Friday, October 20, 2023

 





Big News! Big News!

Despite the "radio silence" on my blog, I have been working hard the last couple years and have a few announcements:

1) I found a new publisher - Immortal Works Press - and have been working with them to revise, republish, and finish my current series, starting with:

2) The New Order Series is now complete! Book 1 Dead Girl Running and Book 2 Dead Girl Fighting.

Both are available for pre-order on Amazon and from my publisher directly.

3) Next in line is the How to Date Dead Guys series, and I'm hard at work revising book 2 and finishing the series. 


Thank you for your patience!

Ann

Thursday, February 14, 2019

THE SCOOP ON LITTER BOXES

Since I started my so-called writing career discussing this exact topic, here's an updated version to help keep both you and your cat happy regarding the litter box.

Suggestions to help keep your cat using the litter box (instead of the rest of your house) for a potty.


1)    The Scoop on Litter

a)    STYLE - Scoopable litter is probably the easiest type to keep clean. Scoopable litter forms clumps when your cat pees, which are scooped out with a litter box scoop/shovel. Stools are removed the same way. Find a litter brand that your cat likes and stick with that brand, no matter what is on sale. Switching brands can make a cat find another location to potty. 

b)    SMELL – Avoid scented litter, which can be irritating to the cat’s respiratory passages, especially in a covered litter box.

c)    CLEANING RULES - The importance of DAILY scooping cannot be emphasized enough. A good comparison is a porta potty. Do you want to use the fresh, clean porta potty that still has a full hand sanitizer? Or the one that hasn’t been cleaned in a week, it’s hard to breathe inside, and there’s no toilet paper left? Keep your cat happy by removing all the pee and poop on a daily basis, so it is fresh and clean and smells good in the litter box. If the litter box stinks, it is because it is not being cleaned often enough. 

d)    MORE CLEANING RULES – Daily scooping isn’t enough. The whole box needs to be dumped and cleaned frequently (every 1-2 weeks). Clean the WHOLE box, top to bottom. Don’t use cleaners containing vinegar, which can smell like another cat’s urine and confuse the matter. Once the litter box is clean and dry, then add a new box of fresh cat litter—the same brand as before. Don’t change things up, because this can also send your cat seeking other locations to potty.





2)    Location, location, location – Several rules to be followed

a)    Make sure the location is easy access for your cat. You wouldn’t make your grandma go all the way downstairs to potty, so don’t make your elderly, fifteen-year-old cat travel downstairs every time he/she has to potty. 

b)    Make sure the location isn’t “scary.” For example, don’t put the litter box next to the noisy washing machine, dryer, or furnace which can kick on and frighten a cat simply trying to pee in peace and quiet

c)    If you have multiple cats, provide multiple locations to potty.  Having 3 litter boxes all in the same room doesn’t count. You need multiple locations, because sometimes one cat can bully the others away from the potty and cause potty accidents around the house, but that bully can’t guard litter boxes in multiple locations all at the same time. In addition, it is recommended to have one more litter box than the number of cats in the house (for example, two cats means three litter boxes).





3)    Size is important– Cats come in different sizes, and so do litter boxes. If your cat is petite (under ten pounds), then the typical cat litter box size is probably fine. If your cat is of the more sturdy variety (say, 15# or more), then you need to size the litter box accordingly. Your cat should be able to fully stand up and turn around within the confines of the litter box. As a good comparison, think of the tiny bathrooms on airplanes—would you want to potty in them every day for your whole life? Probably not, so give your cat the same consideration.


But don't just search the Internet for litter box advice. Please ask your regular Veterinarian any questions you might have on the subject.

Happy scooping!

Wednesday, May 2, 2018

NEW COVERS and RE-RELEASES

New Cover Thanks to Alexandria Thompson of Gothic Fate


So much to share! Over the last few months, I ended my publishing arrangement with Curiosity Quills. This means I've been busy re-editing, adding new scenes, and working with the wonderful Alexandria Thompson developing new, beautiful covers for all my books!

Yes, I will be writing more books soon once the dust settles!


Another New Cover Thanks to Alexandria Thompson



Monday, April 16, 2018

BOY OF BLOOD by MEGAN O' RUSSELL


Boy of Blood
By Megan O'Russell

Publisher: Fiery Seas Publishing
Series: Girl of Glass
Genre: YA Dystopia
Release Date: April 10, 2018

After Nightland’s vicious attack on the domes, the safety and perfection of the world within the glass has been contaminated. Desperate to rebuild, outsiders are allowed into the domes to help, breaking the cardinal rule: outsiders and Domers must always be separated. But the city is in shambles, crumbling into chaos without the Vampers of Nightland to keep order, and one name is carried on the wind: Nola.

Clinging to Jeremy, Nola struggles to find a way to exist in the domes, turning her back on all she learned in the city. But when one of the outsiders brings the dark secrets of the domes to light, the line between survival and murder blurs against the spectre of the dying world.

Can Nola follow the dark path laid out by the Domes? Will the dangers of the night become her new sanctuary?


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About the Author:



Megan O’Russell is the author of the young adult fantasy seriesThe Tethering,andNuttycracker Sweet,a Christmas novella. Megan’s short stories can also be found in several anthologies, includingAthena’s Daughters 2, featuring women in speculative fiction. Megan is a professional performer who has spent time on stages across the country and is the lyrist forSecond Chances: The Thrift Shop Musical, which received its world premier in 2015. When not on stage or behind a computer, Megan can usually be found playing her ukulele or climbing a mountain with her fantastic husband.

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Friday, March 9, 2018

ROGUE CRYSTAL by JORDAN ELIZABETH




Your family history has a way of haunting you.



Available now on Amazon for 99 cents!

Avery loves the prospect of visiting the country of Scarya with her cousin and boyfriend. Adventure and romance surely await. Instead, war breaks out, and Avery ends up with an ancient sword everyone is dying to possess.

Scarya isn’t just a foreign land – the longer Avery is trapped there, the more she learns about her past. Her ancestors lived in Scarya, and one of them brought an enchanted crystal from space. She never expected an alien to ruin her vacation, but sometimes the past has a way of reappearing. 

ROGUE CRYSTAL is a fantasy for young adults.  This young adult novel is filled with elements of history and romance, published through CHBB, and is now available for purchase. 




Check out ROGUE CRYSTAL on GoodReads for fabulous reviews!




Jordan Elizabeth, formally Jordan Elizabeth Mierek, can often be found exploring historical ruins and imagining what life would be like with magic.  You can contact Jordan via her website, JordanElizabethBooks.com.




Wednesday, February 14, 2018

AN OCCASIONALLY GRIM FAIRY TALE

Valentine's Day means different things to different people.

Honestly, sometimes in the past I hated the date (thought it was a way for couples to make singles feel inferior), but this time around I have something to really celebrate.

This year, my beloved fairy tale will become a reality!

Which means that this year, Valentine's Day will mean the following:
- Princesses and dragons
- Shape-shifting nuns and meek scientists
- Giants (both good and bad) and royalty (also both good and bad)
- Sword fighting and demon hunting
- and so much more!




An Occasionally Grim Fairy Tale

Prince Bane Baronne has baby fever. He is in search of a wife with the proper mystical bloodline to bear him the heir of prophecy. Anna Leon is chosen, but Bane only pretends to be Prince Charming. When Anna questions his intentions, she vanishes from the castle.

Convinced she is to blame for her younger sister's disappearance, Maria Leon is coerced into the royal marriage instead. She is older, wiser, and should know better--but Bane always gets what he wants. And he is not above using trickery or treachery to do so.

Maria attempts to salvage what she can of a "happily ever after" by working hard to be the best mother and wife. Until the day she learns that every woman who has married into the Baronne line disappears soon after they have produced an heir.

And she is next in line.

Available for purchase on AMAZON starting February 14th, 2018!
Also available on Kindle Unlimited.

About the author:




More about me: Growing up an only child, I learned to entertain myself. During summer vacations, my greatest form of exercise consisted of turning the pages of a book. Now I'm all grown up, and full of stories half-written in my head. I have to write them down so I can find out what happens next.

What I enjoy: Writing, reading, being a small animal veterinarian, trail running, being a mom (although sometimes the hours do not promote good sleeping) and wife, and yoga (not saying I'm good at it, just that I enjoy it)

Why I wrote this book: Almost thirteen years ago I became a mother to my son. I had no idea how over-protective I would become over this little baby. That's why I started writing this book -- because new moms have so much free time, I thought I'd pick up a new hobby. Makes total sense, right? I've written several other books since then, but kept coming back to revise and rewrite this one -- my first writing love, so to speak. So happy it will finally be out in the world, and I sure hope the world enjoys it!

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SOULMATED: FIGHTING FATE by SHAILA PATEL

COVER REVEAL:




FIGHTING FATE

Empath Liam Whelan is determined to protect Laxshmi "Lucky" Kapadia, the girl he loves, at all costs--even if it means breaking her heart to keep her alive. Stopping the joining cold means Liam's life is in danger from the Soul Seekers and the ruthless Minister Gagliardi who now has designs on Lucky. Liam has no choice but to find the strength to fight his desires, fight the joining, and fight fate.

After the unthinkable happened, Lucky's "hallucinations" have been working double-time. Heartbroken and plagued by doubts, she meets a man who gives her a mind-blowing explanation for her predicament. Her apparent savior provides her with an escape from her hell: run away with him or return to her drab existence and watch Liam move on with her heart in his hands. All Lucky ever craved was to be in control of her own fate, but when her only choices fight against her heart, can she find the strength to battle for what she wants?

Hyperlinked Buy Links for FIGHTING FATE:

UNAVAILABLE AS OF FEB 7, 2018

SOULMATED

All eighteen-year-old Liam Whelan—an Irish royal empath—wants to do is stop the frustrating search for the elusive girl destined to be his soul mate. The rare union will cement his family's standing in empath politics and give the couple legendary powers, painting a bullseye on Liam's back—and hers.

All Indian-American Laxshmi Kapadia wants is to free herself from her traditional mother's ultimatum: graduate from high school early and go to medical school, or have her marriage arranged. Neither allow her to pursue her dreams of a career in dancing or of falling in love.

When Liam moves in next door to Laxshmi—a non-empath, he's immediately drawn to the purity of her emotions, and she sees in this charming Irish boy a future with the freedom to follow her heart. But Liam's father will never consent if she's not The One. And Laxshmi's mom won't even let her talk to their handsome new neighbor. But hiding their relationship can't keep them from becoming targets of dark and ancient group determined to destroy the soulmated.


What will these two risk to choose their own fate?


Hyperlinked Buy Links for SOULMATED:



AUTHOR SHAILA PATEL



As an unabashed lover of all things happily-ever-after, Shaila Patel's younger self would finish reading her copy of Cinderella and chuck it across the room because it didn't mention what happened next. Now she writes from her home in the Carolinas and dreams up all sorts of stories with epilogues. A member of the Romance Writers of America and the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators, she's a pharmacist by training, a medical office manager by day, and a writer by night. SOULMATED, her debut novel and the first book in the Joining of Souls Series, was the winner of the 2015 Chanticleer Book Reviews Paranormal Awards for Young Adult. Book 2, FIGHTING FATE releases April 2018. She loves craft beer, tea, and reading in cozy window seats—but she'll read anywhere. You might find her sneaking in a few paragraphs at a red light or gushing about her favorite books online.


Represented by:

Agent Amanda Leuck of Spencerhill Associates


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The question is: would you risk death to join your soul mate? Answer below in the comments section for the rafflecopter