didn’t want to work with anyone else. I found the whole agent process very stressful to be honest.  Independently publishing SEARCHING FOR ARTHUR gave me back control and empowered me to keep on writing for an audience I knew was there. I actually signed with my new agent two months after I first published, but that’s for future books. THE RETURN TO CAMELOT trilogy remains my baby.

4.  Why Camelot?


What could be better than gorgeous knights, and kissass heroines, and dragons and magic and malevolent sorceresses! It’s a fantasy world that is so rich with potential scope. And by putting that urban edge, makes it easily relatable to the audience.

5.  What are you working on next?


I am developing a four book series with my agent around time-travelling devils, and in the next couple of months I will start a brand new contemporary project that my agent brainstormed with me. I also intend to return to Camelot in the future, but with a new character as my voice...one that appears in the series now, albeit briefly!

6.  Is there a book by another author that you wish you had written first?


The His Dark Materials trilogy by Philip Pullman just astounds me, and so I wish I had written that.


7.  If you were stranded on a desert island, what book would you like to have with you?


A book to help me get off the bloody island would be helpful!

8.  Finally, eBooks or traditional print?


Both. Why deny yourself a story, simply because of the way in which it is delivered? It doesn’t make sense to me. I love my paper books, and there was no better feeling than knowing SEARCHING FOR ARTHUR was going to be released as a paperback on the 30 September 2013, but readers are not cheating on their paper books by reading eBooks! The more books, the better.
                                                 ----------------------------------------------

(I love number 7! All the best Donna)

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64. THE BEAR WITH TWO SHADOWS is available on Audible!

Roland Yeomans is the author of, The Bear With Two Shadows, and someone I consider a friend. This book is based on the stories his Lakota mother told him as a child when he was deathly ill in a freezing Detroit basement apartment. 

Hibbs finds his voice - now help him find his audience!


{The Turquoise Woman courtesy of Orietta Rossi}
The Turquoise Woman requests that if you could mention it on your blogs or even do a post on her beloved Hibbs, she would be most appreciative.    
And since she controls the weather and earthquakes ....
Just saying is all.
Right now, THE BEAR WITH TWO SHADOWS is available on Audible --
soon it will be on Amazon and iTunes.
Try AUDIBLE for 30 days and GET A FREE AUDIO BOOK!
Audible Free Trial Details
        
*Get an audiobook of your choice, free, with a 30-day trial. 
With your membership, you will receive one credit every month, good for any audiobook on Audible.
Cancel anytime, effective the next monthly billing cycle.
Cancel before your trial ends and you will not be charged. ($14.95)
How cool is that? Hibbs just coughed suggestively hoping your free audio book will be his.
WHAT IS THE BEAR WITH TWO SHADOWS?
Think THE WIND IN THE WILLOWS meets LORD OF THE RINGS meets Native American myth.
You will never listen to another book like it.
Like VICTOR'S stories?    His mother is in it.
Like SAMUEL McCORD?   ELU is a major character in it, contesting with Victor's mother and with the Sidhe in mystic Avalon ... that's right an Apache diyi taking on fae!
{Oyggia courtesy of Leonora Roy.}
And then ELU battles MAIJA!
Like THE LAST SHAMAN?     THE TURQUOISE WOMAN is a central character, sparking the adventures with an unwise fit of temper.
Like THE LAST FAE?      FALLEN is in it repeatedly, granting Hibbs the mysterious Staff of Sacrifice
And wait until you meet Hibbs and his two brothers: the Thunderbird and Surt, fated destroyer of all nine worlds!
Listen to the sample and pick it up AND TELL HIBB'S STORY ON YOUR BLOGS:
Congrats, Roland! I hope this post helps in some small way!

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65. Hippo Racing at Kings Cross, Saturday Nights. Come Naked...

The following questions were posted on an Australian Tourism Website and the answers are the actual responses by the website officials (truly), who clearly have a great sense of humour (not to mention a low tolerance threshold for cretins).

Q:  Does it ever get windy in Australia? I have never seen it rain on TV. How do the plants grow? (UK)

A:  We import all plants fully grown and then just sit around watching them die.

Q:  Will I be able to see Kangaroos in the street? (USA)

A:  Depends how much you've been drinking.

Q:  I want to walk from Perth to Sydney - can I follow the railroad tracks? (Sweden)

A:  Sure, it's only three thousand miles, take lots of water.

Q:  Are there any ATM's (cash machines) in Australia? Can you send me a list of them in Brisbane, Cairns, Townsville and Hervey Bay? (UK)

A:  What did your last slave die of?

Q:  Can you give me some information about hippo racing in Australia? (USA)

A:  A-Fri-ca is the big triangle shaped continent south of Europe. Aus-tra-lia is that big island in the middle of the Pacific which does not. Oh forget it. Sure, the hippo racing is every Tuesday night in King's Cross. Come naked.

Q:  Which direction is North in Australia? (USA)

A:  Face south and then turn 180 degrees. Contact us when you get here and we'll send the rest of the directions.

Q:  Can I bring cutlery into Australia? (UK)

A:  Why? Just use your fingers  like we do.

Q:  Can you send me the Vienna Boy's Choir schedule? (USA)

A:  Aus-tri-a is that quaint little country bordering Ger-many, which is ... Oh forget it. Sure, the Vienna Boy's Choir plays every Tuesday night in Kings Cross, straight after the hippo race. Come naked.

Q:  Can I wear high heels in Australia? (UK)

A: You are a British politician, right?

Q:  Are there supermarkets in Sydney and is milk available all year round? (Germany)

A:  No, we are a peaceful civilization of vegan hunters/gatherers. Milk is illegal.

Q:  Please send a  list of all doctors in Australia who can dispense rattlesnake serum. (USA)

A: Rattlesnakes live in A-meri-ca which is where YOU come from. All Australian snakes are perfectly harmless, can be safely handled and make good pets.

Q:  I have a question about a famous animal in Australia, but I forget its name. It's a kind of bear and lives in trees. (USA)

A:  It's called a Drop Bear. They are so called because they drop out of Gum trees and eat the brains of anyone walking underneath them. You can scare them off by spraying yourself with human urine before you go out walking.

Q:   I have developed a new product that is the fountain of youth. Can you tell me where I can sell it in Australia? (USA)

A:  Anywhere significant numbers of Americans gather.

Q:  Do you celebrate Christmas in Australia? (France)

A:  Only at Christmas.

Q:  Will I be able to speak English most places I go? (USA)

A: Yes, but you'll have to learn it first.

I posted this some years ago. I make no apologies for the re-post - it's worth the read - again and again and again ...

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66. Cover Reveal: 'The Spirit of Nimue', by Donna Hosie!


Donna Hosie is an English writer currently living in Australia. She blogs at Musings of a Penniless Writer. She writes YA Urban Fantasy, loves Greek mythology, fantastical worlds, time-travel, magic, the complexities of friendships, history, legends, and the idea of taking an established myth and giving it a new spin. Oh, and she loves Harry Potter and her favourite country in the world is New Zealand! What's not to love? :)

And here's Donna's three spectacular book covers all in a row:

Searching For Arthur


The Fire Of Merlin



And finally - The Spirit of Nimue!


THE RETURN TO CAMELOT trilogy concludes in THE SPIRIT OF NIMUE.

Natasha Roth and her older brother, Arthur, have removed the magical darkness that had fallen over the land of Logres.

But all actions have consequences.

Nimue, the Lady of the Lake, is now a sworn enemy. Natasha realises that the only way the land of Logres will truly be at peace is if the sorceress is removed forever. So with her beloved Sir Bedivere, the feisty Guinevere, and a trusty brethren of knights, Natasha plots to free Logres from the malevolence of Nimue once and for all.

Yet Arthur also has problems. Now a father to Mila, he starts to witness a terrifying change over his girlfriend, Samantha, as she struggles to contain the awakened powers of Morgana.

With dark magic coming at them from all sides, Natasha and Arthur decide to make use of the Falls of Merlin: a mystical landscape of waterfalls that connects 21st century England with the mystical world they fell into. A place that does not exist in the future.

And by the end, they will know why.

As Natasha finally discovers the truth about her past link to Logres a tragedy will strike at her very heart. Can Arthur get his young family back to the 21st century and still continue to be the king that Logres demands he be? What is the secret that Sir Gareth has been hiding all this time?

And who is the true owner of Excalibur?


THE SPIRIT OF NIMUE is released on Amazon on the 31 May 2013. It is the final book in THE RETURN TO CAMELOT trilogy.


GOODREADS  
http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6153661.Donna_Hosie?utm_medium=api&utm_source=author_widget

AMAZON.COM
http://www.amazon.com/Donna-Hosie/e/B00A49AN7M/ref=ntt_dp_epwbk_0

AMAZON.CO.UK
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Donna-Hosie/e/B00A49AN7M/ref=ntt_dp_epwbk_0

Good on you, Donna. All the very best!

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67. This New Zealand Politician Unleashes One Of The Funniest Gay Marriage Speeches On Record

Before a final vote that approved marriage equality in New Zealand, Maurice Williamson a member of Parliament from Pakuranga, delivered this hilarious, heartfelt, and altogether brilliant speech defending his vote for the bill.


And I couldn't agree more ... Each to their own, right?

(Thanks to Elephant's Child who posted this on her blog first)

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68. Boston Marathon Bombing



Sad times we live in ...

I was positively shocked this morning when I observed that the majority of bloggers that I follow are mindlessly carrying on with their 'alphabet soup' as if nothing has happened. And yes, I guess life does go on. But, guess what? For others, their lives, hopes, and dreams stopped dead when some monster decided to set off a bomb, killing three innocent people and injuring hundreds more.

RIP
Martin Richard, 8, who was killed by the bombs at the Boston Marathon
Martin Richard, 8, who was killed by the bombs at the Boston Marathon - and below with his family.

Martin Richard and family
Martin Richard, was with his family watching his father, Bill, run the marathon. Martin died in the blast, his mother, Denise has serious head injuries, and his six-year-old sister Jane has lost a leg.
Krystle Campbell Confirmed Dead in Boston Marathon
Krystle M. Campbell, 29, has been identified as the second fatal victim in Monday's bombings at the Boston Marathon



 
Lingzi Lu, who was studying mathematics and statistics at Boston University, was among the people killed in the Boston explosions.
 
PHOTO: Massachusetts Institute of Technology Police Officer Sean Collier, 26, of Somerville, Mass., was shot to death, April 18, 2013 on the school campus in Cambridge, Mass.


Massachusetts Institute of Technology Patrol Officer Sean Collier, 26, of Somerville, Mass., was shot to death, April 18, 2013, on the school campus in Cambridge, Mass














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69. Ellen DeGeneres Reads Fifty Shades of Grey - absolutely hilarious ...


This is probably the funniest thing I've ever seen on YouTube! Enjoy.

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70. You Probably Envisage New Zealand To Look Like This.....



Happy Hobbiton


http://www.biotrekadventuretravels.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/FRONT-nz-green-fields--938x367.jpg
Rolling green meadows
Sheep - lots of sheep

But I don't suspect you'd imagine NZ to look like this ...

Cows search for edible grass in drought-stricken paddocks on March 12, in Waiuku, New Zealand. Drought was declared in several North Island areas last week including South Auckland, Northland, Bay of Plenty and Waikato.

Or like this ...
http://static.stuff.co.nz/1362521170/616/8388616_600x400.jpg
Starving animals searching for a morsel to eat
And certainly NOT like this. Heartbreaking sight.


Satellite photos before and after
New Zealand is in the grip of one of the worst droughts in decades. Forecast rain across the country is unlikely to be enough for farmers struggling amidst the most severe drought in 30 years. The entire North Island has been declared in a state of drought.

 Still, some are finding the dry, sun soaked days a boon. Vintners call the conditions perfect. And city dwellers are reveling in eating lunch outdoors or spending evenings at the beach in a Southern Hemisphere summer that never seems to end. And I say to all the above, think about the hot, the starving, and the very thirsty animals instead of yourselves for a change ...

'When it next rains on your parade, look up rather than down, for without the rain, there would be no rainbow - Kurt Gilbert K. Chesterton.


63 Comments on You Probably Envisage New Zealand To Look Like This....., last added: 4/8/2013
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71. Author, Kurt Chambers, Giving Away 100% of his Royalties.

Author, Kurt Chambers, has come up with a novel (and very generous) approach to sell his first novel, Truth Teller - by giving away 100% of his royalties. Mad? Quite possibly. An ingenious marketing ploy? Absolutely.
 
Kurt will take over from here...
 
Yes, I really did say I am giving away 100% of the royalties of my book to anyone who wants it. Not only am I going to give you ALL my royalties, I'm also going to make it as easy as I can for you to collect them, with a step-by-step guide on how to do it. It really is that easy! Whoever signs up to be an affiliate vendor within the next three months will get 100% of the royalties. At the end of this period, I may extend this offer to even longer, depending on how successful it is, but I will still be offering a generous percentage of at least 50%. so the faster you act, the more money you could make. This is an opportunity you really don't want to miss.

If this is something that would interest you, then please read on...

How Is This Even Possible?


Okay, by now you probably think I have lost all my senses, but you would be wrong. I have spent the last eight years of my life working on writing, editing and publishing a series of children's fantasy novels. The first book in the series, Truth Teller, was published last year and is already an award winning novel. The second book in the series, The Wrath of Siren, is due out this year. My mission as an author is to reach as many readers as I can. One popular way of doing this is to give my first book away for free as an incentive, but a lot of people in the writing community frown upon this, claiming it devalues the price of books and all the work an author has put into it. I can understand this, being an author myself and knowing how much work this involves.

I want to find an alternative way of reaching my target audience that will benefit everyone, especially my readers. As an author, my reading public are the most important people to me, so why not offer them a slice of the action? A huge slice, in this case. 100% of my royalties. After all, if you, as a reader, are prepared to help me promote my book, then what else could I offer you in return that is better than cold hard cash? Money talks, right?

Is This Something I Can Do?


The simple answer to this is yes! Because I am going to make it very easy for you. All you need is a link that you can post on your website, whether that be a blog, your personal site, or even your Facebook page. You can even send this link to friends in an email. You can promote it in any way you want. Anyone who clicks on this link and buys my book will be paying YOU 100% of my royalties. It is as simple as that.

How Do I Get My Link?


Here are the technical details. In order to take up this amazing offer, you need to sign up with two sites if you are not already a member. Both are completely free and easy to set up. The first one is the site where my book is being sold, Smashwords. Unlike Amazon, Smashwords offers readers e-books in any format for whatever portable device they use as an e-reader. When you sign up as a member, you are automatically registered as an affiliate member and ready to accept my royalty payments. Smashwords pays all payments through PayPal. This is the other site where you need to make an account so you can accept payment. You need to add your PayPal account to your Smashwords account, which is easily done by clicking the 'Account' tab on Smashwords, choosing the 'Edit/update payee information' link, and filling in the form.

Now that you have your two accounts, you just need your promotion link.

https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/119775?ref=yourScreenName

This is the link you need. All you have to do is replace yourScreenName with your Smashwords screen name, and you are ready to go.

To locate your screen name, click to your My Smashwords page, and look in the web browser address bar. You'll see an address where the last characters after "...view/" are your screen name. Example: My screen name is KurtChambers. "https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/KurtChambers" So my link would be...

 https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/119775?ref=KurtChambers

What Do I Do Next?


The rest is easy! You use your link to promote my book in any way of your choosing. Post the link on your website, or send it in an email. I have set my Smashwords settings to pay 100% of the royalties to the affiliate (YOU). That is 81.5% of the book price after Smashwords has taken its cut. Each books sells for $2.99. When someone clicks your link and buys the book, you get paid the royalties.

Please see Smashwords Affiliate Marketing Program Documentation for full details.

Promotion Material


Now all you need is some promotional material that you can use to promote this fantastic book, and I will provide this for you also. You can use your link to attach to a simple image on your site, or you can do a whole page dedicated to it, it's up to you how you choose to promote it. Do what you think is most effective. Remember, the more books you sell, the more money you make. Below, I will provide you with pictures and posts you can use to promote this novel. You can simply copy and paste any of this straight into your website or email. Use as much or as little of the information as you wish. Remember to use YOUR LINK when you send a potential buyer to purchase the book.

Example: Buy Truth Teller now at https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/119775?ref=yourScreenName


Truth Teller Synopsis:


How could a modern day girl like Charlotte ever envisage that magic really exists? Even with her own vivid imagination, the place for other realms belongs in a child’s fairy tale. Or so she thinks, until she stumbles across a hidden curio shop and an even stranger shopkeeper. He gives her a gift that resembles an antique snow dome, but this is not an ordinary globe. The world Charlotte has always known disappears as she’s spirited away into a mystical land.

This is the beginning of a lifelong friendship that changes Charlotte’s life forever. Discovered by a young elf alone in the forest, she embarks on a journey in search of a group of travelling Entertainers. She encounters heart-stopping dangers and real life monsters, but a far greater threat shadows her every move. Even the strength and skill of her new found companions cannot protect her against a ruthless druid assassin.

But in this realm, Charlotte is not the vulnerable little girl she thought she was.

Pictures

Book covers:
Small:   

Large: (Click on image for full size)

Truth Teller Award:

Preditors & Editors Award Winner

Best cover artwork of 2012

Author Links:

Truth Teller Fan Club Page:

You can connect with the author at:

Author’s Web page http://kurtchambers.net/
 
(I wish you well, Kurt, and hope everybody pitches in to help!)

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72. Letter to the Editor of a British National Newspaper. Worth a Read.


Written by a housewife to her daily newspaper:

'Are we fighting a war on terror or aren't we?
 Was it or was it not started by Islamic people who brought it to our shores in July 2002, and in New York Sept 11, 2001 and have continually threatened to do so since?

Were people from all over the world, not brutally murdered that day in Washington, and in downtown Manhattan, and in a field in Pennsylvania?

Did nearly three thousand men, women and children die a horrible, burning or crushing death that day, or didn't they?

And I'm supposed to care that a few Taliban were claiming to be tortured by a justice system of the nation they come from and are fighting against in a brutal insurgency.

I'll care about the Koran when the fanatics in the Middle East start caring about the Holy Bible, the mere possession of which is a crime punishable by beheading in Afghanistan.

I'll care when these thugs tell the world they are sorry for hacking off Nick Berg's head while Berg screamed through his gurgling slashed throat.

I'll care when the cowardly so-called 'insurgents' in Afghanistan come out and fight like men instead of disrespecting their own religion by hiding in mosques and behind women and children. 

I'll care when the mindless zealots who blow themselves up in search of Nirvana care about the innocent children within range of their suicide bombs.

I'll care when the British media stops pretending that their freedom of speech on stories is more important than the lives of the soldiers on the ground or their families waiting at home to hear about them when something happens. 

In the meantime, when I hear a story about a British soldier roughing up an Insurgent terrorist to obtain information, know this:

I don't care.

When I see a wounded terrorist get shot in the head when he is told not to move because he might be booby-trapped, you can take this to the bank: 

I don't care.

When I hear that a prisoner - who was issued a Koran and a prayer mat, and 'fed special food' that is paid for by my taxes - is complaining that his holy book is being 'mishandled,' you can absolutely believe in your heart of hearts:

I don't care.

And oh, by the way, I've noticed that sometimes it's spelled 'Koran' and other times 'Quran.' Well, believe me!! you guessed it ........

I don't care!!

And may I add:

'Some people spend an entire lifetime wondering if they made a difference in the world. Our soldiers don't have that problem.' 

I have another quote that I would like to add:

Only six defining forces have ever offered to die for you:

1. Jesus Christ

2. The British Soldier.

3. The Canadian Soldier.

4. The US Soldier

5. The New Zealand Soldier, and

6. The Australian Soldier

One died for your soul, the other 5 for your freedom.
  
 We do not have strong politicians, just weaklings that bend in the wind.

(Just to reiterate, this letter was 'not' been written by me)

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73. To All Non-Pet Owners Who Visit my Cave And Like To Complain About The Pets.



1.   They live here. You don't.
2.  If you don't want their hair on your clothes, stay off the furniture. That's why they call it 'fur'-niture.
3.  I like my pets a lot better than I like most people. Yes, and that includes you ...
4.  To you, they are just animals. To me, they are adopted sons/daughters who are short, hairy, walk on all fours and don't speak clearly.

REMEMBER, DOGS AND CATS ARE BETTER THAN KIDS BECAUSE THEY ...


1.  Eat less.
2.  Don't ask for money all the time.
3.  Are easier to train.
4.  Normally come when called.
5.  Never ask to drive the car.
6.  Don't hang out with drug using people.
7.  Don't smoke or drink.
8.  Don't want to wear your clothes.
9.  Don't have to buy the latest fashions.
10. Don't need a gazillion dollars for college - and ...
11. If they get pregnant, you can sell their children.

Dear Dogs and Cats ...

The dishes with the paw prints are yours and contain your food. The other dishes are mine and contain my food. Placing a paw print in the middle of my plate does not stake a claim for it becoming your food and dish, nor do I find that aesthetically pleasing in the slightest. 

The stairway was not designed by NASCAR and is not a racetrack. Racing me to the bottom is not the object. Tripping me doesn't help matters either because I fall faster than you can run.

I cannot afford to buy anything bigger than a king-sized bed. I am very sorry about this. Do not think I will continue sleeping on the couch to ensure your comfort, however. Dogs and cats can actually curl up in a ball when they sleep. It is not necessary to sleep perpendicular to each other, stretched out to the fullest extent possible. I also know that sticking tails straight out and having tongues hanging out on the other end to maximize space is nothing but sarcasm.

For the last time, there is no secret exit from the bathroom! If, by some miracle, I beat you there and manage to get the door shut, it is not necessary to claw, whine, meow, try to turn the knob or get your paw under the edge in an attempt to open the door. I must exit through the same door I entered. Also, I have been using the bathroom for years - canine/feline attendance is NOT required.

The proper order for kissing is: Kiss me first, then go smell the other dog or cat's butt. I cannot stress this enough.

Finally, in fairness, dear pets, I have posted the above message on the front door. As you were ...


(I would like to take credit for this most entertaining notice, however, I must confess that I found it pasted to a wall at my local vets.)


48 Comments on To All Non-Pet Owners Who Visit my Cave And Like To Complain About The Pets., last added: 2/27/2013
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74. 50 Iconic Writers Who Were Repeatedly Rejected

Whether students are struggling writers, or just studying to be one at accredited online colleges, they probably know that there's a lot of rejection in their futures. Whether you are aiming for a technical program or bachelor’s degree, you will more than likely come to a point where your hard work isn’t quite good enough. But don't be dismayed, rejection happens even to the best. Here are 50 well-respected writers who were told no several times, but didn't give up.

  1. Dr. Seuss: Here you'll find a list of all the books that Dr. Seuss' publisher rejected.
  2. William Golding: William Golding's Lord of the Flies was rejected 20 times before becoming published.
  3. James Joyce: James Joyce's Ulysses was judged obscene and rejected by several publishers.
  4. Isaac Asimov: Several of Asimov's stories were rejected, never sold, or eventually lost.
  5. John le Carre: John le Carre's first novel, The Spy Who Came in From the Cold, was passed along because le Carre "hasn't got any future."
  6. Jasper Fforde: Jasper Fforde racked up 76 rejections before getting The Eyre Affair published.
  7. William Saroyan: William Saroyan received an astonishing 7,000 rejection slips before selling his first short story.
  8. Jack Kerouac: Some of Kerouac's work was rejected as pornographic.
  9. Joseph Heller: Joseph Heller wrote a story as a teenager that was rejected by the New York Daily News.
  10. Kenneth Grahame: The Wind in the Willows was not intended to be published, and was rejected in America before appearing in England.
  11. James Baldwin: James Baldwin’s Giovanni's Room was called "hopelessly bad."
  12. Ursula K. Le Guin: An editor told Ursula K. Le Guin that The Left Hand of Darkness was "endlessly complicated."
 
What can be derived from tales like this, is 'never' to give up.
 
And to all those who kindly left messages on my last post I thank you very much.

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75. I lost a beloved family member today.

Coco Morrell 29th May 2000 - 2nd February 2013
I miss you so much already Coco that it hurts to breath...

RIP sweetheart xxxxxx

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