It's Time To Catch Fire!

My good bloggy buddy Alex J. Cavanaugh's sequel to CassaStar comes out today: CassaFire.  He is such a wonderful writer and supporter of all of his blogging friends, that I jumped at the chance to support him today.  Please check out all of the links!

Today is the Catch Fire Blog Party, celebrating the release of CassaFire by Alex J. Cavanaugh! The goal is to help CassaFire “catch fire” on the best seller charts and achieve the success of the first book, CassaStar.  

Alex is doing a blog tour Feb 27-Mar 9 and during that time if you comment on his blog, you can win a special package of prizes (copies of CassaFire, CassaStar, tote bag, mug, and bookmarks) as well as book giveaways during his two-week blog tour. See Alex’s site for details: http://alexjcavanaugh.blogspot.com/ 

CassaFire

by Alex J. Cavanaugh

CassaStar was just the beginning…

The Vindicarn War is a distant memory and Byron’s days of piloting Cosbolt fighters are over. He has kept the promise he made to his fallen mentor and friend - to probe space on an exploration vessel. Shuttle work is dull, but it’s a free and solitary existence. The senior officer is content with his life aboard the Rennather.

The detection of alien ruins sends the exploration ship to the distant planet of Tgren. If their scientists can decipher the language, they can unlock the secrets of this device. Is it a key to the Tgren’s civilization or a weapon of unimaginable power? Tensions mount as their new allies are suspicious of the Cassan’s technology and strange mental abilities. 

To complicate matters, the Tgrens are showing signs of mental powers themselves; the strongest of which belongs to a pilot named Athee, a woman whose skills rival Byron’s unique abilities. Forced to train her mind and further develop her flying aptitude, he finds his patience strained. Add a reluctant friendship with a young scientist, and he feels invaded on every level. All Byron wanted was his privacy…

Available today!

Science fiction - space opera/adventure

Print ISBN 978-0-9827139-4-5, $15.95, 6x9 Trade paperback, 240 pages

EBook ISBN 978-0-9827139-6-9, $4.99, available in all formats

CassaFire is the sequel to Cavanaugh’s first book, CassaStar, an Amazon Top Ten Best Seller:

“…calls to mind the youthful focus of Robert Heinlein’s early military sf, as well as the excitement of space opera epitomized by the many Star Wars novels. Fast-paced military action and a youthful protagonist make this a good choice for both young adult and adult fans of space wars.” - Library Journal

You can visit the author’s site at http://alexjcavanaugh.blogspot.com/

Book trailer available at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qa6VINRGtyE.

Barnes and Noble - http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/cassafire-alex-j-cavanaugh/1034742568

Amazon - http://www.amazon.com/CassaFire-Alex-J-Cavanaugh/dp/0982713940/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1329417150&sr=1-1

Amazon Kindle - http://www.amazon.com/CassaFire-ebook/dp/B007A2TSNG/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1329663355&sr=1-1

My Writing Dream...

Origins Blogfest

I'm sure as writers, you have all gotten this question: when did you realize you wanted to write?

My answer is simple: I don't remember a time when I didn't like to write.  I mean, I didn't grow up thinking I could actually try it as a profession, but I still loved to make up stories in my head and occasionally write it all down on paper.

A couple months ago I found an old notebook from middle school with this huge science fiction plot written out.  I had character names, city names, names for currency, the year- it looked almost like some sort of sci-fi dystopian/fantasy.  I was pretty impressed, actually.  Nothing was ever written...but whatevs.  We won't focus on that part.

I think when I actually realized I might be able to do this for real was in college during my first creative writing class.  I didn't major in it (because it still didn't cross my mind that I could actually do this as a living) but I still loved taking any type of English class.  (and now I kick myself for not majoring in English.)

My professor had us all write short stories for the last major project.  I knew something was different when mine turned into a mini-novel of sorts.  Most of us read ours out loud in front of the class- but it took like, two or three class periods to get through mine when everyone else's took one.  But the cool thing is my classmates wanted me to read it!  They got so caught up in it, they were excited to come to class and listen to my story.  My professor was impressed with my world-building.  And then he told me I could definitely go somewhere with this.

That's when the lightbulb went off.  That's when I thought I might actually be able to write a whole book.

I didn't start actually writing my first book until quite a few years later after Little Monster was 3 or 4 and the Hubs practically forced me encouraged me to start, but it was always in the back of my mind after that class in college.  So even though I can't remember my professor's name (I know, shameful!) I still owe him a lot for encouraging me (and the Hubs for buying me my laptop so I had no more excuses NOT to write).

Now, whether or not I get published is one thing- it's more about the fun I have when writing. So even if it never happens, it'll still be fun to see what kind of worlds I can come up with and who I can make come to life on paper.  Besides, my mom and sis will always enjoy my books even if they don't get published.

Go check out some of the other participants in DL Hammon's Origins Blogfest! 

Favorite Positions**

So you know how you toss and turn and can't find that perfect position to sleep in?  You want that feeling of "aaahhhh" as you sink into your pillow, your bones settling for a long rest and your mind drifting into neverland.  That doesn't happen very much to me.  Apparently certain members of my family can pretty much sleep anywhere and in any position.

Writing a novel is kinda like finding the perfect position.  Sometimes you have to try a few out until you find the best one.  Or maybe you get it on the first try, and write the perfect novel the way my husband and daughter fall asleep in 5 minutes flat.

It doesn't really matter how you get there.  Whether you write 10 books, or 1, if you keep at it, you'll find that perfect position.

And when you do, you just know.  Everything settles in perfectly, every page feels like egyptian cotton, and your plot is like the perfect blend of memory foam and pillow-top.  

Tell me, have you found your favorite position?  Or are you still tossing and turning?

**Haha, fooled you!  You totally thought I was going to talk about the other kind of *ahem* "positions".  Seriously people, get your heads out of the gutter, Jeesh! 

Damn You Autocorrect!

So I recently acquired the Hubs' old iphone.  My very first smartphone ever- I'm finally up with the times!  Sorta...I mean it's not one of those 4s or g's or h's or whatever the newest one is.  But still...it's pretty exciting.

Whenever I'd see the funny autocorrect websites I always told myself, I would ALWAYS proofread my texts and NEVER send something like that!  How could you not catch that??  I would get a huge laugh at others' expense knowing that would never happen to me.

Well.  It did.

I had my first experience in which the autocorrect got the best of me.

I'll just say, it's not as bad as some of those on the website, thank goodness.  But it's still pretty funny.  I gave Hubs a hard time because that word SOMEHOW made it into the little dictionary bank or whatever the phone uses to correct misspelled words.

So here is our conversation:

Me: Did you get a text about going out to Hinode with Josh and Corey?
Hubs: Yep.
Me: What would you want to eat?  They will order it for us.  It's the kinky way they can sit now and still save seats for us.
Hubs: ?
Me: Only, not kinky!

So yeah...gettin' down with our kinky selves at Hinode.

I've officially been initiated into the Damn You Autocorrect club.

But really it's not as bad as that same friend who had texted Hubs earlier about going out to eat at Homosexuality.

Do you all have any funny autocorrect stories?